Kia Ora!

I had the most amazing weekend in Rotorua!! Me, Farah and Rachel participated that tough guy and gal challenge I talked to you about earlier. It was huge fun!! 12 km of mud, water, uphill, downhill, rope climb, crawling etc. That was so an event made for me and I enjoyed every part of the race. It took me 1hour 25 minutes to complete the route (2 x 6km lap) and it was hard work both mentally and physically!! Throughout the race you are having this battle in your head.. Can I do this, can I keep this pace or will I hit the wall at some point.. how much further.. what is the next obsticle.. and so on. The hardest part was the end of the first 6 km lap and starting a new one. At that point your lungs are burning and legs feel quite heavy and it doesn't help that the mud has gotten really soft and you fall deeper and deeper in the mud path. After 7km it got easier again, knowing that you are past halfway.

It was huge event and very well organized. Over 3000 men and women were there, some did 6 km and some the hole 12 km. I was 6th in my categorie (women age 13-39 and running the hole12km) so I can be very happy with my run. Anyway it's interesting for me to see how competitive person I truly am. Even though this was just race for fun and get a new experience, as soon as we got to the ranch I started to look at other women runners, are they fit, do they look fast, could I beat them etc. And during the race I was really comfortable running with men, we were supporting each other and trying to keep the pace as fast as we could, but as soon as I saw another woman running I thought oh, I'm so gonna beat her!! After the race/game is finished all these feelings dissapear and I'm back to my normal self but yeah.. there is this very strongly competitive person in me when the challenge is on!

There is this one thing you must do if you come to NZ. Yeah... Bungy jump! So next day after the race we went to Taupo so I could jump. Taupo is beautiful city known by this big lake, Lake Taupo. Especially summer time there is lot's and lot's of tourists in Taupo. So I jumped off this cliff 50 meters to Waikato river. It was a breathtaking experience!! So much feelings at so little time. Huge adrenalin rush, you are looking this beautiful scenery thinking oh my god am I really gonna do this... trying to block every what if... thought that tries to get to your head and you just jump!! I can say right now that wasn't my last jump, I'll do it again as soon as I get a chance, I loved the adrenalin and feeling of flying through the air. I got some pics of my jump to show you. Like my shirt by the way..?

That was all about my amazing weekend, I'm starting my last week here, trying not to think about leaving and make the best of these days that I have left. 

Tanja