Student Bloggers

Running with WoRMs

WoRM aka The Wellington Running Club Meetup Group is a running club based around trail running and exploration of Wellington. I ended up going to the “Tuesday Spectacular regular” run. This was located at the Naked Man near the waterfront (On their website, it was helpfully pointed out this was a sculpture and not a real man). The people I met there were incredibly kind. Many of them were from all over the world. I met a man from Ireland who was training for a 50K trail run, a woman from Portland Oregon who was working as an ecologist and multiple badass trail runners. One Kiwi gave me some extensive information about trail running on the South Island and on the best mountain biking trails in New Zealand. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet people and test your limits. We ended up running through Oriental Bay and up the winding dirt trails of Mount Victoria. After 50 minutes, 1’200 feet of vertical elevation gain and lots of walk-running we made it to the Mount Victoria overlook. We met up with the other WoRM runners and took a picture of us. The view was gorgeous and the people were friendly. What more can you ask from a running club?

Running Abel Tasman

On a chilly Friday morning, at 7:00 am, the Wellington Arcadia abroad group took a great journey, first by bus, then by ferry, then by bus again to the South Island National Park Abel Tasman. Abel Tasman is located at the tip of the South Island and is considered by many to be the most impressive national park in all of New Zealand. Abel Tasman has white sandy beaches, lush forests, and plenty of native wildlife (source placeholder). It is also incredibly accessible to beginner trail runners. The trails are very well-marked and are incredibly well-maintained. Additionally, because this park attracts the most visitors of any national park in New Zealand there are plenty of cute, affordable huts along the way to stay in. (source placeholder).

My first run was at 5:30 pm after 10 hours of travel. I was quite tired and ready for a nap. But I ran anyway, and it was completely worth it. Abel Tasman is wonderful because you are running through lush forests but always close to the beach. There is elevation gain but the trails feel almost paved and signs direct you, so there’s no chance of getting lost. I was planning on only running 3 or 4 miles but ran 7 miles in total because it was such a gorgeous run. I would frequently run into wekas, a type of large flightless bird in the rail family (source placeholder). They are hilarious to watch, as they are very curious; they would often walk up to me examining me from head to toe.

My second run was at 6:30 am and it was frigid. Even in Abel Tasman, considered to be a very warm part of New Zealand, the mornings can get very cold, so remember to bring proper layers. It was 3 Celsius outside and by the time I got my running clothes on, I was shivering and chattering. If you can, however, run in the morning! You will be able to experience a must-see sunrise over the white sands of the bay. This paints the white sands a glorious shade of orange and purple. If you can get to the top of the hill you may get one of the most picturesque views you can get in New Zealand. If you’re running in the morning, just remember to wear a headlamp, so you don’t trip over a root or branch.   

Running with the Wellington Cross-Country Club

Besides running with WoRM, I also ran with the Wellington Cross-Country Club. This club meets every Monday at 6:30 pm. It is for runners of all experience levels, so it’s a great way for new runners to explore Wellington without worry of being left behind. One of the best things about the club is how many other students you can meet. Unlike the WoRM running club, this is primarily made up of University of Wellington students. I had a wonderful time meeting students, many of whom were graduate students in master's programs. This club is also a great way to learn about other running opportunities in the Wellington area; I learned about the WoRM running club from a member of this club. So, If you’re abroad and have trouble meeting people, join the Wellington Cross-Country Running Club. You won’t regret it.