While we wait for Brian's expanded recap of Tarawera, here is a 5-minute video of my "backyard." This is where I hike and run and play.

http://vimeo.com/108785446

and yes, it is exactly like in the video.

Lovely and well produced...

Glad you're on the mend, Dutchie!

I might not be able to upload my runs for awhile because my home PC has lost it's mind and the repair appointment is not until mid-March. I'll tinker with it, but don't have much hope. My tinkering is what finally killed it! Poor thing is 8 years old and has put up with a lot.

Took the day off work yesterday to go do a wonderful 8-mile trail run. I'm as ready as I can be at the moment for Sunday's 25K.  I'm not racing it, but still...want to be able to enjoy it! The forecast looks Perfect.

How did it go Happy?

Just got home. It went well in every way except that I thought my legs would/should feel stronger than they did. I think I walked a lot more of the uphills than I did in the past; and I just thought I'd be a bit quicker.  Everything else was great though. Nice dry day and the sun shone at the end. Wore exactly the right clothes! Did not trip!!! Had a great running partner in Shelly!   Didn't go off course once!! They tried something new and used bright yellow plates for markers, placed about waist height. Couldn't miss 'em! Can't really compare the 3 times I've run this because the RD changes the course route every time and the distances aren't exactly the same.

What a beautiful country you live in!!! The race photographers did an amazing job capturing the beauty, the effort, and the triumph of the race.

MTA: Your lead on me is still secure, Puke.

2015 Tarawera 100 km Ultramarathon

In the week leading up to this race I had set some goal times.  15 hours would be an OK day, 14 hours would be a very good day, and 13 hours would be an exceptional day.  I then estimated split times for each aid station, printed several copies on little bits of paper which I then either carried with me of popped in my drop bags.

The race started in the dark with cool temperatures.  The maximum numbers were increased this year from about 400 to 1000 so the course for the first 5 km was changed to avoid congestion.  This resulted in a slightly easier, less steep start.

I started faster than what I had planned and ended up coming into the 1^st aid station (12 km) about 15 minutes up on where I expected to be for an exceptional day.  This continued to the 2^nd aid station (18 km) where I was about 20 minutes up.

At this point I refilled both my water bottles and packed a ziplock bag with plenty of food before the longest stage (19 km) of the race. I also elected to take it easy.  There is a lot of climbing in this section as well as some long down hills.  So I planned to use up some of time I had banked earlier.

As it was I only dropped 5 minutes over that section coming into the Okataina aid station – 37.3 km – in 4:29.  I had a small break here, applying sunscreen and lube.  I also refilled my bottles and food bag, had a few cups of coke and ate some watermelon.  I also noticed that when you are at the pointy end of the field there are plenty of gels left on the tables so I grabbed a couple of those too.

The next two sections are the most technical, so once again I planned to take it easy.  However I struck tummy problems as soon as I left the aid station.  Too much coke perhaps?  This resulted in zero real food consumption for the next 18 km.  I did manage to get a couple of gels down luckily and was drinking Heed.  The tummy issues recurred throughout the day but wasn't enough to stop me.

At about the 47 km mark I struck further problems.  There are lots of wasps about at this time of the year and I got stung twice.  The left leg through my sock and right leg through my calf guard.  They didn't swell up luckily but hurt like hell.

Anyway, the tummy got better; I had some orange, watermelon, hot cross bun and gels at the 55 km mark and headed down the prettiest part of the course to the 60 km finish at the Tarawera Falls aid station.  Exceptional target was 8:10, I got in at 7:55.

Here I changed into road shoes, clean socks and shirt. Put on more sunscreen, lube, grabbed some food and most importantly picked up my pacer for the final 40.  The course changes at this point with less technical forestry road or hard packed trail.  Should be faster……

Unfortunately I started to pay for my earlier fast start, and along with the return of tummy troubles was unable to achieve the pace I had targeted. However all was not lost, as I was still well under target for a very good day.

After easing off to fix the gut I arrived at the infamous “Loop of Despair” at 78 km.  This is a nearly 5 km loop with a short sharp 1 km climb early on. The reward is a long downhill back to the aid station.  Only 17 km to go.

By this stage I was also 17 minutes over exceptional time, but still 30 ahead of a very good time.  My pacer and I agreed to target less than 13:30.   So we started to pick up the pace, trying to run more and walk less.

Slowly we ticked off another aid station, only 10 km to go.  At this point we met up with the 85 km runners so there were more people to target for passing. This had the effect of making time fly and before we knew it we were at the “pipe bridge”.  This is, surprisingly, a bridge for pipes, but it has a whole pile of steps to get up, followed by the same number to get down. If it wasn't only 2 km to the finish I am sure there would be a pile of crying runners at the bottom.

The last 2 km seemed to go on for ever but after 13:20 we crossed the line.  Got given a high five and a medal, photos taken, quick weigh in (lost 3.5 kg…not to bad), then off to the beer tent.  Never did finish that beer.  Sat around and watched some others finish then headed off for a feed of McDonald's and a spa.  For the record the race was won by Dylan Bowman, an American, in a record time of 7:44.

Results:  Overall 186/431 – all finishers, 11/45 – 50-59 age group, and 142/322 – male finishers

No injuries, no chafing, no blisters, so all in all a fantastic day.

Wow, a very good day plus plus! The course looks so lovely - a real incentive to take up trail running (if it ever stops snowing here), looks like you are smiling and enjoying every step.

Congrats, A

PS I love charts, I'm going to use that as a template for my meagre local HM

Hey peeps! I keep coming here to post something and then just re-read Brian's Tarawera RR and enjoy the great photos. Inspiring stuff!

I currently have the worst cold of my life, but it hasn't affected my running. Planning on 8 miles with DH later today; SRD tomorrow; then back-to-back 10-milers on the weekend.    How is everyone else?