The Tussock Traverse

Saturday 28th January dawned crisp and clear. Into the car at 5.15am for the drive from Rotorua to the Chateau Tongariro for my second year of the Fix Tussock Traverse. Last year this was definitely one of my top 3 events - despite the fact that it was right up there as one of the very hardest.

Why was it so hard... 

Well firstly, it is at the end of January, first event of the year for me and we all know what happens at the end of December and January (too much food and drink is what). 

Secondly the course is pretty tough with a 2km climb at the very start of the race. 

Thirdly: it was made more so with a wind of between 60kmph and 70kmph right into our faces for about 12km of the last 18km.

So I battled around last year in 3 hours and 29 minutes and could barely stagger to the car at the end... my aim this year, to take about 15 minutes off last years time.

 So anyway, arrived at the Chateau just after 7am, there had been a frost (right in the middle of summer) and it was a bit cool. Picked up my registration pack with my Tussock Traverse cap and a cool number - 777.

We then all (nearly all) piled onto buses for the trip around the mountain to the start line. No drama this year on the Tukino Skifield link road to the start line (last year we had at least one bus get stuck) and everyone quickly lined up for the Portaloos. 364 runners this year, up from 197 last year.

We all tried to listen to the safety briefing from Dave (right), while at the same time eyeing the hill behind him that we had to climb.

Total Sport run these events very very well and had everything planned and plenty of marshalls on course (every 2 km of the race). Caught up with my mates Keith Crook and Steve Neary before the race started. That was the last time I saw Steve until the finish line as he beat me by about 25 minutes.

Keith blitzed me on the hill (left), but had a few problems after that which were definitely not the kind of problems you want in the middle of a race in the desert... 'nuff said.


The hill is a killer way to start the race, but it does spread out the field quite a bit which becomes more and more necessary as the years go by and the field gets larger and larger.


After plodding up the hill there was a nice downhill over rocks which was my kind of terrain as I am pretty comfortable running down rocky hills and made up lots of places of the next few km's of gentle downhill.

The first 10km were just east of north and over a variety of terrain... although a lot of it is sand and there were a couple of 'nice' sand climbs. There are stream and river crossings and quite a few up and downs through valleys.

Just after the 10km mark you join the trail from Waihohonu Hut and head left starting the trail back to the Chateau Tongariro. This is where things change on 2 fronts.

Firstly the wind, nowhere near as strong as last years gale force, but still the prevailing wind is right into your face for the next 10km and, as 8 of that 10km are a steady climb, it was not surprising that both I and my legs were feeling very flat through this section.

Secondly, there had been lots and lots of 'upgrades' to the trail. Lots of boardwalks, steps and gravel paths packed so firm they were like a road. While this sped things up quite a bit, it was disappointing for me as I consider myself a 'wild trail' runner and this was in places like a highway. However the scenery and the environment are still fantastic and you still had to work up the hills!

Once I got up top, parallel to Tama Lakes, my body decided that it still had something left and I got a 'third wind' and started to push a bit harder... about this time I realised that if I went for it, I had a chance of breaking 3 hours which would be a real buzz after 3 and a half the year before.


Down past Taranaki Falls... didn't have time to stop and enjoy the view, pushing hard and actually passing a few people.




Pushing hard can hurt though, while passing one competitor I took my eyes off the ground and next thing I was visiting the ground... CRASH!!! Adrenalin got me up real quick, bloody hand, hole in knee of my skins and rather sore, but there was no way I was going to let that stop me getting in under 3 hrs... so on I pushed.


2 hours 57minutes I crossed the line elated (that's me, the big orange one in the pic at right - thanks Christine Crook for pic). 

On checking the results most of last years runners in my category improved between 12 and 15 minutes on last years time... a combination of the new trails and lack of strong wind. As I improved 32 minutes I was very proud of myself and have made a tough time for next year.

The Tussock Traverse is a must-do event if you are a trail runner. It is well run with some of the best scenery in the world - you can tell your overseas friends you ran around Mt Doom! Total Sport make everything run like clockwork, right down to a beer and a sausage at the end. 


Oh and a big thanks to St John for cleaning up all the blood at the finish line.


Here's the Garmin link... Tussock Traverse 2012 by mike3950 at Garmin Connect - Details