“It started many years ago. Noticed early on by my school PE teacher, he realised I could be a good sprinter. He even bought my first pair of spikes! 100, 200 and 400m would be my main events. This evolved into the long jump and the triple jump and becoming a pace runner for the 800m races.
Fast forwards a few years and I joined the Royal Marines. After a year I became the unit 400m champion and the 200m and long jump also.
I had always run and I kept it for many years, until I got a long term injury which prevented me from running. Once I recovered I had lost the “bug” and didn’t re-start properly for many years.
In 2012 I completed the Chester Marathon in 5.12, but as I lived in a place where running and cycling clubs were sparse, it was tough keeping it going.
I moved here to Hawkes Bay in 2017 and found TriHB. As I was already a runner and a cyclist (of sorts), progression into triathlon was inevitable. I completed many sprint and Olympic distance triathlons, many duathlons, and 4 half distance Ironman events or 70.3.
With a full distance Ironman looming in 5 months, this keeps me on my toes, and I am actually enjoying the running phase of training. We live in a great place here in Hawkes Bay and I can vary where I run – Otatra Pa, Te Mata Peak and more.
And I love meeting people, from all walks of life, with one common denominator, running! And some cycling and swimming too…”
Gaz @gazfaz07
(Napier)
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Portraits of Runners + their stories
@RunnersNZ
