On hills and running up them
How to avoid running up hills (but why you shouldn't) when you live in Wellington.
In June I ran my first half marathon. Finishing was the goal, doing so in under two hours was the hope. I came in at one hour, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds. It was never in doubt!
The Wellington Half Marathon course is as flat as can be. So when training for it I stuck dutifully to the bays around Wellington Harbour. Wind, not hills, was my main concern. I’d trained hard, but good Wellington weather in June is not something you can hang your hat on.
I needn't have worried. The race starter reckoned it was a one-in-ten-year day, I think this might have been underselling it. It was a cool morning, but the sun was out and there was hardly a breath of wind. Such beautiful conditions made for great running and race records were broken in the women’s marathon and half marathon, and the men’s half marathon.
I have been running for a few years now, and despite living in Wellington for a good portion of that time, until recently I had managed to avoid running up any substantial hills. Those who have been to Wellington will understand the impressive nature of this feat.
But a few months ago I moved from the city centre to the hills of Brooklyn. A lovely place to live, but I can hardly get past the letterbox without encountering a hill. This left me two options, drive down to the coast to run on the flat or overcome my fear of running up hills. After a bit of encouragement, I chose the latter. Luckily for me, there are great tracks for running (and walking and biking) in the bush around Brooklyn. I have discovered these tracks make not only for a more scenic run but also provide shelter from the Wellington wind. And, it turns out, running up (and down) hills isn’t that bad after all.
If I was going to continue running I was going to have to conquer my fear of hills at some point and I’m glad that time has come. Sometimes I have to slow to a walk in order to gasp for some air and make it to the top of the rise. But the veiw, and the journey to the top, is well worth it.
It’s a good day to…
Watch The Pigeon Tunnel on Apple TV+. A documentary about the spy and novelist David Cornwell (who wrote under the name John le Carré).
Read the poems of Brian Bilston. I just read his excellent collection, Alexa, what is There to Know about Love? He also posts some of them online.
That’s all. Thanks for reading.
Thanks for another great post! As an aspiring runner I can relate to the fear of hills, and I was glad for your tip on the documentary. Mike loves that author.