I’m Amanda! I grew up on a farm in the deep South and now I live in New Zealand’s coolest little Capital city, Wellington. I love the soy latte life with it’s hectic schedules, endless opportunities for activities, colourful culture and endless restaurants, but gosh I miss those mountains.
I started running every week in November 2012 in preparation for the Round The Bays half marathon in February 2013. Fast forward three years and I’ve helped to write the training blog for the event. I’ve got a passion for trails now; I love nothing more than running up and down hills against the wind and having views over mountains and sea all to myself.
I am the New Zealand Editor for Trail Run Magazine bringing the Kiwi trail running scene to the other side of the Tasman as well as freelance writing for We Run Races
I can’t believe my luck in that there are so many wonderful people in Wellington that share my passion, and who like to run with me. 90 plus minutes listening to me talk is very admirable, thank you all.
My big hairy audacious goal is to run a 100km Ultra, and win it. Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’ll have as much renal failure, blistering, chaffing, and muscle necrosis as the person who came first.
My Romance With Running 
July 26, 2014 at 12:32 am
Hello from 15,000km away 🙂 I look forward to following along!
July 27, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Thank you 🙂 I will let you know what it’s like running 15,000km away in lovely windy Wellington
October 7, 2014 at 9:06 pm
I LOVE your blog. You seem to be my kind of people, so you have a new follower. Very sad for you about the fracture but fingers crossed for fast healing.
October 8, 2014 at 7:40 am
Oh thank you! I think I am on the home straight with this healing business. It has definitely been a trying stage of my running relationship. I’ll try to entertain you with my posts!
January 20, 2015 at 3:45 am
Love your blog! From a fellow GOMI-er 🙂
January 21, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Yuss! After a quick stalk I see that you are vegan and a runner, your approval is therefore making me puff out my ample chest and retract my chin in to my other chins and smile so that my workmates are now laughing and pointing at me. Thanks for reading 🙂
April 24, 2015 at 9:55 pm
Hi Amanda
I love reading your blog. I too have discovered the love of trail running with a goal to run 25km next year. However my romance with running has hit a rough patch 😕 I have a suspected tibia stress fracture….. And I find reading your blog about your rehab encouraging that this isn’t the end of my fling with running (1 year into it)
thanks for the inspiration
Lisa
April 28, 2015 at 2:56 pm
Hey Lisa, that is a bummer about the stress fracture. It was a pretty challenging time getting over mine but I am sure you will get through it! It feels so good to be back running now and I am a lot more sensible with my training, and grateful for every run!
June 21, 2015 at 7:38 pm
Hi amanda, I stumbled across your blog and as a fellow runner (in the best harriers club in the universe, olympic wgtn) I just love your hilarious and sometimes warped take on all thinks running. The injuries, highs and lows, temperature outside etc are all relatable. Please keep the blog updates coming. Cheers
gareth
June 23, 2015 at 8:23 am
Hi Gareth, thanks so much for the encouragement! I might see you at the Bays Relay or a three Peaks race some time soon 🙂
June 23, 2015 at 9:36 pm
Hi amanda, cheers for the reply 🙂 My next race is the NIXC up taupo way before whatever XC race is next. Dunno bout the 3 peaks run, but def the Bays Relay as I enjoyed it last year (leg 3 I think). Ill say hi if I see you round at an interclub race
Hope the body is healing ok 🙂
gareth
October 29, 2015 at 9:43 pm
Hey amanda,
Ab-so-lu-te cracking blog you have here. Articles are a) hilarious and b) very relatable. Keep on keeping on (and writing your blog thankyou). Cheers mick (muck to you guys over the ditch)
November 6, 2015 at 1:04 pm
Oh thank you!
March 28, 2016 at 3:10 pm
Hi Amanda,
Just been pointed to your blog recently. Loved your post ‘On the Hard Stuff’ about your thoughts whilst running. I publish a weekly blog post about the Best of the Internet for Endurance Athletes and have included it as one of the Athlete Blogs of the week.
http://www.coachray.nz/2016/03/27/best-of-the-internet-for-endurance-athletes-27-march-2016/
Keep up the great writing.
Regards,
Ray
March 28, 2016 at 4:07 pm
Hi Ray, thanks for the encouragement, and for including a link to my blog. Best of the Internet! Whoosh. You can relate to my thoughts while running then, that’s good.
September 6, 2016 at 7:31 am
My goal is to run a 100km ultra and not die! That would be winning!
September 7, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Death would kind of be a win, I mean if you had a choice in how you died it would be an epic way to go.
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July 31, 2017 at 8:51 am
Hi Amanda,
I hope you stay positive and stick to writing and blogging and close to running even when you are injured. You are an asset to the community and a real positive influence to many!
July 31, 2017 at 11:11 am
Thanks Jason. I don’t feel very creative at the moment and I think anything I write would be a bit negative. When I feel a bit better I will pick it up again. I really appreciate your kind words thank you 😊
February 24, 2018 at 5:01 pm
Hi Amanda,
whilst this is an old post, I put in running in Hoi An and your blog come up. Firstly, I must say I had a good laugh. Very humorous in that Kiwi / Aussie way.
I too have a couple of long runs to fulfill whilst there so I will look up the run club in HMC and look forward to running along the canals in Hoi An.
cheers
Rusty
March 5, 2018 at 6:13 am
Oh cool I’m glad to have been some help, and flattered with the compliments. I hope your runs were sweaty and disorientating ☺️
November 21, 2018 at 11:50 am
Hi Amanda,
I browsed your blog a while back and somehow it didn’t click that you’re in Wellington… That is until last night at the Waterfront 5k when they called your name out!
I’m training for Round the Bays 2019 which will be my first half-marathon. Your blog is good inspiring stuff, and I’ll be following it a bit more closely now that I know you’re local!
Congrats on a great time yesterday, and maybe I’ll see you out there sometime!
Cheers
Evan
Author of [sunshine intensifies]
(PS: Thanks for following! [si] isn’t dead yet, even if it appears that way right now!)
December 5, 2018 at 3:19 pm
Oh excellent, I love the waterfront 5km! Exciting that you’re doing your first half marathon, RTB was what started me running more consistently and getting more involved with the running community. Running is great 🙂
June 18, 2019 at 11:55 pm
Hi Amanda,
My name is Eric Barber.
After the success of my first expert roundup post “What to Eat on Race Day – 27 Expert Runners Share Their Race-Day Breakfast”, I thought it would be a great idea to beginning runners to know about “the best and the worst running shoes marathon runners have ever run in”
Here’s the first roundup post: https://www.steadyfoot.com/eat-race-day-breakfast/ which was done with the help of Amanda Brooks, Tina Muir and 25 more marathon runners.
If you’re interested in participating, I’m asking half marathon and marathon runners like you:
1. What are the best and the worst running shoes you’ve ever run in?
2. What are your most important criteria when it comes to choosing your running shoes?
Here’s how it works:
– please answer however you want.
– feel free to go longer if you’re feeling particularly inspired.
– I’ll provide a link to your site and your preferred social media accounts.
Cheers!