Learning to run in Pukekura Park

Leafy laps: There are beautiful walking and running tracks
around the lakes throughout Pukekura Park in New Plymouth.

By Virginia Winder
The walking phase is over.
I have officially moved on to walk-running. It's a slow transition, because I'm being careful.
Went to Pukekura Park where the tracks are tidy, but not too jarring and came face to face with my future and my past.
As I got to the bottom lake, I got a "hi Virginia," and it was a triathlon friend with a group of fit athletes doing speed work.
"This will be you next year," he said.
I grinned. "Yes it will be," I thought with glee.
There was definitely a spring in my step (after they past) when I continued by jog a few trees, walk a few more, as recommended by Coach Clint and by that master marathon runner Gerald Dravitzki.
I did that for my entire circuit, except I only walked up the steps to the Puriri tree, but after that I didn't stop and started jogging straight away.
In Goodwin Dell I got hugs from Howie and Aroaro Tamati and they said one of their daughters was with a group training on the terraces above the cricket ground.
"I used to do that for sprint training. I loved it! Up and down those steps," I said.
"See it's still in you," Howie said.
I grinned. "Yeah, it is," I thought.
Then headed off, past the terraces and saw the young people tearing up and down and remembered.
At this stage, that old song, Turning Japanese by The Vapors, had come on my Sony Walkman. I love the timeliness of things - it came out in 1980 and that's when I was training on those terraces and, of course, it was this part of Pukekura Park that scenes of The Last Samurai were shot.
Was pounding my way towards Fitzroy Beach and a swim in the sea when a red car pulled up.
"Want a ride?" a girl with long hair, holding a tantalisingly cool water bottle asked out an open window.
"Why not?" I said, grabbing the bottle and gulping greedily.
My run-walking is only happening in the park, so I don't injure myself. Therefore, the ride from my whanau was as timely as that one-hit wonder song and that swim in the sea. Oh, those waves.
Life is mostly good, but feel like I'm sitting on one of those annoying weight plateaus again.
But my eating is going brilliantly.
It's here that I have to say that I am one of the lucky people in life because my husband, Warren, is the most amazing cook. He's got his own recipe page on this blog (which he puts up himself) and he's just posted a cool video on making fajitas.
Last night, he made a gorgeous fish curry with tamarind, vinegar and poppy seeds. Mmmm.
Must admit I am missing my swimming, plus my fear of biking is growing (mantra to self, suggested/enforced by husband: I am brave, I am fearless).
Yes, there are some big hurdles coming up.
And I will leap them, I will!!!

Yesterday, I:
Walk/ran through Pukekura Park
Drank heaps of water
Slept badly for few hours because of huge fight going on in neighbourhood (see Taranaki Daily News front page)
Ate 3 excellent meals, but need to have those fuel snacks
Had 3 cups of coffee
Had 1 hot chocolate
Had 1 chai
Had 1 swim in sea
Worked for 3 hours