James Kuegler - Athlete

2012... The Plan

2012-01-30T23:10:00.002+13:00

A few nights ago, I sat down and mapped out a race schedule for 2012. I have always raced a lot, and would like to continue to do so, as it is what I really love doing, so, there are a lot of events on the schedule. In order to be able to do this I have put the events into categories based on their importance to me, and the amount of time and energy I will devote towards them. I am keeping this close to my chest, though I suspect it might be relatively obvious which are the top priorities.
New for me are some kayaking, and cycling events, with more to be added. I am also hoping to try some new things, learn some new skills through 2012, cross country skiing, (real) white water kayaking come to mind.

Coastal Challenge
KBar
Tarawera Ultra-Marathon
The DUAL
King of the Harbour
Sand to Mud
Marysville to Melbourne Multisport
T42 Off-Road Marathon

Xterra Auckland Trail Run Series
Wellington Marathon
Tough Guy Challenge
Captain Cook's Landing
Coromandel Classic
The Legend
Xterra Trail Challenge
Tour de Tasman
Auckland Marathon
The Goat
Waimakariri Classic
Tour de Vineyards

In there somewhere is my Chiropractic studies and caring for all of my wonderful patients. It is going to be an exciting year. Come and join me for an adventure, i'd love to help you achieve your goal.

Coast to Coast

2012-01-30T22:13:00.002+13:00

"You can make all the excuses in the world, but at the end of the day, you just have to race well" - Richard Kennedy

After much deliberation, I have made the difficult decision not to race in this years Coast to Coast. This is obviously hugely disappointing, as I had set a number of goals towards the 2012 Coast to Coast.

For a number of reasons my build up was always going to be short, though I had hoped that I would hit my straps at just the right time. Unfortunately I have not been able to find the strength, nor speed to do the event the justice it deserves.

It was suggested to me by a number of mentors that I could still enjoy the race by adjusting my expectations. Unfortunately, given my psyche it was agreed that this would probably result in me pushing my body beyond its limits and doing myself significant physical damage. As it is only possible to get the body to perform at its peak a few times each year we decided that it would be unwise to use one of those opportunities on a probable substandard performance.

Thank you very much to my Coast to Coast sponsor Thule for being so supportive of my decision.

Good luck to everyone taking part, I will be down there, and I am looking forward to enjoying the race from the sideline.

Changing of the Guard

2012-01-30T02:42:00.003+13:00

I consider myself extremely fortunate to be supported by a group of extremely generous sponsors. The assistance provided is greatly appreciated, and helps make it all possible. Unfortunately nothing lasts for ever, so I wanted to publicly thank a few people.

bioSPORT - Thank you very much to Greg and Wendy for their support over the last two years. The support that they have provided me with has been invaluable. Greg has been an instrumental part of my journey towards a more natural and minimal running technique. My muscular awareness and control have improved out of sight, and I am now much more efficient than ever before. I would most certainly recommend an assessment by Greg in your chosen sport.

Mule Bar - I was introduced to the Mule Bar products in 2009, and soon after started to use them in my training and racing. Unfortunately the products are no longer being distributed in New Zealand. Thank you to Tim, Leigh, and Mark for their support.

WBC - WBC has been keeping me big and strong every morning for the last 12 months. Unfortunately like Mule Bar the WBC products are no longer being distributed in New Zealand. Thank you to Damian, Paul, and Amanda for their support.

And of course, thank you very much to Discover Health, Vibram FiveFingers, Total Sport, Lululemon Athletica, Buff, & Injinji for your ongoing support. It is a pleasure to be associated with you.

The Great New Zealand Santa Run

2011-12-10T21:39:00.000+13:00

I am Auckland's fastest Santa. I stoked to regain the title that I won in 2009. It was one of the tougher races I have ever run in. Having done five hours of training earlier on Wednesday I had to dig very deep to get away from Grant Schofield in the last hundred meters. It has been a while since I had a win, and even though it is not the most serious race in the world it was nice to cross the line first and get a bit of recognition.

The event is a fundraiser for Kids Can, a charity that I have decided I would like to continue to support. I have always thought it bizarre that we give money to overseas charities supporting child poverty in the third world, when we have children on our back doorstep who are not being provided with the bare essentials. So, to finally be exposed to a charity that is "aiming to meet the physical and nutritional needs of disadvantaged New Zealand children to assist them in reaching their full potential in life" makes me very happy.

Commonwealth Mountain & Ultra-Distance Championships

2011-09-30T19:36:00.002+13:00

Before I left NZ, Jenny Barlass (Discover Health) and I spent some time making sure I was armed with the right supplementation to ensure that I was able to recover from the demands of long haul travel. I was able to get a good amount of sleep on the flights, and too be honest I didn't really feel jet-lagged at all.

I travelled up to the event centre in the North Wales town of Llandudno on Thursday. The immediately striking thing about the seaside holiday town was the number senior citizens and mobility scooters.

With my Kiwi team mate Vajin Armstrong, and our Australian counterparts we headed for the Newborough Forest on Angelsey to have a look at the course, which would be five laps of a 10.5km course. My initial thoughts were that it was fairly benign, though on closer inspection it became obvious that this was not the case. There was a soft sand beach section of about 2km out to the end of the peninsula and back which would become increasingly challenging during the race as it dried out and became more cut up. The rest of the lap was within the forest on hard packed sand trails, though these too would become more challenging in parts. One 50m ascent 7.5km through the lap, easy on a recce, maybe not by lap five. There was not an ounce of technicality about it, which was slightly disheartening from my perspective, though New Zealand trail running tends to be rougher than the rest of the world.

Friday offered a chance to support a strong kiwi team of Wayne Botha, Matt Bixley, Brian McCorkindale, Alex Mackenzie, and Val Muskett in the 24-Hour race. By bed time on Friday night all of our runners were tracking quite nicely. I decided to get up in the wee small hours to get to the heart of the event, and experience the raw human emotion of running for 24 hours. It didn't disappoint, a few of the athletes were 'relatively' jovial, though most were showing obvious signs of discomfort. It was a successful day or the kiwi contingent, both Brian and Val recorded age-group world records, and the guys claimed bronze in the men’s team event.

Angus Bell and Tina Harris ran on Saturday in the mountain race at Llanberis, I decided not to go, as I needed to rest the day before my race. Gus finished 25th and Tina finished 22nd.

We managed to convince Gus to back up and run again on Sunday so that we would have a third runner, and thus, be eligible for a team medal. This was a huge call, and I am very thankful to Angus for doing this. We knew that he wouldn't be at his best but figured there was a chance that our combined times could still put us in with a chance. I must admit I was a touch apprehensive about being beaten by a less than fresh Angus.

All the pre race talk was about how the African runners were probably going to go out fast, tear the course to bits on the first couple of laps, and probably pull out with cramps and such like.

Standing on the start line was a proud moment, hopefully the first of many opportunities to represent my country. The pace was very conservative at the start, so I found myself in the familiar position of leading out, however I knew this would be short lived. I was happy to run along side the Kenyan runner for the first couple of kilometers and have my moment of recognition.

I was surprised by the huge variation in shoe selection. A number of the runners had opted for road racing flats. I decided to run in my Inov-8 X-Talon 212's and by the first traverse of the beach I was glad for the flexibility and traction, and happy with my decision.

Sure enough a number of runners tried and failed to tear the race to pieces from the start. The top five runners at the end of the first lap all failed to finish the race.

By the third lap, I too was beginning to struggle. I was running solo, about thirty seconds behind a pack of runners and starting to feel like death warmed. Self doubt was creeping in, and, as is so commonly synonymous with such feeling I was beginning to question: "Did I go out to hard at the start? Would I be blacklisted if I didn't perform or finish? Would trail-running be blacklisted if Vajin and I didn't perform? Why was I putting my body through this?". By forcing myself to sip away on an alternating supply of water, progressively sweeter Endura, and MuleBar Kicks, I managed to silence the ego, keep the demons at bay, and continue to run at a good pace.

I eventually stopped the clock in 3:54:33 to finish in 14th position. I am extremely happy with my performance, and pleased with where I am at in comparison to the other runners in the Commonwealth. It is of course, another step in the right direction.

Vajin finished 8th in 3:43:13, and Angus pulled out at the end of the 4th lap when it was clear that we were outside of medal contention.

Assuming my recovery goes well I am hoping to run Total Sport's Xterra Trail Challenge in Waihi, and a few weeks later the West Coaster. Beyond that there will be a big focus on cycling and kayaking with the Coast to Coast being my next major target.

Thank you for your support and for making the trip possible.

Sneak Preview - 2012 Vibram FiveFingers

2011-08-16T06:56:00.000+12:00

Click here for a sneak preview into what Vibram have got planned for 2012

Help James get to Wales

2011-08-12T05:52:00.000+12:00

I have recently been selected to represent New Zealand in Wales at the Commonwealth Trail Running Championships in September. The championships will see me racing against 200 of the finest athletes that the Commonwealth has to offer over a 55km off-road course on the Welsh peninsula. More details can be found at http://www.cmudc2011.org/en/

The trip is self-funded, and is going to cost approximately $5,000, so... I need your help to get there.

Donate $50 towards the cost of my trip, and you will receive a black crew-neck 'KÜGS' sweatshirt.

You can contact me on 021 858 554 or via email to register your support.

Commonwealth Mountain & Ultra-Distance Running Championships

2011-07-25T16:18:00.000+12:00

I have been selected to represent New Zealand at the 55km Commonwealth Trail Championships to be held in Wales in September. The race is expected to attract 200 of the commonwealth’s finest athletes, from 25 countries. More details can be found here. The opportunity to represent my country is a lifelong dream, and something I am extremely excited about. The details of the trip are still filtering through, though no doubt I will need to start raising funds in the coming weeks.

Routeburn Classic

2011-05-02T16:27:00.002+12:00

The Routeburn Classic is an 'adventure run' over New Zealand's world famous Routeburn Track. The track is 32km long and climbs +800m from the Milford Highway (S.H. 94) to the top of the Harris Saddle before descending steeply to the Routeburn Shelter.

Racing in south island is always an unknown quantity as there are always plenty of good runners who I have never heard of, or raced against. From the pre-race chat I figured that my competition would come from: Bevan Stevens who I knew very little about, Grant Guise who I knew a little about, and my good friend Nick Hirschfeld, who I knew plenty about. Nick and I had been for a couple of runs, so I knew that he was running really well, and he knew that I was well below where I would have liked to be.

Clear blue skies, and very little wind greeted us on race morning. The track was going to run hard and fast. Perfect conditions, many people exclaimed, though I personally would have preferred some snow, given my technical off-road running strength.

The race began with 500m on the road before funneling onto the actual Routeburn track. Historically I would have impetuously tried to win the race in the first 500m. On Saturday I was far more controlled. I did lead onto the single track, though without to much concern for what was happening behind me. I glanced back at one point and got a bit of a fright to see a procession of seven other runners. I figured (hoped) that one-by-one they would fall by the wayside, sure enough after about 40 minutes only Stevens, Guise and Hirschfeld remained.

I managed to create a gap of about 5 seconds on a technical downhill and did contemplate opening the throttle but thought better of it. The four of us reached Mackenzie hut together. My concentration lapsed momentarily immediately after the hut and I started to head off to the right towards a phantom track before realizing that the track continued to the left. Grant grasped the opportunity, taking over the helm and lifting the tempo.

The rise in tempo, mixed with the not so gradual rise in gradient was too much and I began to slip off the back of the group. Physically, and psychologically, I was defeated. Mixed with the steepest ascent of race I was not in a good place. My only saving grace was that every so often I would catch a glimpse of Grant up ahead and he didn’t look to be enjoying himself either.

At the Harris Saddle I worked out that I was approximately a minute behind Guise, and three minutes ahead of the next runner who I had been concerned about earlier in the climb.

I was pretty confident that if I could get my legs working then I would be able to bridge the gap on the steep and technical downhill, perhaps even catch Nick & Bevan.

Unfortunately, my legs didn’t want to play the game. I was also starting to run out of water and overheating. I took my gloves off, and of course 2min later Murphy’s law prevailed. I kicked a rock and went for a dive, I managed to skin my pisiform which is going to less than comfortable if I need to adjust someone in the Chiropractic Centre using a pisiform contact.

Not long after Falls Hut and back in the shade of the bush I managed to convince myself that there was still a chance that I could run into the top three. I focused on keeping my deep abdominals switched on, maintaining my form, and keeping my cadence high. Every kilometer I would have a celebratory nibble of Mule Bar, and sip of water.

I stopped the clock in 2:58:52 to finish 4^th. To be brutally honest I am disappointed with the result and I look forward to returning to complete unfinished business. Congratulations must go to Bevan Stevens, Nick Hirschfeld, & Grant Guise for giving me a good lesson in trail-running.

Men:

Bevan Stevens - 2:49:37 (New Record)
Nick Hirschfeld - 2:52:38
Grant Guise - 2:55:27
James Kuegler - 2:58:52

Women:

Whitney Dagg - 3:34:34
Kristina Crane - 3:35:39
Leah Hirschfeld - 3:38:52

February Update

2011-02-10T22:52:00.000+13:00

We are already half way through February and I feel like I have barely taken a breath.

Athlete

This weekend I am taking on New Zealand’s premier multisport race, the Coast to Coast. The race consists of 36km of running, 140km of cycling, and 67km of kayaking, traversing the South Island from Kumara Beach on the West Coast to Sumner Beach on the East Coast. Swedish roof rack company and Coast to Coast sponsor, Thule, are very kindly supporting me for the race. Their roof rack and transport solution products simplify lifestyles, and are second to none. There will be live updates throughout the day on Saturday on the Coast to Coast website.

Coach

During the last few months I have thoroughly enjoyed travelling to different parts of the country to coordinate a series of Natural Running Workshops organised by Vibram FiveFingers. The aim of the workshops has been to teach people to move the way nature intended them to and to promote healthy, trouble free running. I have met some amazing people and am excited consistently to receive feedback that people have rekindled their enjoyment of running, are noticing a lower heart rate when they run, and are achieving personal bests. I even received requests to do some private coaching sessions while I was holidaying in the South Island.

It is crunch time for the athletes that I coach as we get ever closer to the start line of some big ultra-marathons, multisport races and triathlons.

Chiropractic Student

Studies have resumed for 2011. Now in my third year at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic I am set to become a Chiropractic intern. I will start seeing student patients in a matter of weeks, and I will be able to start seeing public patients at the start of April. I look forward to providing the same chiropractic care that has helped so many people get to the top of their game, and stay there.

Website

www.KÜGS.co.nz is up and running. Thank you to Dylan Connor for his time and assistance: I couldn’t have done it without his help. It is a work in progress and will continue to develop and evolve in the coming months.

2011

The plan for the rest of this year is by no means set in stone. I plan to sit down with Brendon in the week after the Coast to Coast and map out the rest of 2011, in order to create a framework for the next couple of years. We hope that this will enable better continuity in my training, and allow me to make the best gains possible. Potential races for 2011 include: Tarawera Ultra Marathon, The DUAL, Routeburn Classic, Xterra Off-Road Series, Cambridge – Hamilton Kayak Race, Coromandel Classic, Motu Challenge, and K2.

www.KUGS.co.nz

2010-12-21T17:08:00.000+13:00

My new website www.KUGS.co.nz is up and running.

Thank you very much to Dylan Connor for his efforts.

It is most definitely not perfect, and we will continue to improve and update it in the coming weeks and months.

What Else Is Coming Up

2010-11-16T10:33:00.000+13:00

Total Sport Training Seminar

This weekend Callum Wicks, whom I have been coaching since August will tackle the 84km Molesworth Ultra-Marathon. Callum is getting faster by the week and we are confident of a strong showing this weekend.

The Goat is my next race, so I will be training hard for that over the next couple of weeks. First, however, I need to get through my Pathology exam on Monday 23^rd.

Beyond both of those I will be completely focused on training for the Coast to Coast and providing an excellent coaching service for my athletes.

Kugs.co.nz is still not live, though as soon as my exams are done this will be high on the priority list. In the meantime I will continue to post regular updates here on www.jameskuegler.com.

Also in the pipeline is a trip to Japan to run the Tokyo Marathon at the end of February next year. Over 300,000 people apply to run the marathon. I was lucky enough to be one of the 35,000 names pulled out of the ballot. This also presents an opportunity to run along side (behind) Haile Gebrselassie. More on that in the next few weeks.

Rodney Coast Challenge

2010-11-16T10:29:00.001+13:00

Thank-you to Canoe & Kayak North Shore for the entry to the Rodney Coast Challenge on November 14^th. Having decided not to run the Auckland Marathon I thought it would be a good opportunity to compete in another multisport race.

The format of the race is a 10km Run, 30km Road Bike, 24km Mountain Bike, & 8km Kayak: an interesting format with a particularly small amount of running.

I firmly believe that I need to test myself continually against quality athletes, so upon arriving at registration I was pleased to see that Grant Donoghue, Bryce Irving, Sam Goodall and Steve McKinstry would all be lining up in the individual race.

Within a couple of minutes of the start a group of four consisting of David Cooper, Graham Moore (both team runners), McKinstry and myself had formed, and we were working hard to build a gap on the rest of the field.

I put a bit of a surge on with 500m to go and managed to gap the group crossing the timing matt in a shade under 38 minutes. As far as I can work out this is the third fastest time recorded in the six years the race has been organised.

I had hoped that the two team riders might be of some assistance, though unfortunately I was riding on my own, or with a team rider sitting on my wheel for the majority of the ride. By the Road Bike to Mountain Bike Transition I was sitting in second place overall, a couple of minutes down on McKinstry and becoming increasingly conscious of those chasing me from behind.

I found it difficult to get into any sort of rhythm on the mountain bike, and the heat was starting to get to me too. Team ‘Not All Old Men’, Sam Goodall, aero helmet and all, and Bryce Irving all came flying past me. I managed to stay with Irving just long enough to see him get it horrinly wrong on the entry to a particularly nasty corner. How he managed to control his bike as he slid uncontrollably, with feet unclipped still puzzles me.

Kayaking has been a focus of late, and I thought I paddled went really well, I even seemed to be catching the far-off figure of Irving in the distance.

I finished 6^th overall and was the 4^th individual across the line in a time of 3:22:01.

Rodney Coast Challenge 2010

Natural Running Workshops

2010-11-16T10:21:00.000+13:00

Auckland Workshop Poster

I recently spent a weekend in Sydney assisting the Vibram FiveFingers team organise a running workshop. A series of similar workshops are being held throughout New Zealand. The idea of the workshop is to introduce people to a more natural way of running, moving the way the human body intended. It could be the best $10 you ever spend on your running. For more information click here

Crowd Goes Wild - Legend Marathon

2010-09-30T09:18:00.000+13:00

Tapering & Taking Care of Business

2010-09-26T12:59:00.000+13:00

The Big Race
"Tapering & Taking Care of Business"
- A seminar on ‘Race Preparation and Execution’ with James Kuegler

bioSPORT 119a Wellesley Street

Tuesday October 26th. 7:00 - 8:30pm. $40

To Register Click Here

Alastair McDowell, Tongariro Crossing - April 2010

Get the inside word on how to prepare for the big race and execute the perfect race strategy.

James is one of New Zealand's top endurance athletes. His performances range from winning The Dual Marathon, to finishing second at the Two-Day Coast to Coast.

The seminar will focus on the Speight's West Coaster and the Auckland Marathon, though the general principles can be applied to almost every race. In 2009 James smashed the West Coaster record two weeks after finishing 5th in the Auckland Marathon.

Xterra Auckland Trail Run Series

2010-09-05T01:15:00.002+12:00

2007 Leppin Off-Road Series

My introduction to Total Sport was the 2007 Leppin Off-Road Series. Returning from a year abroad and looking more like Gerald Waters than Michael Adams I had naîvely decided that I was going to complete the 2008 Coast to Coast Longest Day. The Leppin Series would act as part of my preparation.

I finished 20th in my first race, just ahead of Highbeam's Richard Keene and well known ultra-marathoner Russell Maylin. Throughout the series I improved, and by the end of the series I was battling it out the likes of Tim Grammer, Hamish Keston, Grant Schofield and Graham Watts. After every race I would analyse the results and see if I was getting any closer to Nick Hirschfeld and Michael Adams.

That year Graham Watts won the masters and was rewarded with a heart rate monitor. I won the junior series and was gutted to receive a hamper of chocolates. Graham wasn't keen to swap either. We still joke about it, and the irony is that he still doesn't know how to use it.

I have made steady progress, and this year, after three years of trying I had my first off-road series win at race #1 of this years Xterra Auckland Trail Run Series, winning by 7 and a half minutes.

I am yet to beat Michael Adams, though, I like to think I am getting closer with every race.

I continue to meet fantastic people at each and every Xterra Auckland Trail Run Series race (what a mouthful) and am ever grateful to Total Sport for their sponsorship. I blame and thank them for making me a far better runner than multisporter.

Today, on fatigued legs I pipped Ed Hyde to take my third win of the series. As a result, I wrapped up the series, even despite my best efforts to throw the series away at the Woodhill when Michael, Martin de Bock and myself inadvertently decided we should do an extra loop.

The 'ego' inside of me is screaming something along the lines of "Why such a fuss over a local off-road series, you are always telling people 'If you are going to dream, dream big, it takes no extra effort'."
Why... because, back in 2007 it was a 'big dream' to win the off-road series. I looked up to amongst others Nick Hirschfeld, and Michael Adams and dreamt of one day winning the series. Today I achieved that.

2010 Speight's Coast to Coast. Photo Courtesy of JeremyCronin.com

Coaching

2010-09-02T14:04:00.000+12:00

Richard Kennedy - Wellington Half Marathon

I have just completed my Tri NZ Coaching Course. I am putting what I have learnt from the course along with my personal experience into practice by offering my services to a number of runners, multisporters, and triathletes.

My new website should be up this time next week and will show various coaching options for different levels of athletes.

One of the athletes I am coaching is on target to run the Dunedin Marathon in a personal best time of 3:05, and another has recently completed his Grade 2 kayaking certificate, taking him one step closer to February’s Coast to Coast.

What's Next

2010-09-02T13:59:00.000+12:00

I will shift my focus slightly for the next few months and concentrate on my running as I build up to the Auckland Marathon, which this year is the New Zealand Marathon Championships. My goal for this is to try and achieve my medium term goal of running a 2:29 marathon.

More immediately I will try and wrap up Total Sport's Xterra Auckland Trail Run Series this weekend at Shakespear Regional Park and take on Total Sport's Lydiard Legend Marathon on 18th September (4th in 2009).

RoadCraft Coromandel Classic

2010-09-02T13:56:00.000+12:00

During the final weekend of August I took on the annual Coromandel Classic. RoadCraft, who produce overland camping vehicles for outdoor junkies were the major sponsor for 2010. Their campers are designed for New Zealand conditions and for people who are out there living life. Some of the same people who were competing in one of New Zealand’s toughest multisport races, the Coromandel Classic.

I had recorded a 5000m personal best on the Tuesday before the race, so was confident going into the race. So confident that I thought it would be a good idea to get in a break away with race favorite Dwarne Farley, and two team riders. Unfortunately my legs got thoroughly worked over before I ended up back in bunch. My legs felt like lead, my confidence was gone and we were only 45min into a 2 day, 11 hour race.

Onto the run and my legs gradually started to feel better as I passed the 16 (mostly team) runners ahead of me, recording 2:20:28 for the run, just 2 minutes and 37 seconds off the team run record.

I defended my lead on the paddle, getting out of my kayak at Cooks beach in a hypoglycemic haze with a 2-3min lead over Sean Donoghue and Dwarne Farley.

Onto the bike, and in my haste and haze I didn’t see the 15cm high sign on the road telling me to turn right or hear the support crews yelling at me to turn around. 7 minutes and 20 seconds later I was back on track, deflated and 5min behind the leaders. I did it tough over the hills, finishing day one in fourth place with a total time of 5:48:02.

For me, day two was almost the opposite of day one. The stronger paddlers built a lead on the kayak from Tairua – Hikuai, and the stronger cyclists built a lead on the ride from Hikuai – Whangamata, before I hunted them down.

I was never going to catch the teams though I managed the 21km run 8minutes faster than any of the other individuals to lead onto the final bike leg.

The final bike leg is always tough, made tougher by the headwind all the way from Maratoto point to the Thames Yacht Club . After Dwarne caught me we worked together for the best part of this leg. Thought it wasn't fast (or pretty) I got there eventually crossing the line as 2nd individual on Day 2 and in third overall in a total time of 10:34:56.

On balance it was a successful weekend. The improvement in my kayaking and cycling over the last 12 months has been huge when compared to my results in the 2009 race and I am looking forward to next year.

Thank you very much to RoadCraft for their support throughout the weekend.

Total Sport Membership

2010-07-19T08:50:00.000+12:00

This is a unique and exciting program with many benefits for Total Sport's loyal and very appreciated customers

The first membership they are launching is the Summer Membership 2011, which is due to open opens next Wednesday 21 July at 9am.

In a nutshell, it gives you a guaranteed entry to the five events listed below (three of which have a restricted entry number), an awesome membership gift pack and discounts from our supporters till the end of summer!

You will get entry to:
Tussock Traverse - Jan 29
Riverhead Rampage - Feb 5
Coastal Challenge - Mar 5
The Dual - Mar 26
T42 - May 7

On top of that, you will get a whole raft of goodies not limited to:
- $50 voucher at bioSPORT
- $50 voucher to spend at 2XU Newmarket
- A ticket to the Total Sport 10 year party
- A free nights accomodation at The Park Travellers Lodge, National Park (when you book 2 nights)
- 10% off at bioSPORT
- And much, much more.

Check out the Total Sport website for more details

Gold Coast Marathon

2010-07-12T21:28:00.000+12:00

As you may be aware, I am very interested in the way that I run and have done a large portion of my training since September last year in a pair of Vibram FiveFingers. The idea behind wearing these shoes is to allow me to run as close to barefoot as possible, and thus improve the strength and mobility of my feet as they were created. So, when the opportunity arose to spend some time hanging out in the Gold Coast with the team from Barefoot Inc and run the Gold Coast marathon in the brand new Vibram FiveFingers Bikila (named after the great Abebe Bikila) I jumped at the idea.

I was probably under prepared for the marathon, having done very little specific training, though it was my good friend Richard Kennedy who once said "You can make all the excuses in the world, but at the end of the day, you just have to run well."

I started the race quite quickly though I was conscious of pushing too hard through the first 20km of the race, so tried to keep my pace between 3:35-3:45min/km. I was on my own for the majority of the time, and as a result I found this surprisingly difficult. I went through halfway in 1:16:55, a new half marathon personal best. By 27km I had started to struggle, and it was a mental and physical battle to keep my pace up for the remainder of the race. I was the third kiwi home, and 37th overall finishing in a credible 2:41:52.

The focus for the remainder of July is to improve my kayaking, build towards the Total Sport produced Legend Marathon and the Roadcraft Coromandel Classic, and work with Greg at bioSPORT to create a greater awareness of my obliques.

Campbell Live - Running shoes with fingers

2010-07-09T07:50:00.002+12:00

According to SPARC almost one in five New Zealanders take part in some form of running or jogging.

It is a sport that comes with injuries – almost 13,000 were reported last year.

But promoters of a new running shoe say changing the way we run can reduce those injuries.

They think they have the answer – the shoe that’s more like a glove.

WBC The Real Cereal Company

2010-06-18T16:07:00.001+12:00

Simple.
Natural.
Delicious.

WBC is a perfectly balanced fuel that promotes vitality, digestive health and wellness through its use of traditional grains, nuts, seeds and health giving fruits from nature’s bounty.

Packed with premium, wholesome ingredients, WBC is a pure power source for living well.

Formulated by Dr Damian Kristof, Naturopath and Chiropractor, WBC is the product of Damian’s expertise in health and wellness.

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What I have been up to lately

2010-06-15T23:42:00.002+12:00

Just a quick blog to keep you up to date with what has been happening.

Pete Joison and I have been working closely to design a 'Kügs' logo (right) which I hope will become a recognisable brand centered around endurance sport, coaching, gear, chiropractic, and generally a natural and healthy way of life. As a start, I had a stack of red cotton t-shirts printed with the logo which I have sold to people for $30. I have a few left, so if you haven't got one and would like one flick me an email with the size that you are after.

Total Sport have very kindly supplied me with a bundle of 2XU gear to race in. It has been at the printers getting sponsors logos put on. I (actually it was Anna) picked it up from the printers on Monday evening and it looks fantastic. I am looking forward to racing proudly in it.

The Xterra Auckland trail run series continued on Sunday (June 13th) with race two out at Riverhead. I finished second behind Michael Adams, so by my unofficial calculations I lead the series from Andy Hughes by five points (which works out to roughly ten minutes over the two races) going into race three.

Creeping up on me very quickly is my trip across the ditch to take on the Gold Coast Marathon. I will be racing in Vibram FiveFingers, something I am really looking forward to. I spent the day in Christchurch on Tuesday (June 15th) running around Hagley Park in the cold and rain in FiveFingers with Lachlan Forsyth from TV3. The footage of this is being used for a story expected to be aired on Campbell Live on Wednesday (June 16th) evening.

Maungatautari Mission

2010-06-07T16:45:00.001+12:00

The race started with a 32km road cycle which had the usual mix of 10 or so guys, predominantly individuals, doing the majority of the work on the front of the bunch for the first 25km. With a few kilometers to go, the riders who had been sheltering in the bunch came to the front and tried their best to tear things to shreds.

I got dropped off the back of the bunch with 500 meters to go, which gave me a chance to get my feet out of my shoes, allowing for a slick transition off the bike and into my Inov-8's. I picked off nine competitors by the top of the steady 1km climb up Tari Road, entering the bush in fourth spot a few seconds behind Karl Moore, Andrew Turnbull and one of the team runners.

The 15km run over Maungatautari Mountain is the most frustrating run I have ever had the (dis)pleasure of completing. It can best be described as a badly marked scramble on all fours through, around, and over trees. It makes Hunua's Pukapuka Track look like a paved footpath. I averaged just over 9:30min/km for the first 8 kilometers, needless to say there wasn't a lot of running involved. I felt that I should have been able to pass Andrew, and Karl, and was impetuously becoming more and more infuriated the longer I went on. To make matters worse, my decision to run in elastic laces meant I was continually losing my shoes in the mud.

To their credit, by the time they reached the Run - Bike transition, they had extended their lead to just over 2 minutes, and were in a tussle for line honours. It was going to be difficult for me to catch them from here, though, I kept telling myself that anything could happen. I was also mindful that Sam Goodall would be chasing me.

I rode the 12km to Lake Karapiro as fast as my little legs would take me. My thoughts were mixed between wishing I'd had a second bottle of electrolytes on my bike and how the race is very Gluteal and Hamstring dominated with plenty of climbing on the run and bike legs.

I am very pleased to say that my paddling is going from strength to strength. I'm possibly never going to be champion kayaker, but I was the 5th fastest individual paddler, completing the 10km paddle in 57:54, a huge improvement on last year, when I was only the 14th fastest paddler in 1:08:30.

I finished 3rd in 4:05:15, behind Karl Moore, Andrew Turnbull and just ahead of Sam Goodall.

T42 Central Plateau MTB & Trail Run Event

2010-05-04T08:59:00.004+12:00

My most recent adventure was to take on the inaugural T42 Central Plateau MTB & Trail Run Event. I decided to ride the 50km from my abode to the start of the race. I do a lot of cycling in the area, though it had never really dawned on me that the reason it is referred to as the 'Central Plateau' is because it is 600m further above sea level than Lake Taupo (where I was riding from), thankfully I had allowed plenty of time and arrived well before I needed to be there.

I was informed upon arrival that accomplished runner Chris Morrisey was entered. Though I have been getting closer to him in recent races I have never beaten Morrisey before, so I knew I would have a battle on my hands. I knew he was strong going up hill, though downhill I thought I might have the edge on him.

I figured there was two ways I could beat him. The first would be to run with him for the first 30km and hope that he hit the wall allowing me to run away from him, though this could potentially play straight into his hands, not to mention, I am not that patient.

The second was to force Chris to run slightly harder on the downhills than he was comfortable with. My theory being that if I could put the slightest gap between us on a downhill section, he would be forced to run exponentially harder to catch back up on the subsequent uphill.

I went with the latter, and it worked a treat. First time he got back on my heels, second time he took longer to get back in touch. Third time lucky, I had a lead that was slowly extending. I continued to work hard, averaging 4:00min/km. I was becoming acutely aware that I needed to be feeling fresh at the half way point, and backed off slightly, passing through 21.1km in 1:25:00.

Just as in the DUAL it is hard to know how hard to push as you have no clue whether the next runner is a few seconds, or a few minutes behind. By this stage I was passing Mountain bikers with alarming regularity. With roughly 10km to go, a mountain biker informed me that there were four runners about 300m behind me. I had a million thoughts running through my head: That's only 90 seconds. It must be Morrisey, but who else? Maybe they are 24km runners? Hopefully they are 24km runners?

Whatever the answer I wasn't sticking around to find out. I cracked open another energy gel and put the after burners on, running the next 6km in 3:40min/km pace. There is about 100m of climbing in the last 2km of the race, which for anyone who has done The Goat, makes mammas mile look like mole hill.

I crossed the line in 3:00:49 to an extremely humbling Owhango welcome. The local school children had created banners to line the finish chute, and the town had created a great atmosphere in the finish area.

Thank you as always to Total Sport for allowing me to race, discover HEALTH for feeding me and keeping me lean, bioSPORT for keeping me strong, Buff for keeping me warm (I particularly needed my Buff on Saturday), 239 Bike for getting me to the start line, and Gordon for keeping me humble

A Big Weekend

2010-04-23T16:16:00.002+12:00

Tomorrow I am taking on the Anaconda Adventure Race in Waihi. Presenter and Former Black Cap Mark Richardson, World Champion Kayaker Ben Fouhy, National Boardsailing Champion JP Tobin, and myself (who?) have been assembled to represent Total Sport. Riggor (Richardson) who was famous during his cricketing days for challenging the slowest runner of opposing teams to running race at the end of tours (and losing) has assembled the team is such a way that sees everyone competing out of their specialist discipline. I believe there will be a story to similar effect on the Crowd Goes Wild on Monday night.

Sunday is of course ANZAC day so I will begin the day by attending the dawn service at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. I love the verse from Laurence Binyon's poem "For the Fallen":

They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

and take a lot of strength from paying respect to those that have gone before me in order to stand up for the things that we so often take for granted. I haven't worked out what time I will need to be away from there, though if anyone is keen to join me for a quick breakfast in the Parnell/Newmarket area let me know.

From there I will head out to Bethells to take on the Superdune Multisport Race. The race is a hilly 42km road ride, 10km flat water paddle, and 10km run which includes lots of sand dunes and the first big climb on the Te Henga track. With a hard ride, hard run, and having paddled 14km the day before it could be a tough day out

I have done some quality training over the last six weeks and just yesterday spent some time with the team at bioSPORT working on my riding technique. On the horizon after this weekend is the T42 Marathon and the Huntly Half Marathon

The DUAL Motutapu - Rangitoto Traverse

2010-04-09T06:20:00.000+12:00

Training for the DUAL began in earnest on 22nd March (a week before the event), following a couple of weeks off after the Coast to Coast. Many have suggested that this probably wasn't the ideal preparation for a marathon, though I was very keen to take part in the DUAL Motutapu - Rangitoto Traverse.

I was very keen to take part in the second running of the event, however I was not going to talk up my chances, having recently made the realisation that any race is only as strong as the people that turn up.

Kirsty Walker (bioSPORT Physiotherapist) is currently training for the Total Sport Anaconda Adventure Race on April 24th. I convinced her that paddling from St. Heliers to Motutapu before the race would be a good training paddle for her. We set off at first light, arriving just before the start of the 50km mountain bike at 8am - giving me 1.5 hours preparation time. The paddle from St. Heliers was a good warm up, and far more relaxing than sitting on the ferry surrounded by nervous energy.

As far as I was aware Martin de Bock was going to be my main competition. My race plan was to exert myself on the steep downhill and technical tracks of Rangitoto as I thought that this was where I would have an advantage over him.

As usual I started reasonably fast and much to my confusion had a 50m lead on the next competitor (de Bock) at the top of the zig-zagging climb out of Home Bay. My lead over de Bock gradually extended and by the time I crossed the bridge to Rangitoto he was out of sight. With no ability to check how close my competition was I attacked this section, not knowing whether I was a few seconds or a few minutes ahead.

My brand new Inov-8 X-Talon 212 shoes were brilliant, providing me with the necessary protection from Rangitoto's harsh volcanic rock while still allowing my feet to function naturally and normally inside the shoes. These shoes are extremely lightweight and durable and I would highly recommend them for off-road training and racing.

As I crossed back from Rangitoto to Motutapu I was handed the Pinacolada flavoured Mule Bar which I had arranged to be at the support station. The bar was the perfect combination of sweetness and energy to give me the physical and psychological boost I was looking for to keep me going through the second half of the marathon.

In the back of my mind I knew that Graeme Taylor had set the DUAL marathon record at roughly 3:09 in 2009. As I passed the 32km marker I calculated that I was 7-ish minutes off record pace and decided to cruise from here, saving my legs for the hard training weeks ahead. At the time I didn't even consider that the course might be short.

I won in 3:10:18, a mere 32 seconds off the time that Taylor set in 2009 and 13 minutes faster than 2nd place. While it would have been nice to know the course length in advance to allow me the opportunity to break the record it wasn't my primary goal for the day and there's always next year.

Thank you very much to the Motutapu Restoration Trust for allowing us the privilege of racing in such an idyllic location right here on our back door step in the Hauraki Gulf and also to Total Sport for hosting such an enjoyable and well run event. Total Sport continues to set the standard in the organisation of great events.

239Bike Join The Team

2010-03-12T09:48:00.000+13:00

The team at 239BIKE are lead by the husband and wife team Will & Ruth who pride themselves on delivering excellent value and friendly service.

Will is a passionate cyclist who loves the sport and is always looking at ways to make his bike lighter and faster...less cake from the Café next door could also improve his performance.

Ruth identifies with ladies and understands the true value that a comfortable womans saddle can bring.

The team at 239BIKE are committed to growing mountain biking, road cycling and all other forms of bike riding in New Zealand. We are not simply here to sell bicycles and products but to grow cycling as a sport and as an extremely healthy, fun way to commute.

You can find them at 14 Subway Road, The Zone, Pukekohe or on the web http://www.239bike.com/

Speight's Coast to Coast

2010-02-24T21:02:00.000+13:00

On 12th and 13th February 2010 I took on the Speight's Coast to Coast. I opted for the two-day race from a view that I would be more competitive in this race and with the primary goal of finishing on the podium. The two-day race always attracts a number of up and coming athletes, and thus it was difficult to know where my main competition was going to come from.

I started the race the way I wished to continue, leading out, and pushing the pace on the first 3km run leg. This had the desired effect of spreading the field and creating a small-ish bunch onto the first cycle leg and meant that a couple of key players were left behind.

The 55km road cycle to Aickens was quicker than I had hoped for and I was guilty of doing too much work at the front of the bunch. This was contrary to my race tactics and something to be concentrated on for next time. This impetuous mistake made running off the bike extremely difficult.

The 33km mountain run over Goat Pass is where I had hoped to build a comfortable lead on the field. I struggled throughout the entire section to locate speed, stability or rhythm and this was not eased by trying to stay with Rhys John as we led the individual race. As I attempted to eat and drink my way back into the race Rhys took a track through the bush that I had forgotten about, emerging with a 50m lead that I wouldn't be able to close.

Remaining positive and focusing on the spectacular scenery, I drew on every ounce of speed and skill in an attempt to catch Rhys. I finished Day 1 at Klondyke Corner in 2nd place, 5:27 behind Rhys John having recorded and average heart rate of 189 bpm throughout the mountain run.

In direct contract to the almost perfect weather on Day 1, the Metservice were forecasting 150mm of rain at rates of up to 45mm/hr and 70km/hr wind, gusting to 130km/hr between midnight and 9am on Saturday morning (Day 2). As a result, race director Robin Judkins was forced to move to 'Plan B'. For two-day competitors, that meant a grueling 140km cycle from Klondyke Corner, over Porters Pass, via Waddington and along Old West Coast Road to Chrristchurch's North Hagley Park. Followed by a 20km kayak on the waterless and recreationally busy Avon River.

Whilst I have been working hard on my paddling it is still my relative weakness, so the prospect of 140km on the bike and a short paddle instead of the technically difficult 67km paddle on the Waimakariri River was quite exciting.

We started in ascending groups of 10 at 1 minute intervals. Knowing that I needed to claw back my Day 1 deficit to Rhys John of 5:27 minutes, I worked extremely hard from the start. By the 25km mark I had caught and formed a strong bunch with Adam Milne, JJ Wilson, & Dan Moore. My bike time of 3:52 was the quickest of any individual, and by the time we reached North Hagley Park we'd caught Rhys John (who started 18 minutes in front of me) and I was the leading individual competitor by 11 minutes from Adam Milne.

The extreme effort expended on the bike had taken its toll by this stage and the 20km paddle was always going to be a battle. My body was starting to shut down due to dehydration and continued to struggle to injest additional energy through the remained of the race. Despite this, my paddle time was respectable, though credit must go to Adam Milne whose superior horse-power saw him overcome my advantage.

Thank you very much to Amy, Hayden, & Tim. They were an amazing support crew throughout the weekend, and I couldn't have done it without their help.

One of my major goals for 2010 is to further explore the psychology behind success and to this end I am currently working through Dr. Kerry Spackman's 'Winner's Bible'.

Thank you for your continued support - Kügs

What Next??

2010-02-09T16:44:00.002+13:00

There is often a similar theme when it comes to the post-event actions of many individuals after a race such as the Coast to Coast. Chances are you have made significant financial, physical, social, family, and emotional sacrifices to get you to the start line of such an event. You elatedly finish, though as you cross the finish line, it is as though there is an anti-climactic paradigm shift. For weeks before, you likely had single-minded determination and focus towards your goal. For weeks, if not months after, you drift without direction, feasting on rubbish food and avoid the likes of your inhuman fibreglass kayak seat. The realisation that your six-pack has rapidly become a keg, is for many, the type of emotional jolt that allows them to reset, and refocus towards a new aspiration.

With a goal in mind such a rut is much less likely, even less so if you take it one step further and map out a plan for beyond your event. As I write I am putting the finishing touches on my preparation for the Coast to Coast, though I have also spent some time putting the foundations in place as I build towards Total Sport’s North Shore City Coastal Challenge. I am definitely not suggesting that there shouldn’t be a period of rest and recovery after any event, though by having the intent and desire already present, it allows me to leapfrog in my progression.

Most people can force themselves to endure the torment of training through early mornings, aching muscles and unfavorable weather for a (short) period of time. I am willing to bet that your motivation will fade, as discipline alone will never sustain you over a longer period of time.

This is why your goals need to be extremely real, so vibrant in your mind that they are almost tangible. In his book ‘Lucky Legs’, Steve Gurney makes the comment that “unless my goals raised the hairs on the back of my neck, made my stomach tighten, put a big cheesy smile on my face, made me flush, raised my heart rate or put a really big spring in my step, they weren’t powerful enough to guarantee success.”

Goals of this nature never falter, even when things are not going your way. Dr. Kerry Spackman talks of motivation being constantly topped up with positive enthusiasm (The Winner’s Bible). The same enthusiasm that has you leaping out of bed at 5:00am to train your fatigued body in merciless conditions.

Setting goals should be a multi-factorial process and can be quite a timely, though most people find it a lot of fun. The process that I recommend using is to list your goals, and explore each one to ensure that each on is S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-based). Find some photos or pictures and create a story around the goal. Bring your senses into play, what will it taste and smell like not just how it will feel. In doing so you will begin to re-wire the circuits in your brain. Your goals should be revisited every day. It is not enough to think that merely mapping out your goals is enough to cement them in your subconscious mind. Dr. Spackman suggests formulating these goals into a private ‘Winner’s Bible’ and spending five minutes each morning visualizing, and making your goals come alive, so much so that they feel tangible.

I think it is extremely important to put the major focus on enjoyment rather than results. Athletes in endurance based sports always seem to be battling an insidious niggle or injury of some description. Too often I see peoples world fall apart as a result of their inability to train due to injury. Though frustrating, in the grand scheme of the major goal it is often very minor, and hence with the focus on the enjoyment it is less difficult to deal with. In the words of Guatama Buddha “There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.”

ww w.jameskuegler.blogspot.com for more of articles by James. Or email him jameskuegler@gmail.com for help towards your goals.

February - Coast to Coast

2010-02-09T16:38:00.001+13:00

2010 has started the way that I hope it will continue. I am thoroughly enjoying my training and the continued journey that it takes me on. Through January I managed to pick up a win at the Teva King of the Mountain and third place at the Wild Turkey Off-Road Half Marathon as well as spending a week down at Arthurs Pass mid January training on the Coast to Coast course.

There is just under three days until the start of the 2010 Coast to Coast. In 2008 I took on the one day race, and this year I will contest the two day race. For those who may be unfamiliar with this event, we start from Kumara on the West Coast en masse at 7:00am (Friday 12th February) cycling 55km, and running 33km over a mountain pass to finish at Klondyke Corner (Arthurs Pass) where we will camp overnight. On Saturday we start from Klondyke Corner cycling 15km, kayaking 70km down the Waimakariri River to the Waimakariri Gorge Bridge before a final 70km cycle to Sumner Beach (Christchurch)

If you are interested in following the race, and my progress, the Coast to Coast website will be streaming with live updates. Alternatively my support crew will be sending out text updates (let me know [021 858 554] before Friday if you would like to be on the distribution list) and updating my twitter.

Beyond the Coast to Coast I plan to take on the North Shore City Coastal Challenge. The Total Sport organised event is coastal run, and walk along the coast of Auckland’s North Shore with distances from 6 to 33km. I have fond memories of the race as it was my first ever win, back in 2008. I also intend to tackle the Thursday night bioSPORT Criterium Cup around Aucklands Viaduct. Check out the Total Sport and bioSPORT websites for details of these events and plenty of other interesting information.

Wild Turkey Off-Road Half Marathon

2010-01-26T13:40:00.007+13:00

1st - Michael Adams - 1:52:05
2nd - Chris Morrisey - 1:56:47
3rd - James Kuegler - 1:57:17
4th - Ruby Muir - 2:10:52

Auckland's Michael Adams and Papamoa's Chris Morrisey were joint favourites for the half marathon. Between them they had won six of the previous seven races. Unfortunately a recent calf injury affected Chris and prevented what could have been a fantastic head to head race. Michaels winning time of 1 hour 52 set a new course record, lowering the mark (set by Chris in 2008) by 40 seconds. The fast finishing James Kuegler got within 30 seconds of Morrisey for third place.

2010 Race Plan

2010-01-13T14:05:00.000+13:00

January 16   -    Wild Turkey Off-Road Half Marathon - Whatipu, Auckland
February 12 -    Speight's Coast to Coast - South Is.
February 27 -    North Shore City Coastal Challenge - Auckland
March 20     -    Trans Taupo Paddle Race
March 27     -    The Dual - Motutapu Is.
April 17       -    New Zealand Mountain Running Championships - Motueka
May 1          -    Lion Foundation Rotorua Marathon
May 2          -    Auckland Cycle Challenge

2009 Review

2010-01-13T13:32:00.000+13:00

It is the end of another fantastic year, and thus a great chance to extend a huge thank you to everyone that has come along for the ride, and helped make 2009 such as success.

On the racing front, 2009 started particularly slowly, after an enforced post-Kepler Challenge (Dec '08) injury break. I had reached the inevitable point in many athlete's development where I was starting to put far too much emphasis on results. I believe that my injuries at the time were not mutually exclusive from my 'clouded' headspace.

Thus, throughout 2009, I have put the major focus on enjoyment, rather than results, taking part in races such as the Waikato Draught Tough Guy, and the ANZ City Chase. Ironically my performances have taken a great leap forward.

Highlights have been finishing 4th at the Lydiard Legend Marathon, and running a personal best of 2:37:53 to finish 5th at the Auckland Marathon.

Two weeks following the Auckland Marathon - much to the dismay of coach Gordon Walker - I took on the extremely tough Speight's West Coaster Marathon. I intended to through the run, taking a few photos along the way, though I managed to win by 40 minutes and take over 30 minutes off the record.

I capped off the year, a few weeks ago, by becoming Auckland's fastest Santa.

I am always extremely thankful for the support of my sponsors. The assistance they provide allows me to continue to do what I love. During the course of 2009, I welcomed bioSPORT, Buff, Manukau Canoe & Kayak, and Total Sport on board as sponsors. Thank you also to current sponsors, Discover Health, Milford New World, and Papakura & Pukekohe Chiropractic for their continued support.

The year ahead looks very exciting. I am entertaining the possibility of fueling my body with food free from preservatives. I plan to place more emphasis on my kayaking and cycling, and will take on some multisport and kayaking races, as well as a fair chunk of running races.

Thank you for your continued support - Kügs

NZ Herald: The Great New Zealand Santa Run

2009-12-11T16:23:00.001+13:00

Santas' fun run a serious little earner
Santas in running shoes and sunnies - some with their beards dangling precariously from their chins - were out in force yesterday.

More than 750 people turned out at Auckland's Viaduct and in Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch last night to raise money for Cure Kids. Just over $10,000 was raised for the children's charity, which funds research into life-threatening childhood illnesses.
Organiser Shaun Collins said: "It was a big range of people who [participated] - from adults to 5-year-old kids dressed as elves. Everybody was running for a good cause."
James Kuegler took first place in Auckland, crossing the finish line in 9 minutes 35 seconds - about 20 seconds ahead of last year's winner who was dressed as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Mr Collins said the aim for next year was to get at least 1000 people registering, as the Auckland City Council had promised to let the Santas run on Queen St if the target was met.

2009-12-11T16:17:00.001+13:00

Sportzhub: West Coaster Report

2009-11-15T14:41:00.001+13:00

Kuegler shatters marathon record at the Speight's West Coaster

On Saturday 14th November, Auckland multisporter James Kuegler shattered the Speight's West Coaster record. His time of 4:49:47 was over thirty minutes quicker than the previous record set in 2008. At the finish line, an exhausted Kuegler said that the key to his race was "being efficient throughout the race, enjoying the stunning scenery, and gritting my teeth on the big hills."

Described by some as ‘a journey of self-actualisation,' The Speight's West Coaster is the last event on the 2009 calendar for Auckland based event management company total sport Total Sport.
Starting at Bethels Beach on Auckland West Coast, the event is possibly New Zealand's most scenic road, trail and coastal running event. With a distance for all levels of fitness, adventure and enthusiasm (42km Marathon, 28km, 18km, or 10km) the West Coaster is a must-do for all off-road enthusiasts.

Other winning times included Miriam Ellis, 6:24:57 women's marathon, Julia Cree, 4:19:19 women's 28km, Jason Benniman, 3:40:34 men's 28km, Meredith Baker, 2:01:01 women's 18km, Andy Hughes, 2:02:01 men's 18km, Michelle Horn, 51:56 women's 10km, Zebedee Stone, 45:26 men's 10km.

Kuegler is a rising star on the multisport and running scene. In the last two months he finished 5th at the Auckland Marathon with a personal best time of 2:37:53, 4th at the Lydiard Legend Marathon, and as part of Team Discover Health (Tim Wilding, Aaron Strong, and Gordon Walker) defended his winning teams title at Opotiki's Motu Challenge, where Kuegler recorded the fastest run time. Impressive achievements for a 22 year old.

Kuegler is sponsored by bioSPORT®, a state-of-the-art biomechanical physiotherapy and sports conditioning practice in Auckland's CBD. bioSPORT's Principal Biomechanist Greg Pain commented that James is in fine form. "He has come a long way this year and we are exceptionally proud of him. We have spent many hours getting his running technique as efficient as possible, video-analysing, learning how to activate key muscles and building efficiency and strength in that all-important pelvic and leg musculature. We are with him as he continues to improve and achieve great results."

Speight's West Coaster

2009-11-15T11:07:00.003+13:00

On Saturday 14th I took part in the marathon at the Speight's West Coaster and won in a time of 4:49:49. 40 minutes ahead 2nd, and shattering the race record in the process by over 30 minutes.

Aaron Carter (totalsport) said that it was more of a journey of self actualisation, and he is dead right. I underestimated it, indicating to Aaron that I thought I would finish it in 4:00 - 4:30. The gylcogen debt associated with running the Auckland Marathon 13 days ago kicked in after 25km.

I put the major emphasis on enjoyment rather than results, though having said that, it is great to get an individual win and some recognition for all the hard work that I have done.

Auckland Marathon

2009-11-07T09:58:00.005+13:00

I was unusually emotional in the early hours of Sunday morning. Whether it was my music, the majesty and stillness of the waterfront, or the contemplation of what to expect later in the day, I was reduced to tears as I drove from Mission Bay to catch the ferry.

The start was unusually slow. I recall running the first two kilometers at 3:25min/km in 2008, this year nobody else wanted to know. Things soon picked up, and by the 10km mark things had begun to work themselves out. Rowan Hooper, Glynn Hadley, & Tomotaka Nakayama had formed a three man lead group, on his own was Ross McIntyre, followed by myself, Phil Murray, Nick Pannet, Justin Carnaby, Gavin Stevens, & Graeme Taylor. My dilemma was whether to stick to my race plan and run conservatively on my own or to stay in the bunch and shelter from the wind. I stayed in the bunch, and the six of us worked well together, particularly over the Harbour Bridge.

By the turn around at St. Heliers (32km) we were down to four and receiving reports that both Nakayama and McIntyre were in trouble.

We passed them both. Gavin dictated the speed of the group, pushing the pace with timely bursts of speed, none more so than at the chaotic Okahu Bay support station. Graeme and Gavin were gone. I kept the gap constant, though had nothing left in my legs to catch them. I learnt a lot of lessons from Gavin, none more so that there is no substitute for old and cunning.

I crossed the line in 5th place, in a time of 2:37:53. I am extremely pleased with the effort, a great reward for the hard work that I have put in.

Special thanks must go to Greg Pain and the team at bioSPORT for the countless hours of conditioning that they have done throughout this year.

I have exams for the next three weeks. Some may say my biggest challenge yet. I will have a relative break from running, giving my legs a much-needed rest. The Coast to Coast is the next big race on the radar. I have just over three months to build toward the race, and am very excited to be getting back onto the bike and into the kayak. For a number of reasons I have decided to race the ‘two-day individual’, rather than the ‘longest-day’ that I raced in 2008.

Speight's West Coaster

2009-11-07T09:56:00.003+13:00

On November 14th, Total Sport are bringing us the Speight’s West Coaster. Starting at Bethells Beach, the West Coaster is possibly NZ's most scenic off-road, trail and coastal running event with views to die for.

The race is a must do for all off-road enthusiasts, and includes a distance for all levels of fitness, adventure and enthusiasm. I plan to run in a yet to be determined capacity.

Lisa Tamati To Run The Length of New Zealand

2009-11-06T09:40:00.006+13:00

On Saturday 31 October, New Plymouth-based ultra-distance runner Lisa Tamati will start running the length of New Zealand as part of her ‘Taranaki Engineering NZ Run 2009’ project, supporting CanTeen and Cure Kids. The route covers 2200 kilometres in 33 days and averages about 70 kilometres per day (around 10 hours of running each day).

Lisa will be leaving from Bluff at 6.00am on Saturday 31 October. Her route takes her up the east coast of the South Island, where she’ll board the Interislander ferry on Saturday 14 November at 6.25am. Lisa will run on a treadmill during the crossing over Cook Strait. She’ll then run up through New Plymouth (her home town) to Auckland airport, arriving there on 25 November. Lisa will fly to Kaitaia, drive to the tip of the North Island and then start running the final leg of the journey – Cape Reinga to Auckland. She’ll be arriving into Devonport on Thursday 3 December, where she’ll be met by a few well-known friends and supporters who will join her for the harbour crossing (by kayak) over to Auckland CBD, for the final leg of the run to the finish party (venue to be announced) around late-afternoon on Thursday 3 December.

Lisa says, “I’ve run Death Valley, what’s known as the ‘toughest race on earth’, but running the length of New Zealand in 33 days is the toughest challenge I’ve ever faced. I’m scared - I’m terrified, in fact - but this challenge is nothing compared with what the young Kiwis living with cancer face, whom I’ve recently met through CanTeen and Cure Kids. I’m so grateful for the support of all my sponsors and my wonderful team to make this lifelong dream happen. I’ll give it everything I have.”

Throughout her NZ Run, Lisa will be speaking at bookstores and community events. Lisa has recently released Running Hot (published by Allen & Unwin), an autobiography about her life as an ultramarathon runner. For information about the book or in-store events, please contact Abba Renshaw on 021 102 6496.

To find out more about Lisa’s NZ Run, or to see when she’s running through your town, check out the website: www.nzrun.co.nz.

To read more about Lisa Tamati and her past achievements, please visit www.lisatamati.co.nz.

Lisa Tamati is available for interview during her NZ Run. To contact Lisa, please call:
Jaron Mumby, project manager, Mobile: 021 522 477 or
Lisa Tamati, Mobile: 021 844 743.

Auckland Marathon

2009-10-26T15:53:00.005+13:00

This Sunday (November 1st) I will tackle the Auckland Marathon. People always comment that they would love to come and watch me race. Given that the race is ‘smack bang’ in the centre of Auckland it is your best opportunity to support me and everyone else that is running.

I am attempting to run under 2:40, and hopefully finish well inside the top 10.

Below is a rough idea of what time I will be running through some of the prime spectator locations on Sunday. I look forward to seeing you.

6:40 - Takapuna (Cnr. Taharoto Road & Northocte Road) - 8km

6:50 - Northcote (Shopping Centre - Lake Road) - 11km

7:30 - Viaduct (Quay Street Ferry Building) - 22km

7:50 - Mission Bay (Tamaki Drive) - 29km

7:55 - St. Heliers (Cnr. Tamaki Drive & St. Heliers Bay Road) - 31km

8:00 - Mission Bay (Tamaki Drive) - 32km

8:25 - Parnell (Cnr. Tamaki Drive & The Strand) - 39km

8:40 - Finish (Victoria Park) - 42.2km

Join me for breakfast after the race at Headquarters Restaurant (123 Beaumont Street).

Thank you for your continued support.

Motu Challenge - Team Discover Health

2009-10-26T15:51:00.003+13:00

In preparation for the Auckland Marathon I took on the Motu Challenge multisport race as part of a team. Team Discover Health, proudly sponsored by Discover Health, was made up of Tim Wilding (mountain bike), Aaron Strong (road cycle), Gordon Walker (kayak), and myself (run). We had an extremely good chance of winning the race, and potentially breaking the long standing teams record.

The conditions on race day were dire, with a strong head wind for the majority of the race. A record 41 participant’s withdrew from the race. A huge number of these were competitors who became hypothermic during the extremely windy kayak stage.

Team Discover Health won the race, crossing the line in 6:42:02. Richard Ussher was the first individual, and second overall across the line thirty minutes behind us.

I ran the 17km run course two minutes quicker than I managed in 2008 in much tougher conditions. We recorded the four fastest stage times, though we were unfortunately 5:38 off breaking the course record. Next year perhaps...

The Coasters - Trail Running Group

2009-10-05T18:27:00.001+13:00

Sunday morning was the second installment of The Coasters. A group of training trail runs and workshops working towards running the Speight’s West Coaster on November 14th.

bioSPORT's Greg Pain and I offered our five cents worth of practical trail running tips. Hopefully they were helpful?

What's next for The Coasters:

October 5th. The Coasters #3. After work run.

October 18th. The Coasters @ The Mizone 7 in 1 Challenge in support of Mal Law's 7 in 7 Challenge

October 22nd. The Coasters Foot WOF

November 5th. The Coasters Fueling Up

November 8th. The Coasters #4. Bethells Beach

November 14th. Speight's West Coaster

Buff - The Original Multifunctional Headwear

2009-10-02T17:36:00.001+13:00

I have joined forces with Buff

What is Buff?

Buff is the brand of an innovative, useful, comfortable, fun, multi-functional garment that will keep off the sun, wind or cold. Best known for their original, multi-functional, seamless, tubular headgear that, because of its high quality, means you can perform any activity in total freedom and comfort.

Buff also support Lisa Tamati who from 31st of October through to the 2nd of December will be running the length of New Zealand. Covering approximately 2,200km in 33 days or the equivalent of 52 marathons, from Bluff to Cape Reinga.

Lisa is doing a public talk next Tuesday (6th), talking on the topic of 'How to run a marathon'

The Lydiard Legend Marathon

2009-09-22T21:07:00.000+12:00

Over the weekend I raced in The Lydiard Legend Marathon. The race follows the famous Waiatarua route through the Waitakere Ranges in West Auckland that was previously used by Arthur Lydiard to train his prodigies.

Conditions were perfect for running, and as always, Total Sport put on a great event. Though tough, I enjoyed the route, and raced a relatively intelligent race. I am recovering well and back into light training today.

I finished 3rd in the open men’s race behind Sam Wreford, & Scott Winton. Overall I was bumped off the podium by master’s winner Graeme Taylor.

My time was 2:47:21, on a marathon that is touted as the ‘toughest in the country’. This was only 2:31 off my time at the 2008 Auckland Marathon. Everything is looking very positive as I build towards this year’s Auckland Marathon on November 1st (39 days to go).

Thank you to everyone who came out to support me. It was great to see so many friendly faces. Brunch afterwards was also lot of fun, and something I am very keen to have a repeat of after the Auckland Marathon.

Next up is the Motu Challenge multisport race in Opotiki on October 10th, where I will team up with Tim Wilding, Aaron Strong, & Gordon Walker, to defend the title that Tim and I won in 2008.

August Training Update

2009-09-22T21:02:00.000+12:00

At the end of July I jetted off for a week in Australia. The trip was a great opportunity to, hang out with mates, explore Melbourne and Hobart and do some quality training. It was a hugely refreshing break and since returning I have been in a positive ‘space’ both mentally and physically.

Training is going extremely well as I build toward the Auckland Marathon. In the last month I have managed 2nd place, behind Michael Adams at the Whitford, Xterra Off-Road race, staying with him for 7km and finishing closer to him than ever before. I also finished in 3rd place at the hugely enjoyable Waikato Draught Tough-Guy Challenge.

The weekend of 29th & 30th of August I took part in the Leatherman Coromandel Classic, a two-day multisport race around the Coromandel. I entered purely for the experience, and to finish what I knew would be a physically demanding race. I felt that I ran well, recording the second fastest individual run time on both days, and was happy to cross the line 7th.

Many thanks must go to the team at Manukau Canoe & Kayak for my brand new ‘Ruahine Rebel’ multisport kayak. The team are steadily building the multisport side of the business, an exciting journey. In August, Manukau Canoe & Kayak launched their monthly ‘Multisport Network’ evenings. The evenings offer a chance to meet, share and discuss multisport and kayak racing with like-minded people. The team would love to see you there, for more information email julie.reynolds@xtra.co.nz.

My next race is The Lydiard Legend Marathon through the Waitakere Ranges in West Auckland. The race follows the Waiatarua route used by Arthur Lydiard to train his prodigies. The marathon, scheduled for September 19th has been billed as the toughest road marathon in the country. It isn’t very often that I get to race in Auckland, so it will be great to have support around the course.

Coming up on November 8th is the Rodney Coast Challenge multisport event. The event consists of a 10km run, 30km road cycle, 24km mountain bike, and 8km paddle. Manukau Canoe & Kayak are very keen to sponsor a few teams into the event. If you have a team or are keen to be part of a team let me know.

I have recently become interested in a revolutionary type of shoes known as Vibram® Five Fingers® (below). The shoes mimic barefoot running and promote natural gait, a phenomenon made biomechanically impossible by traditional running shoes. Currently there is no distributor here in New Zealand, though I am looking at the possibility of doing a bulk order for anyone that is keen to get into a pair. Have a look at www.fivefingers.com.au, and let me know if you are interested.

bioSPORT is organising a group of training trail runs and workshops working towards achieving the ultimate experience at the Speight’s West Coaster on November 14th. This is a fantastic opportunity for elites, weekend warriors and walkers. Check out the facebook page for the ‘Official Speight’s West Coaster Trail Running Group’ or email wendy@biosport.co.nz for more information.