Pearls
- Go easy. Before Millar Road (74km), go easy. If you are wondering about your effort during the race up to this point and think you are on pace, just tack back one notch.
- Eat and drink from 0km. I had liquid at every 15min, sometimes earlier if I felt the need. I ate something every 30min.
Early-ish start
A 5am alarm went, I was awake easily, even after a restless night’s sleep. A fresh long black coffee and toast with banana and peanut butter down the hatch. Gear laid out the night before made for a slick morning. This included a good lather of Vaseline to any possible ‘hot spots’. The drive from our rental house at Lake Okeraka to Kawerau was an uneventful drive just under an hour.
Start line
At 6.30am it was a fresh morning in the early daylight. There were plentiful athletes gathered on the sports fields near the start, with a focused and excited atmosphere. A quick stop at the barista stand for another long black. The powhiri really set the tone,
Leg 1: to Mangawhio (14.2km)
Through sports fields and grass areas onto a riverside track, which creates a bit of a bottle neck. The single track that goes for a few km can be a bit stop start, but opens up into a double track and eventually forestry metal road. No major climbs.
Leg 2: to Titoki (31km)
Mostly forestry roads. Some rolling hills up and down. I don’t remember too much specifically of this leg.
Leg 3: to Outlet (40.8km)
Slightly more technical and single track. The climb out of the “half-pipe” at the 36km mark was steep.
Leg 4: to Humphries (48.4km)
This runs along lake Tarawera, again mostly single bush track. Once you deal with the “nipple” of the leg it becomes apparent you have done a marathon worth of distance so far. At this stage my legs had some discomfort generally, but very sustainable without any niggles.
Leg 5: to Okataina (58km)
Leg 6: to Millar (74.4km)
Leg 7: to Lake Tikitapu (86.2km)
Leg 8: to Redwoods (95.4km)
Leg 9: to Finish (102.3km)
Race details on the official Tarawera Ultramarathon site.