Anyone who has read the book Born to Run will know the trend that was Barefoot Running. The writer spent some time watching an obscure Mexican tribe, the Tarahumara Indians, that does long-distance running races in the canyons of…

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I’ve written before about my inglorious career as an electrician. While I absolutely appreciate the practical and life skills that completing an apprenticeship gave me, it’s fair to say that electrician-ing wasn’t my sweet spot. I simply didn’t enjoy…

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I’m forever amazed by the wisdom that one can find down at the local cafe. I’ve been going for fairly regular morning coffees to my local for decades now. Pro tip: if you’re in Christchurch and looking for the…

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It’s amazing the pearls of wisdom that one can gain in an unlikely setting. 35 years or so ago I completed an electrical apprenticeship and worked with many characters along the way. One of those characters, Grant, had a…

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The other day, I was the first person on the scene of a nasty car crash on my commute home. Being a former paramedic, and a current firefighter obviously, I began helping those involved in the accident. I ended…

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My lads are in their early twenties and, as such, many of their friends are finishing up university degrees and heading out into the real world. Maybe it’s a function of both the region they grew up in and…

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I’m a political mongrel. Over my life, I’ve voted across the political spectrum. Whenever I do those slightly dodgy-feeling political surveys, that always feel like a precursor to ads for erectile dysfunction meds or weight loss pills, I always…

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I often bemoan the fact that I’m getting older. Among my regular running mates, I’m generally the first to lay claim to being an old, sad, broken and washed-up runner. In reality, the truth is that despite waking up…

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In the hustle and bustle of modern life, the concept of community often takes a backseat. We’re all engrossed in our own worlds, whether it’s our immediate neighbourhood, the local sports club, or the organizations we volunteer for. Yet,…

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The other day as I was out on my usual run, I spied a tree hut in a lone pine. It made me reminisce about the good old days. Back when I was a lad, building huts, playing bullrush,…

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