Guts, heat, hills and glory on the Peninsula

We did it! The Otago Peninsula Challenge was held yesterday, an annual 43 km bike, 23 km bike/run and what we did, the 15 km walk, The New Zealanders have a very funny way to describe the walk course. "Moderately difficult" nearly killed us at one point. We were in the head pack until about the 9 km point after the short boat ride across Papanui Inlet and the walk up Victory Beach, past a few sea lions who each had a conservation officer 'minder.' Sea lions can really run if they decide you're too close. We crossed a valley near the Pyramids and then started up the toughest of the five uphill tracks (see the photo with the mountain; the trail zigzagged up to the right). It was at midday and the temp was about 35 C. Instead of heat stroke, we opted for a plodding pace and frequent water stops. Brutal. Approximately 50 walkers in a field of 375 walkers dropped out. Of the whole event with 750 riders/runners/walkers , 4 people were air lifted out to hospital. Gill hauled us to the start at Allans Beach for the 8:30 a.m. start and Jim spent the day with her; they were there at the finish line. Farmland, flat, hills, seaside cliffs, bush valleys, beaches, dirt roads and over paddocks. The route was spectacular, with access to private land and preserves you'd never see otherwise. And after that one climb once we realized we weren't going to die, it was really quite exhilerating!