INSPO Fitness Journal November 2017

AOTEAROA
land of the outdoor gym
There’s nothing quite like having a few days off to enjoy
the simple things in life. Labour Weekend not only brought
stunning weather but also the opportunity to take a moment
and appreciate the sunshine, blue sky, and light breezes
keeping the heat at bay.
BY SHANE WAY
I
sat on the deck of a cosy cottage in
Ohakune, with my laptop open and a
beautiful view of the horizon. Having just
finished the Tongariro Crossing I felt exhausted
yet exhilarated; sore but successful;
tired but proud.
That weekend away was a timely reminder
of just how lucky we are to live in a
country where we are surrounded by oceans
and beaches, lakes and rivers, mountains and
valleys - a huge outdoor jungle gym.
We can travel a few hours in any direction
to find some of the most beautiful scenery;
views that you could travel the world and
never replicate.
So many times’ I’ve heard people say they
can’t exercise because they don’t have access
to a gym, or there isn’t one that suits their
schedule, or they can’t afford a membership -
the list goes on.
While these are all valid reasons for not
going to a gym, that doesn’t excuse us for not
doing our best to look after our health and
wellbeing. A gym isn’t the only place to get
fit, so it might be time to appreciate the fact
we live in Aotearoa – the land of the outdoor
gym.
For years I have wanted to complete the
Tongariro Crossing. Hearing other people’s
stories, memories and the challenges they have
overcome instantly put it on my bucket list.
After seeing the videos and pictures of the
breath-taking scenery and views, I knew it
was something I needed to see first-hand. So,
a group of us decided to make the most of a
long weekend and smash it out.
Leading up to the event, I’m not going
to lie - I did have the temptation to pull out.
Those excuses popped into my head: I’m
tired, I need some down time, I’m not fit
enough etc. I was lucky to have an amazing
group of friends who built me up and gave
me the confidence to go for it.
Once I arrived I knew I had made the
right decision. Sometimes we need that extra
push, that extra motivation and support to
achieve our goals.
We woke on Saturday to a crisp morning
but a fire in our bellies. We could not
have planned better weather. The sun broke
through the fog, and as it lifted it revealed a
bright blue sky without a cloud in sight, overlooking
towering mountains, still dusted with
snow – we could barely believe our eyes.
We arrived at our first challenge; The
Devil’s Staircase - a fitting name. It feels like
the Hakarimatas on steroids. From there we
faced every terrain you could imagine, but
no matter how hard it got, you couldn’t help
but be in awe of the amazing landscape and
scenery; from snow-covered peaks to the red
crater and the emerald and blue lakes.
The last 8kms is a long windy downhill
28 INSPO – FITNESS JOURNAL NOVEMBER 2017