⛰️Mt Difficulty Results
“Honestly I love the climbs even though I got a bit scared in some places.”
Your weekly fix of NZ trail running news
Welcome to Trail Running NZ - Think of this like a Strava Segment. Completely pointless, full of local legends and a few people taking it far too seriously😂
Here's what’s in the drop bag this week:
⛰️Mt Difficulty Results
🗳️Mountain Skag Winner For May
🕴️The Names Blande, James Blande
🎯Things You May Have Missed
🏁Upcoming events: Frapaki?
⛰️💊Mountain Skag of The Week
Note: Due to the length, some email browsers will hide some of the content - make sure you click ‘view entire email’ or click through to substack.
Thank Kilian for Mt. Difficulty! We’re back to regular programming this week, covering all the results from what is undisputedly the hardest marathong in the country.
We’ve also got May’s Mountain Skag winner, which was separated by just 1 vote, and James Blande is back from Taiwan to fill us in on his time racing the Taiwania 100K.
Things are still a little thin on the ground over the next few weeks, but stay with me. We can get through winter together.
In just 2 weeks we get some respite, with Caitlin Fielder, Danny MF Jones, and Max Yanzick flying the Kiwi flag at Western States.
IT’S OUR YEAR!
Mt. Difficulty Results
Saturday, June 13
Alas!
There was no dramatic inversion layer or dusting of the white stuff this year at Mt. Difficulty.
The 120-odd followers of Terry The Sadist had to make do with running in what some would long-windedly describe as “primo conditions”.
Yeah, that’s right.
I said primo.
In a trail running world where Ep🤬c gets thrown around more than "game changer" did in 2020, it’s about time primo made a resurgence.
With conditions that good, it’s no surprise we saw some fantastic racing up front, while the mere mortals got to experience the harsh beauty of the nus-puckering ascents and descents on offer with full views.
This has to be a contender for the highest skag-to-km ratio in the country🤔.
Just check out some of the race photos.
Alright, enough oogling.
Time to rip on into the results:
📏44KM | ⛰️3000M
Women’s podium:
🥇Isabella Reid - 5:35:24
🥈Molly Spark - 5:51:55
🥉Katie Wright - 5:57:30
Isabella Reid stepped up to the 44k after leaving her footprints all over the 25k podium the last couple years.
She ran with Molly ‘Mute’ Spark through the first half before seizing an opportunity to scoot away on the 2nd climb while Spark took a breath.
That proved to be the pivotal move.
Reid opened a big enough gap that her inferior descending ability became null and void. The final margin was 16 minutes. A dominant victory for Isabella, who is SO BACK!💪
Katie Wright once again proved her versatility - #notjustamiler, finishing just 6 minutes behind Spark in 3rd.
Here’s what Isabella had to say about her day on the Mountain:
How did the race play out at the front?
“We went out pretty fast at the start, which is what usually happens. I was a bit worried about how to pace it as I’d id only done the 25km previously and thought that was hard enough but I was pleased to not run an extra 5km at the start this time.”
“I was racing molly for the first half and I knew she would be tough competition when she started telling me about all her other races as an adventure sport athlete! She was great on the downhills (my weak point).”
“But I love climbing and I knew the downhills would be easier in the second half. So I got away from her on the second climb and just hoped for the best.”
What does it mean to you to take home the trophy in the 44k and what keeps bringing you back year after year?
“This was the first race where I actually stuck to my fueling/hydrating plan and it paid off big time. Easily the best I’ve felt in a race, l just felt good the whole time!”
“It’s a nice feeling to have hard work pay off, I’ve been on a slow build for the last couple of years after injuries and its nice to feel like I’m back in the game.”
“This race was also a birthday present from hannah!
Which just made it even better.”“Honestly I love the climbs even though I got a bit scared in some places.”
“I always meet nice people at this race, people who just like to get out there and do hard things!”
Men’s podium:
🥇Tom Blackburn - 5:01:30
🥈Tom Barnes - 5:20:44
🥉Peter Smit - 5:23:18
Tom Blackburn vs Tom Barnes
Shiiiiiet.
The last time I saw tom toms this good, I was half-cut at a War On Drugs gig.
Front Cap Blackburn from Da Norf of Englund defied the laws of trail running by beating out Backwards Cap Barnesy.
Or did he?
What’s happening here?
That’s Blackburn leading in the #10 bib, with Tom Barnes without his trademark backwards cap.
I’m...
I’m...
Shocked to my core.
It’s like seeing Superman without his tight little red speedos on.
If this is what moving to the trail running Mecca of New Zealand does to a man, I don’t want to live in this world no more😭.
The wardrobe malfunction didn’t surface until halfway through as the two Toms ran together through the first half, before Blackburn unsheathed his drumsticks and laid down a beat up Mt. Difficulty that Barnesy just couldn’t match.
The damage was done.
Blackburn double-kicked on to take a dominant 19-minute victory, coming up just short of the revered Mt. Difficulty sub-5.
Barnesy had plenty of work to do, with Peter ‘Silent H” Smit’ finishing strong, just 3 minutes back and 34 seconds ahead of Chris Jervis in a tight finish for the Bronze.
Thanks to Alan Crowe for being the man on the ground and putting me in touch with Tom Blackburn.
Here’s what Tom had to say about his day:
You won the battle of the Tom’s; how did the race play out at the front?
“Tom and I ran together for pretty much all of the first half until the big climb which was where we separated. I settled into a constant effort and didn't allow myself to stop until the summit.”
“For most of the first half we had Chester flying off in front I wasn't aware he was doing the 25k until the top of mt difficulty I just assumed he was well ahead of us and out of sight.”
“From the top of Mt difficulty I didn't see anyone and just settled into a rhythm of running what I could and walking what I couldn't which at that point was most of the remaining climbs. Towards the end I realised sub 5 could be doable so began to dig deep but couldn't quite break that barrier.”
How does someone from the North of England find their way to the start line of Mt. Difficulty and have you ever raced anything like it?
“I am over in NZ on a working holiday visa for the year and having explored the north island was keen to get to the mountains and get involved with all the running and biking down here.”
“I have found it pretty tricky finding races over the winter so I was pretty interested when last week my friend Eloise mentioned she was doing the rustic run and when I googled it I discovered mt Difficulty and was instantly keen for the challenge so signed up only a few days before the race.”
“The race reminded me of fell racing back in the lakes not that I did many of them but racing up and down a steep mountain not on the path as fast as you can felt pretty similar even without the mud. Even a few of the trail races that I have done in the UK like lakes in a day have had technical climbs and descents in them which always give you that adrenaline rush.”
📏25KM | ⛰️1700M
Men’s podium:
🥇Chester Holt-Quick - 2:38:08
🥈Mathieu Chanteduc - 2:50:33
🥉Matt Barton - 2:52:12
Chester Holy-Quick Batman! flicked the Bat mobile into 4WD and dominated the 25km from start to finish, crossing the line 12 minutes clear of the name-of-the-day winner, Mathieu Chanteduc, all the way from Embrun, Carnarduh.
Matt Barton kept his purple patch rolling, finding the podium once again after a 2nd place in the capital at The Faultline Miler at the end of April.
Here’s Chester with the Lowdown:
What was your plan coming into the event, and how did it play out at the front on the day?
“Plan coming in was to just to enjoy it as a destination event, but still give it a good blast. I’m focusing on some flat speed work currently (will do my first road marathon later this year and Welly 1/2 in two weeks).”
“For this reason, plus seeing Barnsey on the start list I opted not to do the 44km. Turns out that was a pretty reasonable move as the 25km is packed with all the good technical stuff like the very steep climb and the cliff rope descent.”
“I went out with an honest pace to start but didn’t have any other takers in the 25km for that recklessness. The two Toms in the 44km were with me for a while until I guess they realised they had twice as far as me to run. So was just me and the wild goats after that. I made a silly nav error after the rope descent and did an extra 1.5km or so but that didn’t bother me, managed to bring it home.”
You’ve been focusing on longer races in the last 18-24 months; how did it feel to come and let rip on a shorter distance? And what were your impressions of the 25k course?
“I like to keep balanced with my running distances, so try to keep some higher intensity stuff in the mix with workouts and a few races in the 5-20km range, even though I’m trying to focus more towards that 100km distance as the main.”
”Absolutely loved the course, exceeded my expectations: Some property technical descents, steep mountain climbs, a few fast flats, and alpine vibes. Really recommend this one. I think it will be any annual fixture for me, definitely back next year probably for the 44km and hopefully a good amount of snow.”
Women’s podium:
🥇Stephanie Wilson - 3:07:14
🥈Amanda Hale - 3:17:59.42
🥉Claudia Sole - 3:18:00.41
Stiffknee Wilson returned to Mt. Difficulty to chase the one that got away in 2024.
Isabella Reid, who pipped her that day, was off chasing the win in the 44km, so there would be no sequel to 2024.
Wilson ran just over 1 minute faster, but more importantly, finished 1 place higher to take gold in the 25k.
Behind her, I couldn’t figure out whether it was hand-holding or elbows-throwing, with Amanda Hale and Claudia Sole barrelling over the line just 1 second apart, and Emma Trolove only 11 seconds further back.
Here’s Steph on her win:
What was your plan coming into the race, and how did it play out on race day?
“Plan coming into race day was to just enjoy the scramble and views on the way up and not to break an ankle on the way down (I hate descents!!)”
In 2024 you came in 2nd- how does it feel to take the victory over the weekend?
“In 2024 I spent most of the race chatting to Isabella (who went on to win) so luckily for me this year I could enjoy a quick catch up with her again out on the trails before she took off to win the 44km so I’m sure this years victory had something to do with that!”
Well, that’s another year of Mt. Difficulty in the books.
Every year I hear from someone who’s made the long trip down and sworn it’s the best race they’ve ever run.
The community vibes. The scenery. The ridiculous gradients of the ascents and descents.
And, of course, being serenaded by Steve Tripp singing “Terry Is A Sadist” (check out the video).
This year was no exception. In fact, it even hosted a WoRM Runners (Wellington Run Group) conference, with members from across the country attending!
If it’s not on your matrix, it might be time to slot it near the top.
Click here for the full Mt. Difficulty & the Rustic Run results
This Week’s Newsletter Is Brought To You By…
Transform your running game and turn your athletic dreams into reality.
What you’ll experience working with Nic Ayson:
✅ An individually tailored, adaptive training plan
✅ Unlimited contact + constant feedback
✅ Steady, sustainable progress
✅ RESULTS
What you won’t experience working with Nic Ayson:
❌Generic non-collaborative training plan
❌Unsustainable workload expectations
❌Impersonal, sporadic communication
❌Short term results at the expense of longevity
Contact Nic for an obligation-free chat to see if Singletrack Collective is the perfect fit for you.
Email: singletrackcollective@gmail.com
Instagram: @singletrackcollective
Mountain Skag Winner For May
In a tight contest separated by just 1 vote, Chris Taylor is walking away with the $70 Mountain Skag Voucher.
It ticks a lot of boxes.
✅Sexy ridge line
✅Snow while still having definition
✅Someone in action soaking it all in
The Names Blande, James Bland
As promised last week, Whanganui double agent James Blande is here this week to fill us in on how a boy from Whanganui won a 100k race in Taiwan running in the green and gold.
How does a member of Whanganui hardcore end up racing for Australia in a race in Taiwan?
“This was luck and consistency.
Trailsplus, Victoria's premier trail running company, who hosts a legit 10-100km+ race every 3 weeks or so sent me over to Taiwan as part of sister city program. Over the last 3 years I've been part of the community and done a lot of their races as tune ups for UTMB and Tarawera. A Instagram post popped up with a opportunity to go with less than a day to enter and less then a week later I was in.”
Have you ever raced over there before? Was the terrain similar to anything you’ve run previously?
“I’ve never raced in anything like that region, I’ve done WSER in 40 degrees (5th hottest year on record) but this was a humid hot where the rain just added to the heat. Luckily I sauna most days just to be ready for anything so the head and the humidity wasn’t really a factor on the day.”
What was the race plan heading in and how did your race play out? Did you hit the front early or hang on or was there a bit of a battle up front?
“This was a race where the 77km and the 100km started at the same time so I wasn't sure who I was actually racing, but the plan was to push the first 39km of up hills and use my long legs on the downhills to catch up to anyone ahead of me. Out the gate we all went out pretty hard to set the tone. there was a pack of about 5 of us, with one guy who just left us all out in the dust.”
“At 24km 6 of use all met back up for a major aid station for a gear check which I happened to get through pretty quick and made a point of pushing pretty hard out of to get as much of a gap as I could. This paid off as when I hit that aid again on the way back they said I was first and by the time I hit the 2nd turn around (78km) I had around 40min on 2nd.”
How do you rate your performance against other wins and big races you’ve had in the past?
This was a big +1 to confidence after RoF that I still have it in the tank where I might have come up short. I think this is really cool to travel somewhere else and not know anyone else who is racing and still come out on top somehow.
In terms of rankings this will still in my top five for sure:
WSER
Finishing UTMB
Tarawera Miler top 10
Taiwania 100km
Bluelake 24hr 3rd?
What’s next for Mr Bland?
YouYangs 100km.
and then I have to try get back into UTMB so the only race around here would be Kosci 100mile 3rd place so I might try shoot for that.Shoutouts to Tarkine for providing my new racing shoe the “bandicoot”
CurraNZ keeping my quads together on the downhills
GarminAU for tacking my race and pace throughout the course
and mainly for CTAU and Trailsplus for sending us over there for this life changing experience not just for myself but everyone involved.
it’s caused a real problem as now I want to live in Taiwan now.
Thanks for that James!
Amazing where one snap decision to put yourself out there can take your life. What an experience!
Things You May Have Missed
Kaweka Challenge Reveal All
There’s been a lot of excitement and chatter about the Kaweka Challenge returning after ending up on the red-tape scrap heap.
Well, over the weekend the 50ish-kilometre, 4000m of uppies-and-downies course was revealed. No, it’s not the original course. Yes, it will still take many souls.
It sounds like it’ll be a “tell us how hardcore you are” situation to get on the 50k start line. If that sounds like far too much fun and you’re after a smaller hit, there will also be 12.5km and 25km options.
Continue to watch this space. This is an evolving situation.
River Run Entries Open
Keeping with the Hawkes Bay theme, River Run Backyard Ultra opened entries over the weekend. This year they’ve capped it at 250 runners and were already down to just 100 spots left at the time of writing. By the time this lands in your inbox, that number will probably be much smaller.
I’m not sure if you can call it a sell-out when it’s free to enter, but whatever you call it, it’s bloody popular. Who would’ve guessed that giving people a free event would attract a crowd?😆
Rumour has it the infamous TRNZ “Last Ranga Standing”🔥 trophy might be packing its bags for another roadie to Waipukurau.
International Results Desk
Liam McKenzie took the Silver over in Japan in a weather-shortened Biwako Valley Long course Skyrace, which is part of the Merrell Japan Skyrunning Series.
David Haunschmidt also took the Silver at the Madeira Skyrace, adding to his 1st at Transylvania just a couple of weeks ago.
Oink Running Planner Tool
Alright, if you’ve ever found yourself with 6 group chats open trying to organise a long run, explain which carpark to meet at, compare training plans, and remember what race everyone is supposedly training for...
Someone has gone and built an app for that.
OINK (Organise. Invite. Notify. Konfirm.) is a free platform that helps you plan your training, organise group runs, and keep all your running admin in one place without the endless back-and-forth.
It looks particularly handy for social runners, clubs, and that person who always ends up having to organise everyone.
It’s free to use. You can see the 7 am summits and some Wellington group runs are already live on there. I’ve only had a quick nosey so far, but if you’re into shiny new running toys, give it a nudge and let me know what you reckon.
Win A Trip To Your Dream Race
Fractel Straya are running a competition to win a trip to your dream race to the value of $5000 Strayan. Now that’s a prize worth entering. Check it out on Da Gram or here’s the official link. It says in the T’s and C’s that it’s open to participants worldwide.
Upcoming Events: Frapaki - Friday 7am
Without a local event to spotlight, I thought I would give the floor to Mayo Edmondson to give us a rundown on the latest “Friday 7am meet at the summit” development.
Take it away Mayo!
“Christchurch may have been late to the Friday summit party, perhaps that’s because we couldn’t decide which hill deserved the honour.”
“Inspired by Wanaka’s famous “Froyday”. Other cities have embraced their own versions. Dunedin has Frigill, Wellington has Frictoria and Auckland Freden. Christchurch, however, remained suspiciously quiet.”
“Then on Thursday evening Crush the Cargill FB page floated Frapaki: a Friday run up Rapaki! A few comments suggested Sugarloaf might make a better summit (Friloaf, Frugarloaf?), another suggested Fragley.”
“But trail runners do tend to believe every run should involve at least one unnecessary hill, and Hagley’s speed bumps don’t quite cut it. Expecting at least one other trail runner to take the bait, I hinted that I’d be there the next morning.”
“At 5:59am I set off up Rapaki for the inaugural Fripaki, scanning the darkness for other headtorches. None appeared.”
“Undeterred, I continued to Sugarloaf, deliberately taking the longer route to maximise my chances of spotting fellow runners.”
“Still nothing.”
“At 7am I waited at the summit of Sugarloaf for 10 minutes, eating Vegemite on toast and watching the sunrise. Eventually I accepted that perhaps Christchurch wasn’t quite ready for Friday hill traditions.”
“Just to be safe, I returned via Mt Vernon - Frivernon, in case everyone had somehow agreed there’s was best. Again, no one.”
“In the end it was a glorious solo morning in the hills: 20km/800m vert, sunrise and three summits. Not a bad way to finish the week.”
“If others decide to join future editions, my route is Rapaki (convenience of toilets), then along Summit Rd to Sugarloaf then back via Crater Rim trail to Mt Vernon and down Montgomery for funnies, followed by coffee at Cocoa Black St Martins. But if you tag along, the route and café are entirely negotiable.”
“After all, every running tradition has to start somewhere.”
Thanks for that Mayo!
If you’re a doom scroller from Churchur and are keen to join in on the Friday 7 am Summit trend - get in touch with Mayo Edmondson.
#Mountain Skag Pic Of The Week
Andrew Roxburgh is this week’s winner with this shot of 3 young mountain addicts getting an early hit at sunrise leaning into the wind.
He’s now in the running for the monthly $70 voucher - check out www.mountainskag.com to see what you could be walking away with.
Tag @trailrunning.nz (NOTE THE “.”) and use #mountainskag. DM on Instagram or email trailrunningnz@gmail.com to enter (email is the most reliable).
Picking up what I’m putting down? Send it to a mate who you know will be into it too!
Or leave a tip
PS: Western States Preview as well next week? Yay or Nay?