32 Week training Program for KAEM: (Week 16-18)

View from 'Stairway to Heaven' - 3922 steep steps up a mountain

Looking down at the Ko'olau Pali from the stairs

Week 16:(20jun2010-26jun2010) total distance 60miles/96.5km

Monday: 13miles/21km - with 13lb/6kg backpack

Tuesday: 2miles/3.2km - 3922 steps up a mountain and back down again (Stairway to Heaven)

Friday: 21miles/33.8km- hills and trails

Saturday: 14miles/22.5km  in the morning

                10miles/16km in the evening

Sian and I starting "Stairway to Heaven'

Almost in 'heaven'

Week 17: (27jun2010-03jul2010)27miles/43.5km

Sunday: 8miles/12.8km
Wednesday: 9miles/14.5km hills
Thursday:10miles/16km with 11lb/5kg backpack

Happiness is...an early morning run with a friend

Running along the North Shore of O'ahu

Week 18: (04july2010-10july2010) Total distance 65miles/104.61km 

                                                       

Monday: 8miles/12.8km with 12.5pound/5.7kg backpack                                                                          

Tuesday: 27miles/43.5km self supported slightly more than a marathon                                                        

Friday: 21miles/33.8km - trails and hills                                                                                                      

Saturday: 9miles/14.5km                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                                             

Preparing for game spotting on the run:Creatures and Critters in the Kalahari Desert

My Kalahari desert running kit



I am doing research on the fauna and flora in the Kalahari Desert so that my experience of running 250km/155miles through it will be enriched by a small amount of knowledge beforehand.

 Here is a list of mammals that inhabit this region of the world:
African wild cat; bat-eared fox; black footed cat; free-tailed bat; aardwolf; spotted genet; giraffe; zebra; leopard; the Kalahari lion; cheetah; mongeese; rock dassies; cape clawless otter;; black backed jackal; caracal; hyena; anteater; porcupine; baboon; bush baby.

A list of reptiles includes:
Black spitting cobra; cape cobra; horned adder; desert mountain adder; Beetz's tiger snake; Karoo sand snake; Augrabies flat lizard; agama; Nile monitor; thick toed geckos; Leopard tortoise

Arachnids:
Scorpion, tarantula

Insects:
Midges; fungal termites, butterflies

32 Week training Program for KAEM: (Week 9-15)

Yokohama Bay from the trail

Makua Valley from the heavens on

the Peacock run

Week 9:  (2may2010-8may2010) Total distance 39 miles/62.7km
Sunday: 12miles/19.3km (hills)
Wednesday: 10miles/16km (trails with 18lb backpack)
Thursday: 17miles/27.3km

Hukilau Beach: Less than a mile from my house on my frequent running route




Malea Kahana: 2 miles down the road from my house, a pit stop for filling up water bottles

Week 10: (9may2010-15may2010) Total distance 50miles/80km
Monday: 15miles/24km
Tuesday: 5miles/8km
Friday: 20miles/32km
Saturday: 10miles/16km (hills)
Running down the windward side

Palm trees along Hau'ula Beach Park

Week 11: (16may2010-22may2010) Total distance 50 miles/ 80.5km)
Sunday: 14miles/22.5km (hills/trails)
Thursday: 10miles/16km + 10miles/16km
Friday: 6miles/10km
Saturday: 10miles/16km

Running south from my house, a small diversion of the road brings you to this scene

Looking towards where I live from a beach park on Windward O'ahu

Week 12: (23may2010-29may2010) Total distance 55miles/88km
Sunday: 10miles/16km
Monday 10miles/16km (hills)
Tuesday: 10miles/16km (20lb backpack and new trail shoes)
Friday: 10miles/16km
Saturday: 15miles/24km

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe

The Pali Lookout - turnaround point for one of my favourite runs

Week 13:(30may2010-06june2010) Total distance 32miles/51.5km

 Sunday: 8miles/12.8km - hills with 11lb/5kg backpack
Wednesday: 10miles/16km with 11lb/5kg backpack
Thursday: 14miles/22.5km with 11lb/5kg backpack - dedicated run to Erik Mason my high school friend who is in a coma - you filled my high school years with much laughter bru!It's difficult to run and cry at the same time.Wishing you strength.

The funky shops on the NE shore of O'ahu in the middle of nowhere running north of Kahuku

Ho'omaluhia Botanical gardens







Week 14: (06june2010-12june2010) Total distance 60miles/96.5km
Monday: 12miles/19.3km (with 11lb/5kg backpack)
Tuesday: 10miles/16km (trail run with 20lb/9kg backpack)
Friday: 22miles/35km (trail run in the hills)
Saturday: 16miles/26km (with 9lb/4kg backpack)

The Windward coast road I often run along

The road near Kahana Bay, one of my turnaround points

Week 15:(13june2010-19june2010) Total distance 46miles/74km

Sunday: 10miles/16km with 8lb/4kg backpack

Wednesday: 10miles/16km hills

Thursday: 26miles/42km self supported marathon on my own

Kahuku Town Olde Sugar Mill remnants

View from the bridge at Waimea Bay along one of my favourite running routes

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)