“I run for two reasons. Firstly, a strong family history of heart disease begs for a healthy lifestyle. Secondly, growing up roaming the mountains of Wales really ingrained in me that love for outdoors and the mountain tops. If it’s a fine sunny day I have to be outside. Growing up in rainy Wales will do that to you, as they are precious rare days. I am happiest out on the tops of the mountains. I think growing up in the valleys with mountains either side blocking out the sky just makes me want to expand the sky and get on the tops. Maybe I am boarder line claustrophobic.
I first kept fit by riding road bikes as a teenager in Wales and then racing them when I moved to Jamaica and then New Zealand. In 2013 I was asked by a friend to run the Coast to Coast Mountain Run in 2014 as part of a team. Not sure why he asked a cyclist to do the run part, but I guess he just figured I was fit enough and just needed to start running. So I trained for 6 months and gave it a crack. The leg of the Coast to Coast was up over Arthurs Pass, climbing up the river bed and over the saddle. This was just like roaming the hills of Wales but faster (and bigger) and I loved it. I was hooked and haven’t stopped running since.
I still cycle but run more now, and mostly trail running. I like to mix it up though and come up with unique adventures like riding my bike from home in Whanganui to Ruapehu and Taranaki, and then running up and down to the summits. My own little Sea to Summit adventures.
I dabble in road and parkrun. I recently completed a back to back around the mountains adventure by doing the Ring of Fire 73K race and guiding a group of runners around and up Taranaki the weekend before. I spend a lot of time training on Taranaki as I work close by.
There is lots to explore in New Zealand and the Tararuas are my current mission. Hopefully I will be attempting an SK (Main Range S-K Schormann to Kaitoke) in the not too distant future.
For many years I have been conscious that life is short. I see it all too frequently, with the next person you know of that has passed on, and having lost my brother at a young 54 years I like to make the most of every opportunity. I treat each day as precious and try to make the most of each one. This finds me more often than not in the mountains. My mantra is ‘Plan for the future but live for today’. Don’t waste those precious days, be kind, end each day with a smile, and do what you can to make others smile.”
Kerry @kerry.bennett.948
(Whanganui)
Photo taken in Te Anau
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