Tarawera Ultra Marathon

Right from last year sometime my mates have been talking about running an Ultra Marathon... 60, 85 or even 100km... a few of them decided to do the one in my neck of the woods - the Tarawera Ultra Marathon (hereafter referred to as TUM).

Photo: Paul Charteris

Personally I thought they were nuts... the 2 marathons I have done, while being personally fulfilling, have both nearly killed me! So when it was suggested that "you should run the 60km Mike".... I laughed and said "You'd have to pay me!".

From that comment, later the same evening an idea hatched itself in my head... what if people did pay me to run? No, not as a professional, but as a fundraiser. Hospice are the Charity that BNI - who I contract to - support and having experienced their fantastic services when my Mother passed 17 months ago
I decided that the first question I asked was going to decide whether it happened or not... that question was to Sue Rednap at BNI Support in Auckland asking if they would sponsor my entry to TUM (as it wasn't in my 'running' budget). Sue said yes and I was committed - my partner and daughter thought I should have been committed!

I then spoke to my various businesses that make up BNI around the area I look after and after having set a target of $3000, I eventually finished with just over $5000 in pledges.... BNI's motto is "Giver's Gain" which they practice as well as preach, so now I had to run!

To be fair, I didn't do a lot different to my normal training except to learn to run slower. I knew that half-marathon pace was not going to do it.

Photo: Paul Charteris

I also immersed myself to some extent in the event. I offered my services to Paul Charteris, the Race Director and he happily took me up on that offer. First off we cleared a new section of trail between Blue Lake (Tikitapu) and Okareka Township (left).

Then on Race Week we 'did the shopping' together. We cleaned Pak'n'Save out of Jelly Beans (right), bought more sweets that would be needed for a birthday party for a hundred 5 year olds. 240 or so bottles of coke and so much more.

Then we had a trip to Kawerau to drop Aid Station stuff off and I spent a couple of half days stuffing racepaks and generally just helping where I could.

Steve Neary, Keith Crook & MT Photo: Christine Crook

But finally raceday came up, I actually slept well - until the alarm woke me at 4.30am. Scoffed down some breakfast and had some quiet time on facebook until we headed down to the event at just before 6. We were one of the first there, so we got a great park!

Met up with my mate Keith Crook and his pacer Steve Neary and soaked up the atmosphere... and even at this stage there was plenty.


I had my handheld $5 torch, but was soon able to put it away as with all the headlamps around me there was plenty of light on things.


I started very cautiously and took it very easy on the accent to the top of Tokorangi Pa Road (in the Rotorua Redwoods). In fact I took it pretty easy pretty much the whole run to my first stop... at Lake Okareka.

Photo: Paul Charteris

It would have been even cruisier had not the Lakes in the Rotorua region all be very high... the Blue Lake especially, leading to about an 80 metre wade at one point (right) and about another 6 immersions before we left the Blue Lake trail. Wet feet would not normally bother me, but a whole pile of sand and rubbish found their way into my shoes as well, so it was a good job my team had a change ready at Okareka.

 Another disadvantage of a much earlier race start than I have had before was that the body was not prepared fully and despite getting up early for brekky, it was not until Okareka that the body decided it was time... me and everone else... hence the pic (left) of me racing Keith Crook to the Loo!


I made it to Okareka in 2 hours 29 minutes, which was pretty much what I had planned. The pitstop and the change of shoes and socks cost me quite a few minutes, but both were worth the time. With hindsight I probably could have run a bit faster over this section, but at that stage I had absolutely no idea.


So we plodded up Millar Road from the Boyes Beach (Okareka) Aid Station and onto Western Okataina Walkway... which I love. Again I was running very much within myself, taking it very easy on the ups and cruising the downs. I was very much expecting to start hurting a lot on this section, but maybe because I was prepared, or maybe because I had taken the first sections so easily, I just felt great. In fact I was chatting away to a fellow runner when we passed a lady walking the other way who told us "only 5 minutes to the to the top" which caught me on the hop as the trail had slid past.


I really let loose on the big downhill at the end of this stage as that is what I do best and I figured I could make up some time now for when my legs would be too tired later.

Okataina Aid Station

At Okataina Aid Station (right) I pigged out on watermelon and a few jelly beans, but pretty much left everything else alone. Right from the start I had been on a planned diet of a Leppin gel every 45 minutes and I kept this up until near the end, which took away most of the need to take on any other food. Watermelon was great though, so refreshing, food and a drink in one mouthful.I had been told "don't try anything new on raceday" and this seemed like a good strategy.




At this point I will mention my other strategy for this run. In my mind I had split the run into 3 sections. Firstly to Okareka, secondly to Okataina and finally to the Finish at Tarawera Falls. Like 3 half-marathons... and I do them all the time!

Even though the first section took two and a half hours it seemed to happen sneaky quick... especially with all the chatting to fellow runners and meeting people I had spoken to on facebook.

The second section was a piece of trail I knew reasonably well and as previously stated, I really love it. So it seemed to go quickly as well and it didn't feel like nearly 5 hours when I reached Okataina.

But the final section had to hurt, I have run the Eastern Okataina Walkway from the lodge to Humphries Bay, so I knew what to expect - tough ups and downs and plenty of them!

Humphries Bay

What was new was the 2 patches of water where there used to be beach sections leading to wet feet again... but this close to the finish I was not worried. I still felt great.. although getting a bit tired and sore.



When I reached Humphries Bay and was greated by the fantastic crew there in their Hawaian outfits,(left) I made what was really the only major mistake I made on the day. As I was getting sore, I had decided to rub some of the cooling gel into my muscles at that stop and also onto my sore back.


I did this no problem and chatted to one of the aid station team while doing it, about the sting I got on my shoulder about 5 minutes prior (my only 'injury' of the day). Then I attacked the watermelon again and headed off up the hill - forgetting to fill my drink up!!!

Finished!!! Photo: Christine Crook

About 1km into this section I ran out of fluids, which at the time didn't seem insurmountable, but no doubt had a lot to do with the cramping that hampered me in the last 10km. About 4km from Humphries Bay I reached the spot I had run to 10 days earlier from the other end and knew there was 8km to go. There was still some life in the legs and I started to push the flats and the downhills and go for the best time I could. 


At the Outlet I quickly downed several cokes and some electrolyte drink, but the previous 10km with no drinks had done their bit and even though I still kept pushing, the cramps were starting to set in. 


I crossed in 8 hours and 9 minutes... and discovered that the thing that hits you at the end of an Ultra is not - as you would think - elation, but rather emotion. It was all I could do to hold back ther tears as I savoured the fact that I had done it! 

Right from the start of this journey, I have told all of those who would listen that this was a 'one-off', that I was not an Ultra runner and had no intention of being one.


I managed to coerce my BNI business associates, some fellow runners and one or two others to sponsor me... I even had a couple of race shirts donated (left) by All Sew in Cambridge.


The results show I finished 19th overall out of 94 starters in my event, but in the end, the day won over everything... I had a great race - for me - my family were there, my friends were running all around me. I felt the pain for those who's day didn't go so well and the elation of other finishers I cheered over the line. The people on the course and in the Aid Stations were wonderful and uplifting.

Next day was prizegiving at Abracadabra in Rotorua. Lots of stories that will grow in the telling for years to come... some of them even true. Everyone joined in the spirit of having been there for a magical day for an amazing event that superceded most everyone's expectations. Although in it's 4th year, the consensus was that TUM has 'come of age' as NZ's premier Ultra Distance race... well done Paul!




Now I am torn... part of me feels like this was great, but I could do better. The other part says "you had a near perfect day, now walk away" I guess only time will tell which way I go... in the meantime, I'm off to the Dual this weekend for a 'wind-down run".


Finally and most importantly, a massive thanks to my support crew... my partner Lorraine, my daughter Kate (who both still think I'm nuts) as well as Steve Neary and Christine Crook who were oficially Keith's support team but seemed to be supporting everyone! Your presence on the day made it all work. Your smiling faces and encouragement at my key stops lifted me for the next section. Knowing you were there waiting at the finish spurred me on... thank-you thank-you thank-you

Here is the official video...

My Garmin report...


The Race Map...