Β Your weekly fix of NZ trail running news
Here's what we've got for you this week:
Results from the Goat Tongariro
What happened at the Revenant
What NOT to do 3 weeks out from Tarawera Ultra
Race preview: Jumbo Holdsworth Saturday
Mountain skag pic of the week
The Goat - Everyones a winner and the prize is lactic acid
The burnt trail shoe offerings pleased the weather gods this year. The Goat organisers and entrants woke to a bluebird day.Β It's been a few spins of the globe since race day has been this good. No C course debacle this year.Β
Top Billy Goats:
π₯ Matthew Odgen - 02:01:18
π₯ Toby Batchelor - 02:01:57
π₯ David Haunschmidt - 02:02:08
This year, it was another tight race at the pointy end of the men's race. Matthew Odgen took it out hard and had a 3-minute lead over Toby Batchelor and the flying Dr David Haunschmidt at Mangaturuturu Hut. If you've run the Goat, you know that's where the race really begins.
Matthew Odgen ground his way up the climb and did enough up Mammas Mile to hang on to the win.
Top Nannys:
π₯ Hannah Lund - 02:33:20
π₯ Miriam Clark - 02:36:22
π₯ Sabrina Grogan - 02:44:24
Hannah Lund and Miriam Clark had a great battle - Miriam Clark had a slender 25-second lead heading into Mangaturuturu Hut. The podium was far from settled; Sabrina Grogan was within striking distance 6 minutes back, with last year's winner Maia Flint only 30 seconds back.
Hannah Lund had packed her climbing legs and took the lead on the climb up to the road. In fact, she had put close to 3 minutes on Miriam Clark by the time they hit Mammas Mile. Sabrina Grogan also had a solid climb to the finish to secure her spot on the podium.
Another Goat in the books and the race organisers will be stoked. Great weather and even better racing. What more could you ask for? Check out their highlights on Instagram.
The Revenant 1 - Ultra Runners 0
The RevenantΒ was on over the weekend. If you're unfamiliar, consider it NZ's answer to the Barkley Marathons. In its short history (starting 2019), it has made a case to be NZ's most challenging Ultra-endurance event.
The race takes place in Central Otago. Participants have 60 hours to complete 4 laps through some of NZ's most demanding terrain.
Check out some of these stats:
πΒ 190km - That's if you get the navigation right, no pretty pink race tape here.
β°οΈ 16,000m of vertical ascent - That's almost 2 x Mt Everest
π±Β 32,000m of total vertical change - It's the quads I feel sorry for!
Scott Worthington and his team made several changes to the course and the format of the race. The main format change saw every runner receive a playing card at registration. If you drew a black card (Aβ οΈ), you had to run clockwise and red (Kπ) counter-clockwise. Gutted if you had planned to work together as a team and you drew different cards!
No one got through 4 loops, but Dean Stewart was named the victor after completing 3 full loops (narrowly missing the cut-off to start lap 4). This result is all the more impressive as the 19-year-old (you read that right) beat out 2 previous finishers of the race.
Check out The Revenant onΒ Instagram- they've done a great job of the video coverage.
What NOT to do 3 weeks out from Tarawera Ultra
The biggest dance of the year is only 3 weeks away. The hype is starting to build, and runners all around the country are staring at the ceiling at night, wondering,
"Have I done enough?"
This time of year, doubt can creep into even the most hardened minds.
Don't start looking at what other entrants have been doing on Strava.
This is a surefire way to make yourself feel underdone. You're not your friends; you're not your enemies. Focus inwards and have trust in your training.
Don't order any mandatory kit online.Β
If you need a new seam-sealed jacket, head in-store rather than online. You don't want to be on hold chasing up where your jacket is 3 days out from the race.
Don't forget why you signed up in the first place.Β
Knowing your "Why?" is a big part of what will get you through race day. It's easy to forget this when you're 3 weeks out, stressing about that missed track session 8 weeks earlier. Take time to think about what this challenge means to you.
Race preview: Jumbo Holdsworth
Saturday, 28th January
Jumbo Holdsworth is one of New Zealand's oldest and most brutal trail races. The race starts and finishes at camp Holdsworth on the eastern side of the Tararua, inland from Masterton. The race has it all. Native bush, calf-burning climbs, epic views (if you're lucky), ridge running and bone-jarring descents. All packed into a 24KM loop. If you've never been to the Tararua range, this is a great race to get an idea of what it's all about.
The championship race runs up to Mt Holdsworth, across the tops to Jumbo and then down the Rain Gauge track. The race attracts some of the fastest runners in the country. If you want to throw down against the best - this is the race to do it at.
The "Fun Run" runs counterclockwise to the championship race. If you're there for a fun time, not a quick time, this is the loop for you. Don't be fooled by the name. There is no easy way around this loop.Β
There is also a 12KM Hooper loop option if you don't fancy the full loop. It's perfect for runners who are just getting into this whole trail running thing.
Mountain Skag pic of the week
Epic sunset captured by Queenstown trail runner Jub Bryant
We will be back next week with the Jumbo Holdsworth results and much more.
If there's an event or topic you would love to feature in the newsletter, get in touch.Β
PS- Remember - When the going gets tough, walk a little. That's the beauty of trail running.