T42 - Downhill with a Bite!

(Borrowed from Total Sport)

It's an amazing thing with trail running, if the course is a memorable and a largely enjoyable one, then we forget about how hard it was last year.

This was very much the case with the T42 which last year was my first trail marathon (2011), I remembered that it was pretty much downhill for the first half and I remembered that there was a nice uphill at the end.... everything else slipped out of this aging memory... but more of that later...

As usual Total Sport had booked a perfect day... very icy back at the Park Traveller's Lodge... but that meant a clear and crisp day, perfect for a run!

All onboard the bus at 8.30am for the trip up the road to the start, a wee stop off to watch the start of the MTB race - more to keep us out of their way I think! Lucky enough to sit next to Kugs (James Kuegler) on the bus, one of the best adventure runners in the country. Like the best athletes in every sport he is constantly looking for ways to improve his performance... even though he coaches many athletes, he has still taken on a coach for himself in a bid to be the best he can be.

Keith & Steve

Race briefing was pretty straightforward... I think... short term memory loss due to age... or perhaps I just wasn't listening. The mandatory walk through detergent made sure that we did not do further damage to the local ecosystem. I continue to be impressed by the length Total Sports go to to minimise their effect on the fabulous landscape we run through.

My mates Keith Crook and Steve Neary were both onboard as well, looking forward, like me, to a fun run in the bush! It was also great to catch up with a few of the other usual suspects from previous Total Sport events.


The race starts with a 2km loop through the neighbouring farm that takes the ice right out of your muscles within the first 500m with a nice wee climb... this loop serves two purposes, it adds 2 necessary km's to get the run to marathon distance and it lets the bikes get well out of the way of any but the faster runners like Kugs and Kerry Suter... more about him later as well. It also allows us our one brief run towards the mountain (right), which was in its splendour!

Then onto the T42 proper and the expected downhill... hang on... this is uphill... as I said earlier, we remember what our brain likes and eject all but the most painful of the bad bits. While the first 17km of the race is largely downhill, there are plenty of uphills to work you out. After finishing Tarawera Paul Charteris assured us all that 6 - 8 weeks after was the best time to run a fast marathon time... this, plus the 'downhill' made me push out a bit faster than usual.


At 10km I was about 3 min ahead of last year, 6 minutes ahead after 20km.... but not feeling anywhere near as comfortable as I remember feeling last year... by 30km I was only 2 minutes ahead and suffering with a very, very sore back. No point stopping though as it hurt just as much walking as running. At 35km I was a minute slower than last year and not happy... however the one thing that has definitely improved for me this year has been my finishing. I lifted my effort as much as I could and was pleasantly surprised to cross the line in Owhango 5 and a bit minutes faster than last year.


Elsewhere in the field the amazing Kerry Suter had blitzed everyone to break the course record by 10 minutes, his story is here. He averaged 4.14 min/km for the whole marathon... my fastest pace was 4 min/km and believe me, that was on a big fast downhill, overall I managed 6.36 min/km and was happy. Keith and Steve both suffered injuries that severely hampered their runs... although Steve still scampered in 15 minutes ahead of me with the injury. Kugs 'cruised' into 4th without apparently breaking a sweat and was thinking about running back!

Keith & James

At the finish line the bloody bikers had drunk all the beer!! Total Sport top man Aaron Carter procured me one from somewhere which put the smile back on.


Back to the Park for a Prizegiving, drawing of the major spot prizes (missed out again) and then a bbq dinner and dessert (the mini Pavs were awesome). Us oldies crashed rather early, but could clearly hear the merriment of those that still had some energy until the small hours.

Overall a great run and one to be recommended. Total Sport events are excellent, although at the moment they seem to be suffering a touch with growing pains. The events are getting so big that they are not always coping, i.e. no beer, no goodie bag fillers at Waihi, too many people and not enough food, just a few little things... they are adjusting though and are quick to accept feedback... when entries jump from in the 400's to in the 900's most would struggle and they still run some fantastic events in some amazing venues.

Will I be back next year... you bet, different tactics maybe... but this is a cool run on an excellent trail. (Remember, click on any of the pics for a larger view).

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