'Not So' Hidden Trails Kawerau

I was feeling really on a roll and although disappointed with the course at Opotiki, I had been happy with the time.

I had been told that the 'Hidden Trails' Half Marathon in Kawerau was a mix of roads and trails and really, it was more of a mix of roads and parks. Still it was a lot better than the roller coaster footpath that was Opotiki.

As is my norm, I got to Kawerau nice and early and secured a nice park right next to the starting area... at my age it's not too good to leave a long trip to the car after the race.

After helping the St John's man set up his pergola, I registered and wandered around a bit before settling in the car to 'prep' myself. Shortly after I saw Ian Hansen, fresh from his run in Opotiki.

He was rather more surprised to see me as I had only entered a few days before and kept it quiet. After watching the walkers head off (right), I waited patiently for the usual and standard race briefing, before we were off.

It was a good sized field with some of the usual faces... I have noticed that the events such as these that are run by clubs get great support from the running clubs from other towns. Many of the top runners seem to steer clear of the 'commercial' events and just run a mix of club events. This probably saves them a fair bit of cash... but they miss some great races that the 'race-junkies' like me get to experience.

Anyway, back to the race, on the road for the first 750 metres up a steady incline, then off the road and on to some trail... "wow" I thought, this is going to be great... a nice piece of trail, climbing for nearly a kilometre to the top of a hill overlooking the start and much of Kawerau. Hidden Trails indeed, if this was what we were in for it was going to be a good run.... unfortunately this was the most fun part of the whole run for me... well almost!
 
Another 900 metres down the hill again brought us back to the road and a run along the street for just over a kilometre then on to a side trail off the road that lead to a trail more familiar. I ran the last 25km of the Tarawera Ultra in 2011 with my mate John Bell as his 'buddy runner' and we joined on to the river trail that in TUM leads to Firmin Park and the finish. 

We however cruised straight past the Park and followed the river trail for just over 3km until it hit Tamarangi Drive - the main road you use coming into Kawerau from either end. This 3km should have been fun and a lot of the road runners in the race said afterwards that they really enjoyed it... but compared to 'real trails', it was a tad boring... but my pace was ok, just on or under 5 minute km's, which for me is pretty good.

A kilometre along the road and into a nice, but very short bit of trail, then over the road and into the residential streets in a reverse of part of the old Kawerau Half Marathon course. That took us into the park used in the old Half as well and we then looped through, using park walkways for a couple of km's and into the second lap of the same course... only not quite... the best bit of the first lap... the hill, was mysteriously cut out of the second lap. While strictly speaking these were 'trails', it really did feel like park running (right), which is very different.

About 3km from the finish, Ian Hansen steamed up to me looking very fresh... confirming my thoughts that he could become a very quick half runner. This was only his second half and he was cruising. I let him speed up my pace for a while but in time he left me, eventually finishing a minute or so ahead.

I battled, as I have been recently, picking off a few runners over the last couple of km's and was both happy and surprised when crossing the line to look and see that I had beaten my half marathon PB by a minute and a half... I guess there is some advantage to running pretty flat Half's after all!




After the race, a bite to eat, free entry to the Hot Pools if you want to use them (I didn't this time) and then down to the Cossie Club for prizegiving and my mandatory no spot prize.




All in all a well run event, the club did a great job. Times were up quickly on the website and they had several of their own photographers on the course who did a much better job than many of the 'professional' companies at other events... to the point where for the first time in a long time I actually bought some prints.


If you want a fast time... enter this event, if you want a trail run... don't!

Opotiki Half Marathon

So 2 weeks after 3D I was in the car early and off for the drive from Rotorua to Opotiki for the first ever Opotiki Half Marathon and 10km Dunes Dash!

Another fantastic day, crisp around the edges, but beautiful running weather.

The Race started from Memorial Park in Opotiki and after a lap of the park we headed over the fantastic new Pakowhai ki Otutaopuku Bridge.... and what a fantastic new creation it is.

Then it's on to the Motu Trail for just over 9km of winding and undulating running to the turnaround... and then back again.


I have to say, with all honesty, that this race was very disappointing. Not my performance, but the run itself. I guess I have been spoiled with amazing trail runs all over the upper North Island and when I read Trail Half Marathon I have expectations.


Unfortunately, while the Opotiki Half was very well organized and well supported by the locals... the Motu Trail section that we used is truly a cycleway rather than a trail. Solidly constructed trails that are more like footpaths than single trail. Moderately hard of the body, but boring as heck on the mind.

One small bit of respite came about 6km in where we dodged off trail, down to the beach for about 500m, a tractor ride over the stream and then up the soft sand and back to the trail. This was repeated on the way back... except the tractor was busy, so I got wet feet.


At the turnaround for the 10km I was already wishing I had entered that instead. But, not being able to think of a good excuse, I carried on.

I had a great tussle with one of the leading lady runners over the last 9km. She passed me and started to pull away. However at about 6km out she had a nature stop allowing the old buggar past. 5km is my normal kick point... so when she caught me up at about 5.5km to go I figured that she had probably used a bit of extra energy catching up... so I quietly put the foot down.


In the end I beat her by about 40 sec and this extra push allowed me to record my best 'trail only' half marathon time of 1:47:31... so even in a less than perfect race there was something to celebrate.


The other slightly disappointing thing at the end was coming over the bridge on the way back in, it would have been nice to come off the bridge and down the ramp to the finish. However after crossing the bridge we were required to run the large lap around the perimeter of memorial Park before crossing the line.

Another interesting point was, that this was the first ever race I have had where my Garmin read the exact distance as I crossed the line... as there was never any tree coverage, the GPS had perfect line of sight and came in right on 21.1km!


I did however become "World Famous in Opotki", making the front page of the paper! 


I guess you can't love every race and any days running is a good one... but this is one for the filing cabinet! 

W2K Trail & Headland Loop - Kinloch Taupo

In 2009 when I was starting to push up the number of off-road runs I did, I headed down to Kinloch, just out of Taupo to try a new Trail Half Marathon in it's inaugural run.

It was held on what was, at that time, a new section of trail from in Kinloch Village out to the headland of the Bay and around a Headland Loop and back into town, then a bit of town running to the Domain for a finish.

While I haven't competed in the race since then - they added a quarter marathon for the last 2 years and are adding a marathon this year - I have however run the trail or parts of it, several times in the intervening years. This though is the first time I have run it since starting this blog and it is such a cool trail that it was worth an entry here.

If you are doing the trail in the weekend it pays to park as requested in Kinloch Domain or by the Lake edge. There is signage from there to the start of the trail proper. I tend to run during the week and during work hours, so I park in the beautifully named street 'Boojum Dell' which is where the trail starts.

It is a steady climb through well formed trail for just under 5km. There are plenty of windy and tight corners to keep you interested and views everywhere. At just under 4.5km you will reach the intersection of the W2K Trail and the Headland Trail. Here you have a choice, left or right. If you want a shorter run you can go right, run about another 1km to the Lookout and then head back.

I was doing the whole circuit and headed left, as this was the was they ran the race. After the intersection there is a flat, slightly climbing stretch that finishes with the intersection to Whakaipo Bay (skip that and go right) and the wonderful DOC Loo (just take your own dunny paper) and then onto the first real downhill... make the most of it, it will only last about 1 km and then you are climbing again... steadily for just under 3km.... at the bottom of the downhill is a nice open area with great views of Whakaipo Bay.

Across the top of the Headland is wonderful trail running, ups and downs, corners, heavy bush and groves of saplings and of course hints at the views to come. At the tip of the Headland you will get to the Lookout... wonderful views over Taupo, a great place to pause the Garmin, have a bite to eat, a drink and contemplate the beauty of this fabulous place we live.

From there it is a steady downhill - with a few uphill bumps to keep you honest - back to the intersection we mentioned earlier and then retrace your steps back to you car.

This was a cruisy Thursday run that came in just under 18km and took me just over 2 hours. In the weekend you are likely to see a few more MTB's, but it is a share with care trail and so it is not a problem. I have run it about 5 times during weekdays and only ever seen 2 MTB's and they were together.

Well worth the 15 minute drive from Taupo for a very pleasant run!

3D Rotorua Trail Half Marathon.... a bit late!

Yes, I have been slack... time to catch up on oh so many runs...

My last post was the Big O... 19km of fun at Okataina and that was supposed to be the last run for a few weeks before a trip to the Hawkes Bay... my things can change quickly.

Feeling good after the Big O, I decided on Friday to run a race that weekend... the decision then was whether to come out of 'road retirement' and run the Tauranga Half or run the local 3D Trail Half in the Redwoods... the latter was more expensive, but closer and - being trail - won the day.

After some pretty average weather, the day dawned fine and cold (pretty normal for this winter). A good crowd was gathered in the Redwoods and the half and quarter marathons both ran the same loop... obviously twice around for us.

Being trails I know really well, I knew how difficult the run would be and started out at a good steady pace from the start right next to the big 'sail' in the Redwoods by the Information Centre.

After a little 'canter' through the bottom trail we hit the uphill that Tarawera Ultra runners will know so well from the start of their race... a nice climb to get you warm. But where the TUM runners are mostly happy to walk it, looking to the latter parts of the race... in a half we have to run... and a slog it is! Instead of taking the last section up on to Tokorangi Pa Road, the race veers left to continue on what is known as the Green Trail and head back down into the Redwoods.

I was going ok here, just cruising. Once into the Redwoods again we hung a left and followed the main trail for a wee bit before heading into some lovely single trail that led to a nice uphill trail I like to call Back Trail... this trail does go all the way up to Tokorangi Pa Road and is a fantastic run. Lots of winding bits and switchbacks.

Up onto Tokorangi Pa Rd and we turned left to continue up, at the next intersection where the Black Trail and the TUM trail head left, we went to the 'right of the 2 lefthand trails' and on up Tokorangi Pa Road. 3 steady, but runnable climbs later and we were at the top of T Pa Rd and the downhill begins.... firstly down the main Black Trail, then veering off where TUM does to a rapid bit of downhill, just the right angle to really let the brakes off and 'flow' down the hill.

At the bottom of that bit, a slight climb and over to the new Tanks to Town trail, a small climb on that, then down and down and down again, to be spat out by Tarawera Rd.

Elina Usher, winner of the Female Multisport race

Onto the trail that runs semi-parallel to Tarawera Rd, a very familiar run for me, then just when I least expected it, we took a left onto a small, not much used trail I had never run. A couple of hundred metres and it intersected with another more familiar run and on down to the bottom trail.

Up the long grassy strip between the trees and back into the forest for a few zig-zags before suddenly we were at the Start/Finish... then we ran it again.

1:03 for the first lap, 1:04 for the second... very happy with that and 3rd in age group.

Overall I enjoyed this much more than I expected. With over 800m of vertical climbing I expected to find this really hard, but the weight I have lost has made it a little easier to cope with the climbing... more weight to lose though.

This would be a great race to run in 5's as was bourne out when Keith Crook and I ran one circuit a few weeks after, the surface is largely soft and pleasant running and this is a race I would highly recommend.

Prizegiving was that night with an absolute truckload of prize draws... of which I won nothing (surprise surprise) and a great crowd. Mark Watson was the presenter and some great guests like Robin Judkins.

Make some time next year to head to the 3D... I only ran the trail run, but there were kayak races, mtb races, multi-sport events... stuff for the kids... a complete package!

Well done guys on a first class day!