Running up One Tree Hill
About ten years ago some nutter attempted to chop down the tree on One Tree Hill here in Auckland. It was quite an iconic symbol of Auckland and unfortunately it eventually died because of the attack and had to be pulled down.
The photo on the left shows the supports that the council placed on the tree to try and support it but to no avail.
Last night on the news they showed some new trees that they were going to plant. There’s been a lot of political wrangling about what type of trees etc. to plant and it seems like they’ve decided to plant 9 trees. No word on if they are changing the name to Nine Tree Hill yet!
As such, I decided I would take a run up One Tree Hill to go and have a look at these new trees.
Unfortunately it seems like they’d only been put up there for a photo opportunity as when I got to the top there was only a bare patch of ground where they had shown trees on the news!
It was a rather beautiful dawn moment as I got close to the top:
There were a lot of walkers going up – I guess with the same idea as me – and I felt really hardcore as I was the only I saw running up even though some of the walkers came perilously close to overtaking me!
Overall I did 22.5 km this morning. Which brings my total weekly mileage to 74.2 km (46.1 miles) which is the most I’ve run in a week ever! A great little milestone.
And here is a little music for you:
They’re actually putting new trees up there? Wow. It’s taken so long. I wish they’d have done it earlier. And nine? That’s crazy!
Nice job on the run. I gonna run up One Tree Hill one day. Just not soon
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That’s a great weekly mileage Andrew! I’ve only made it past 40 once I think. This week’s plan is for 32 with 16 on sunday alone! It will be my longest run ever.
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Pip
reply on February 13th, 2010 4:56 pm:
My mother-in-law, who was my running inspiration, lives off Pah Rd, and One Tree Hll is her regular hill climb. That’s one steep stretch of hill!
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That’s a lot of miles for one week.
We drove up there and it’s really cool. I could walk up it but I dunno about running up that thing. Maybe one day when I magically morph into a runner.
I’m glad they decided to plant trees up there. I can’t believe some idiot attacked the first tree.
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Badass!
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What a great story about the tree. You live in a neat place! And you run? Amazing Andrew!!
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Congrats on the mileage this week! Always nice to achieve a personal best!
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Awesome miles this week, Andrew!
There’s a television series here in the US called “One Tree Hill.” I think of you every time I see it in the listings. I’ve never seen the show, but I suspect I’d like your One Tree Hill much better!
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congratulations! What a milestone.
Sad about the tree. I hope the nine babies turn up.
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Sad story about the tree. Always hate to see aged trees give way. We had one like that in my hometown go several years ago. They estimated it at 250 years old.
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Louise
reply on February 13th, 2010 5:06 pm:
some useless info for you: it was a 125-year-old Monterey Pine (in 2000)
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there’s always the chance that some tosser has relocated the new trees to his own back yard.
I never quite understood the point that maori activist was trying to make by trying to chop it down. Interesting that they’ve decided to replant after this long.
We have a One Tree Hill here too – and it’s covered in the bloody things, and ferally steep. All ready to burn to a crisp if a bush fire gets too close.
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I’m impressed that not only did you take the hill, you ran it. I’d be more inclined to stop occasionally, put my hands on my knees, drip sweat on the ground… you get the picture.
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Wow, Andrew, that’s amazing–almost 75 km. I’m so impressed!
Pretty sad about One Tree Hill–both the jerk who thought it would be fun to chop down the first one, and that the politicians thought no one would notice that the hadn’t actually planted the dang trees!
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Wow, what a great amount of miles for the week. I can’t even imagine being able to do that many!
What a beautiful place to be able to run. I hope that one day I can get there for a holiday. New Zealand is one place that my hubby would like to visit.
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Nice milestone Andrew. Sucks about the tree though.
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kudos to you – i hate hills! they psych me out. (am i going in slo-mo? reverse??)
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BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats on that run & loved the tree story!
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I am very impressed on your mileage. Are your legs even sore?
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Andrew
reply on February 15th, 2010 10:51 am:
Not really. I’ve been running very slowly to build my aerobic fitness and it’s meant I can increase my mileage without injury.
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Very nice and impressive mileage! I hope I’ll get there one day too.
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I have a tree that I bike to that overlooks the ocean. It has become a holy place for me.
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Even if CW will not play the show again atleast give the program to a different producer!
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