135mile/217km Island of Oahu Perimeter relay - 17-18 April 2010

We did it!

The Oahu Island Perimeter Relay Team

Jan, Heather and Julie

We rocked it!!!

*Top Twenty* highlights

1) Meeting the fabulous girls team @ Kaya’s in Punaluu ; Julie, Jan and Cheryl (our great crew).

Cheryl

2) Running my first 15 miles on my home turf : north east Oahu to Sunset Beach.

3) Sunset on the North Shore with a car load of sweaty girls.

4) Catching up with Mike and Don @ Chuns in their Badwater shirts.

Mike and Don in their Badwater shirts

5) Benita’s PB & J sandwiches, trail mix and funky flash light that shone multi colors and learning about satellites from Arvel while we waited for Benita and Mike to do Haleiwa to Kaena Point (this is where I could hear Jan sleeping…)

Mike, Cheryl, Benita, Julie, Heather and Jan in Haleiwa

Kaena Point

6) Doing Kaena Point in the pitch black of night with a trillion stars above in the company of Mike and Jan.

Jan and Mike at the entrance to the Kaena Point reserve

7) The way Mike’s pace sped up as he took us girls safely past multiple trucks parked along the roadside at Yokohama Bay in the dark with the inhabitants lurking in the shadows…

8) Passing through Yokohama Bay and Waianae after 1 a.m and being accompanied by a Pueo (Hawaiian Owl) who watched us and followed us. Hawaiians consider the Pueo sacred and a Protector. Some say it is a physical manifestation of ancestral guardians so it was quite incredible that it was with us during the more ‘dangerous’ sections of the adventure.

9) A curious and friendly cop in Waianae.

Breakfast in Waianae

10) Breakfast at daybreak in Waianae - ok, so I had a tangerine, a banana and Gatorade while the others had McDonalds….but I enjoyed the company…and we sat at a table!

Waianae at dawn

11) Meeting more of the HURT Ohana along the way and marveling at the support you all give to each other!

12) Andy in a kilt and his bagpipes serenading on a street corner in Kapolei.

Andy in a kilt with bagpipes to keep Mike going!

13)I loved that Julie and Jan got excited about my tin of Zam-Buk (best ointment in the world from South Africa for preventing or treating chafing).

Zam-Buk

14) Julie’s consideration and concern for everyone’s wellbeing.

15) Discovering that like me Jan can also roar like a lion when she has to!

16) Cheryl is the Gold Standard as crew. We definitely would not have made it without her. Mahalo!

17) Taking off at the end and finishing strong after my accumulated 53 miles on foot.

18) Experiencing my island home up close and very personal.

Outside Nanakuli

Pearl Harbor

19) Seeing Mike finish his 135 miles. What an accomplishment….well done!

Mike finishing 135 miles

20) Making new friends by meeting up with strangers and then running 50+ miles with them…nothing quite like it!

Runners and supporters

H.U.R.T rocks! Can’t wait to spend more of my running time with you.

I'm on the 'News' page of the updated HOKISA website

www.hokisa.co.za/news/2010/03/20/heather-howells-runs-for-hokisa-again/

Random thoughts whilst running and doing other things...

Training outfit :33L, 18lb backpack which will have to get heavier as my training progresses!

Om is the whole universe coalesed into a single sound and represents the union of mind, body, and spirit

1. Running with a heavy backpack is a completely different experience to running 'normal' marathons or ultras. It's difficult, tough and strenuous! I'm going to have to work hard on my strength and endurance...
2. Lucky I live Hawai'i!
3. Running along Kamehameha Hwy at 0400 in the dark with a headlamp and 15lb backpack before a 12 hour work shift is not a 'normal' saturday morning activity...
4. "I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life"- Henry David Thoreau
5. I think I might sign up for a 100 mile race on the mainland USA in early 2011 - I might as well, I'll be conditioned...
6. "No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn." Jim Morrison
7. "Rave on, rave on, rave on..."-Van Morrison
8.I experienced being in the moment and feelings of bliss today on my run along the rugged coastal trail at Kaena Point.
9. Very excited about setting up my fundraising page and sending the link out.
10. Mahalo Mandy and James for your contribution; the first of my fundraising endeavour!
11. Mahalo Steve V for your contribution, encouragement and patiently showing me great trail runs!
12. Mahalo Tammy, you'll be with me in the desert!
13. Mahalo Phillip and Joanne...great idea...a training run to Kailua...can you feed me a veggie burger when I get there?
14.Mahalo Jonathan for your donation and excellent advice! Now I won't totter off in the wrong direction in the desert...
15.One key to happiness is to replace anger with it's flipside - Compassion.
16. "....the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awwww!'..." Jack Kerouac (On the Road)
17. Mahalo Scott for your contribution!Namaste my ultrarunner friend.
18. Mahalo Andrew, Kathryn, Lewis and Declan for your contribution. You're awesome! Love you guys!!
19. Mahalo Sabine for your contribution in more ways than one! You're an awesome friend!
20."I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." - Invictus
21. Mahalo Sian for your contribution, you are the most wonderful daughter any mother could wish for!
22. Mahalo Stevie Caprivi for your contribution and thank you for supporting all my crazy endeavours...the adventure called 'life' continues...
23. Mahalo Saioa for your contribution. I hope our paths keep crossing in life!
24. Mahalo Vickie for your contribution and thank you for your frienship and encouragement throughout the years. We know what 'endurance' means from our work experience together!
25. Mahalo Penny and Colin for your contribution.Penny, you helped nurture my running in the beginning and now look what's happened!
26.Mahalo Alison for your contribution -Thanks for all the fun times at work - 'Elke pot het sy deksel' Hahaha!
27. Mahalo Heather and Phil for your contribution and ongoing support and friendship.
28. Mahalo Kirstie and Len for your contribution. Love you guys and look forward to seeing you in Hawaii!
29. Mahalo Banana Boy for your contribution. I don't know who you are but I'm taking you with me into the desert in my thoughts.
30. Mahalo Lisa B for your contribution. I'm so proud of your running acievements. You rock!
31. Mahalo Sarah B for your contribution. Much appreciated by me and HOKISA.
32. Mahalo for your contribution Ilze. I really appreciate your ongoing friendship and support!
33. Mahalo Anderson family for your contribution. David, working in triage with you has increased my stamina to da max!!! I'll be thinking that running through the Kalahari is nothing in comparison to our work days...thank you!
34. Mahalo Chrystal for your contribution, you are a special part of my Hawaiian Ohana.
35. Mahalo Emelie for your contribution, you are also a beautiful person, an amazing doctor and it's been a pleasure working with you and knowing you and your growing family.
36. Mahalo Pat and Molly for your contribution and friendship throughout the years. Whenever I remember my time in Guam fondly, I think of you.
37. Mahalo Monica for your contribution and  friendship throughout the years. Thank you for running by my side (virtually).
38. Mahalo for your contribution Mike. The first time I met you, you were running around an island, I hope to keep on following in your 'crazy' footsteps!
39. Mahalo Cat, Robert and Ethan for your contribution and wonderful message. Miss you Cat, you are a wonderful mother and doctor.
40. Mahalo Tom for your contribution. You were my first ultra running buddy, met you on my first ever ultra 'Hilo to Volcano'...and it's just gone further and crazier since then. Aloha.
41. Mahalo Amy for your contribution. It is such a pleasure working with you and we are kindred spirits.
42. Mahalo Catherine, Rob and Hannah for your contribution. It was been fabulous knowing you ever since our time in Guam and reconnecting again in Hawaii.
43. Mahalo Geoff for your contribution. I will 'give it to em' and 'run down Babylon'...
44. So many other people have contributd since my last entry and I haven't been able to keep up: A huge thank you to Andy G, Rachel, Derrick and Zoe, Renee and Robin, Ian A, Maria B, Mel, Sundby family, Joni, Annie, Faith, Regan and Suzie, KAtie, Peggy and Diane, Margot and Maureen. Without your donations and words of encouragement I would not be so successful. I really appreciate your generosity.

32 Week training Program for KAEM: (week 1-8)

I've decided to use a training program for a 100mile/160km race as a guideline for running the Kalahari adventure race. It's a challenge trying to fit all the runs in due to my work schedule and commute time, so I've tweaked the program to best fit into my time available:

This trail is situated at the north western tip of the island, on a clear day you can see Kauai

Kaena Point trail run

Week 1: ( 7mar2010-13mar2010 )Total distance 34miles/54.7km
Sunday: 8miles/12.8km
Wednesday: 14miles/22.5km
Thursday: 8miles/12.8km
Saturday: 4miles/6.44km (in the dark with headlamp and 15lb backpack)

A little bit of rock hopping and scrambling along the way
Kaena Point 10mile/16km out and back dirt track and trail run towards Yokohama Bay

Week 2: ( 14mar2010-20mar2010 )Total distance 40miles/64.37km
Sunday: 4 miles/6.44km (in the dark with a headlamp and 15lb backpack)
Monday: 8miles/12.8km
Tuesday: 14miles/22.5km
Friday: 6miles/10km
Saturday: 8miles/12.8km (hills)

Ocean and lava rock eye candy along the route

Northwest leeward corner of Oahu: perfect training for the Kalahari desert!


Week 3: ( 21mar2010-27mar2010 )Total distance 42miles/67.6km
Sunday: 8miles/12.8km (hills)
Tuesday: 4miles/6.44km
Wednesday: 16miles/25.7km
Thursday: 10miles/16km (trail run at Kaena Point with 18lb backpack).
Friday: 4 miles/6.44km

On top of the world at Peacock Flats, looking down over the North Shore : life is good!

Kuaokala Trail on Peacock Flats, North Shore Oahu (it takes 1.5-2 hours to get here via Kealia Trail and then you're in the middle of nowhere)

Week 4: ( 28mar2010-03apr2010 ) Total distance 46miles/74km
Sunday: 4miles/6.44km
Monday: 10miles/16km
Tuesday: 6miles/10km
Friday: 10miles/16km (trail run at Kaena Point with 18lb backpack)
Saturday: 16miles/25.7km

Narrow ledge in heaven on Kuaokala Trail







Sunlight streaming through the forest on top of the mountain on Kuaokala Trail








Week 5:  (4apr2010-10apr2010) Total distance 34miles/54.7km
Sunday: 6miles/10km
Tuesday: 6miles/10km
Wednesday: 14miles/22.5km
Thursday: 8miles/12.8km (hills)

Puena Point, Haleiwa. I often run past here on my long runs.





Haleiwa Bridge: Once I cross the river, I usually run to Ali'i Beach Park which is a 16mile/25.7km out-and-back run from Sunset Beach.

Week 6: (11apr2010-17apr2010) Total distance 48miles/77km
Sunday: 4miles/6.44km
Monday: 6miles/10km
Tuesday: 18miles/30km
Saturday: 20miles/32.1km (Oahu Perimeter Relay)

Week 7: (18apr2010-24apr2010) Total distance 45miles/72.4km
Sunday: 33miles/53.1km (Oahu Perimeter Relay)
Thursday: 6miles/10km
Saturday: 6miles/10km

Waimea Bay : Eye candy on the run!

I'm a regular on the North Shore Bicycle path

Week 8: (25apr2010-2may2010) Total distance 47miles/ 75.6km
Sunday: 4miles/6.44km
Monday: 8miles/12.8km (hills)
Tuesday: 20miles/32km
Saturday: 15miles/24km (trails)

Hilo to Volcano 50K ultra marathon and Maui Oceanfront marathon;

Hilo to Volcano Ultra and Maui Oceanfront Marathon:
23-24January 2010
Beautiful Lahaina, Maui
Hilo Bay and Coconut Island, Big Island of Hawaii
My first back-to-back Ultra and Marathon experience started in the quaint, lush, ‘Old Hawaiian’ town of Hilo on the Big Island. Steve accompanied me for the ultra marathon to be my support crew as no refreshment stations are provided during this race and he is the best support person you could imagine! After landing in Hilo and checking in at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel adjacent to Coconut Island (the start) on Banyan Drive we headed off to the Volcanoes National Park in the hopes of seeing some eruption activity. Once in the park we were blanketed by a thick haze of vog (volcanic smog) and could feel the sulphur dioxide in the air as our eyes and noses started to burn. Along Crater Rim drive we saw multiple steam vents and as we neared Kilauea Caldera and the Halema’uma’u crater thick SO2 filled smoke was billowing out of the crater in huge volumes and due to the ‘Kona wind’ conditions the area was rendered inaccessible due to these high levels of vog .We were evacuated out of this section of the park by Rangers wearing gas masks.

Once further south the air quality improved and we were able to view Kilauea Iki crater from different vantage points. This is a collapse crater formed during the 1959 massive volcanic eruption which occurred after an earthquake and the crater filled with red hot, swirling MAGMA (Dr Evil accent). There is a mile out-and-back walking trail which we strolled along called the Trail of Devastation - aptly named due to the devastating effects of the cinder outfall of the 1959 eruption which wiped out all the vegetation in this areaT

Kilauea Caldera and Halema'uma'u crater
Devastating effects of the massive 1959 volcanic eruption
Kilauea Iki craterWalking along the Trail of Devastation

Race day: 31 ultra runners and a few relay teams lined up for the start at Coconut Island next to the Queen Liliokalani Gardens in the darkness of early morning (6 a.m.) The weather was much drier than last year and the predawn section of the run was done in perfect temperature. The race starts at sea level and climbs steadily to 4000ft along Highway 11 through the business section of Hilo, through Kurtistown and Mountain View and onwards and upwards towards the town of Volcano at the entrance to Volcanoes National Park. I had forgotten how steep the route was and prior to the race I told myself that it wouldn’t be as difficult as Run to the Sun, which is true, but it’s still uphill all the way with many difficult sections especially around mile 22-23 when the weather was extremely hot and voggy. I recognized familiar faces from last year’s event and those of the ‘crazy’ but wonderful community of ultra runners in Hawaii. One of the reasons that I love this race is because it’s small and intimate and I finished wanting to return again next year. My time was 6:02 which was an improvement of 7 minutes from last year. Steve and I had to dash to the airport to catch a flight back to Honolulu and I was going on to Maui for the next race in the morning. A hui ho Big Island , we’ll be back again to experience more of your spirit of aloha!

The long road from Hilo to Volcano

Maui : I stayed in Kihei at the Maui Banyan and had a delightful reunion with Tamarin and R.J who have recently relocated to Maui. The marathon started at 05:30 in Wailea and followed the ocean road all the way to Lahaina on the leeward side of the island. I ran with Mnt Haleakala ever present at my back, the monstrous dormant volcano constantly beckoning me to it’s challenge again…the start of the race was very ceremonial with conch shell blowing and Hawaiian chanting and then all the runners were taught an Hawaiian chant to the tune of Shosholoza which was really fun for me. The course was flat with a middle hilly section and flat again, so not too bad for someone who had just done an uphill ultra the day before. During the dark hour of predawn through Kihei I heard the constant gentle lapping of the ocean to my left and as dawn broke and I turned my head towards the sea, I saw my first whale of the day. The section of ocean between Maui, Lanai and Molokai is a sanctuary for Humpback Whales who come to Hawaii from Alaska during winter to give birth and have some fun in warmer waters. Throughout the 26 miles/42km almost every time I looked seaward, I saw some kind of whale activity. It became hotter and hotter and the last six miles were definitely a mental process of telling the body to place one foot in front of the other whilst still running and I made it across the finish line in Lahaina in 4:48 (not very fast but I‘m satisfied with my time due to the accumulative distance traveled this weekend).I highly recommend this marathon for it’s beauty, great aide stations and friendly vibe!!

Back on Oahu I’ve now qualified as a 4 Star Marathon Maniac which is a group you can belong to if you’re insane enough to run a lot and you have to qualify by meeting certain criteria e.g running back-to back marathons. I’ll be starting my training for my next ultra in march.

A hui ho

Aloha Heather

Lahaina, Maui

Comrades Marathon Experience - 2009

My Comrades Marathon Experience : May 2009
"May you always be astonished by your own abilities" - Anon.
I have returned from a sequence of events that have left me astonished by my own abilities and I have been filled with a sense of wonder at being human and the potential thereof.
The entire process leading up to my participation in the Comrades Marathon 2009, the 56mile/89km race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa has been life-changing. A few years ago I thought that a Half Marathon was a far distance to run, little did I know that I would be participating in three ultra marathons in the first half of 2009. My wish for this ultra marathon to mean more than the personal accomplishment of completing the 89km race within the 12 hour cutoff led me towards the possibility of raising funds for an orphanage in South Africa. After much research, I decided on HOKISA in Masiphumelele on the Cape Peninsula and have been in awe of the loving and generous response from my family, friends, colleagues and complete strangers who have helped me to make this fundraising initiative a fantastic success, the end total being R39,300.00. To everyone who contributed, I cannot begin to thank you enough and wish to assure you that your donations have made a significant impact on the lives of these children.





My adventure began with a 40 hour flight from Honolulu to Durban. I was met at the airport by a dear friend who has gone above and beyond the call of friendship to give me support, ensure my health and accommodate me during my stay in South Africa. We drove to our B+B in the beautiful rural area of Alverstone in Hillcrest, about a 30 minute drive from Durban. From the porch one could experience sweeping views of the start of Valley of a Thousand Hills. I made fabulous connections with friends, old and new, attended inspirational pre-Comrades functions and had spaghetti sauce splashed on me by Bruce Fordyce ( 9x winner) at the 'Pasta Party'. Pre-race I didn't really do any special carbo-loading and generally just ate my normal vegan meals and also did not pre-hydrate or do any other 'special' preparation except that over the 5 1/2 months preceding the event I ran 1424 km. Unfortunately my body clock was functioning on a 12 hour time difference and I only managed about 3-4 hours sleep a night.
The Comrades marathon: The start of the race was exceptionally moving with 12 000 runners gathered in front of the big clock tower of the Pietermaritzburg City Hall in the dark hours of pre-dawn. I stood with a lump in my throat, tears stinging my eyes and an overwhelming sense of gratitude while the songs Shosaloza and Nkosi Sikelele were sung. Then the recording of the voice of one of the first Comrades runners doing the 'cock crow' was played, followed by the starting gun and the theme song of Chariots of Fire carried us over the starting line and into the dark streets towards Polly Shortts, our first climb of the day whilst we ran towards the brilliant red sunrise that lit up the clouds creating a beautiful start to the day. Initially I hopped onto a sub-11 hour 'bus'. (A 'bus' is a group of runners led by a pacer or 'bus driver'). The pace felt great, my legs were fresh and I ran the first 21km with a very chatty runner from Shelley Beach. I was delighted to see my friend and hear her shouting encouragement at the Lion Park turnoff. My fairly recent leg injury that I had picked up after my 'Run to the Sun' experience flared up slightly around this point and I decided to be pro-active about it before it became worse, so I stopped at a physiotherapy station and had my leg strapped, subsequently falling behind the 11 hour bus. I was soon to pick up more friends along the way. The 'Spirit of Ubuntu' is alive and well and it was thrilling to be a part of this collective mass consciousness that was moving on foot and helping each other along the way in a manner which I have never experienced in my life before.




I decided to stay relaxed as I continued the undulating meander through Cato Ridge and Camperdown, past the Ethembeni School for physically disabled children whose broken, buckled and bent bodies lined the street, singing with their arms and hands outstretched to be able to touch the runners as they went by. I stopped momentarily to share my best 'township jive' dance steps with a group of girls who were singing and dancing alongside the road and they roared with delight.
Then came the grind up Inchanga, up and up, steep and tiring - I remembered reading the phrase “where was the 'down run‘“ ? Everyone was taking short walk breaks and so I followed suite. The sight of Drummond lifted my spirits somewhat and I chugged downhill to reach the halfway mark and a timing mat - five and a half hours had elapsed, I was still on target and feeling good due to my tactic of energy preservation, knowing that another 45 km still lay ahead. Another climb ensued, past Arthur's Seat (where Arthur Newton, the first Comrades winner sat and rested during his long training runs) and Wall of Honour (plaques honouring past Comrades winners and runners). We continued to climb upwards and onwards with a dip after Alverstone radio tower where Kay was waiting to cheer me on and give me anything I might need - then another grind up Botha's Hill past Kearsney College and then down through the cheering streets of Hillcrest where my tired legs and feet started feeling effects of the 'down run'....30km to go - this was all unknown territory to me and I had to start digging deep to keep the mind on the target, the feet on the road, one step at a time and move the pain out of the realm of consciousness. The balls of my big toes were burning from the downhill pounding that was now taking place. Through Gillits and down a very steep Field's Hill is where I established a very deep and meaningful relationship with a fellow runner and we helped each other through 10km of difficulty. After parting ways I met another runner and we helped each other psychologically through the next 10km through Pinetown and on towards Cowies Hill, another climb and I lost track of all the ups and downs after that- we parted ways and I had moments of worrying that I might not make the cutoff. I was becoming slower and merely placing one foot in front of the other....then finally 45th Cutting and another timing mat, I had made this cutoff time and developed another friendship with a complete stranger who helped me to the end and over the finish line in 11:42:37 - what a high!!! What an exhilarating experience!!! I told myself that this was a onetime deal, I had been there, done that, checked the box. After hobbling to the cold showers with friends, I was loaded into the car, driven back to the B+B, placed in a hot bath with Epsom salts and aromatherapy oils. I felt extremely nauseas and could not eat nor drink and even though I was exhausted, only slept 3 hours that night. At breakfast I fainted in my chair on the verandah and had to be force fed. I now realize that my mistake was refusing to eat and drink after the race. Once I got sustainance in my body again I perked up and announced that one should 'never say never' and by that evening I was ready to sign up for another Comrades. I'm happy to report no injuries except for one swollen toe that recovered quickly. This was less of a race and more of an experience in humanity. I did not view myself as an athlete but rather as a human on a journey towards self-realization.
HOKISA: We flew to Cape Town where I experienced an overwhelming sense of 'being home'. I've been able to catch up with friends and family and spent time at HOKISA where I was welcomed with beautiful posters drawn for me by the kids with pictures of me, my running number, running shoes with wings on them and hearts with wings and a halo. They sang for me, inspected and wore my Comrades medal, gave me a tour of the home and prepared a special lunch. Wow! In giving one receives so much. My cup is overflowing.
Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible, successful, enjoyable and for all the love, kindness and friendship shown to me from beginning to end. I feel truly blessed.
Enkosi Kakhulu and hambani kakuhle (thank you and go well)
Heather

Meeting motivational speaker and endurance athlete Braam Malherbe