Stewart Island - North West Circuit

Day 1: 8:30am bus from Invercargill to Bluff, meeting the 9:30am ferry. Not too rough. Met a Japanese tramper from Queenstown, Eiji, who is doing the NW circuit clockwise as well. Also Darren who is going anti-clockwise. Brief stop at DOC centre before setting off at 11:10am. Packs approximately 17kg each. Half an hour or so along Main Road (gravel) to start of the Rakiura Track at Fern Gully. Very easy grade, gravel with a few small patches of mud. Nice views of Paterson Inlet in places. High cloud, not much wind. 2:40 hours to Sawdust Bay campsite and another hour to North Arm Hut. 6 others staying the night. One couple just finishing the NWC. Took them 7 hours from Freshwater Hut. Full moon, bright night. Saw a deer by woodpile. Bed at 9:30pm.

Freshwater Hut

Day 2: Up at 7am – not light yet. Ended up carrying the 2^nd billy as well as 2 meals which L had been carrying, so now I have all the group gear except 2 dinners. Set off at 8:20am. Track got muddy immediately, undulating around the coastline for 2 ½ hours before heading up Thomson Ridge. Got rootier and muddier but we could clamber around most of it. L was slower on the tricky parts. Topped out 4 hours after leaving hut. Wet and muddy descent to begin with – seemed to be going down a stream – then it became a decent track, but still muddy. Reached Freshwater Hut in 6:40 hours, stopping roughly 10 minutes every hour. Weather was overcast but warm all day.
                Lots of bellbirds, tomtits, tuis, a few wood pigeons, and a couple of red crowned parakeets. The hut has a resident tui and a pair of Stewart Island robins. The latter are hopping around nearby pecking the sandflies off my feet as I sit outside on the deck. There is another NZ guy, Alec, here who got dropped off by boat this afternoon – we heard the boat go past about 1.5km from the hut. Eiji has carried on to Mason Bay. Alec made a small campfire to cook tea as he had opted not to carry a cooker. L & I joined him and boiled our billy on the fire as well. Alec is a keen birdwatcher and is here looking for the South Island Kokako (or Grey Ghost). Heard kaka and kiwi.

Chocolate swamp

Day 3: Lazy morning. Lay in bed until 8am. Light drizzle which cleared up by the time we left at 9:20am. Very flat track through the Freshwater flats but interesting variety of surroundings. Not too muddy. Lots of birds – saw a pair of kakariki. Lots of kiwi footprints. Glad of the boardwalk through Chocolate Swamp! The stream we walked beside from Freshwater was interesting – quite rapid and noisy despite having very little fall. Investigated the historic homestead, woolshed, & hunters hut near Mason Bay. 4 ½ hours to Mason Bay hut. Feet a little tired. Nice spacious hut tucked in on the edge of big sandhills. Strolled out to the beach barefoot – a lot further than expected (approx 10 min). Very picturesque. Could see the South Island in the distance behind Codfish Island. Watched the sunset from sand dune beside hut.
                We were toasting marshmallows in the wood burner when a kiwi called nearby. Rushed outside and there was a pair of kiwi beside the track to the toilet! They wandered across the main track and one came to investigate us, approaching to within a metre before heading into the bush. Not worried by us or our lights at all.

North end of Mason Bay

Day 4: Up at 6:30am. Red sunrise. Off at 8am. Started raining as we  put our packs on. Saw a plane fly down to Mason Bay – it took off again as we reached the beach. Pleasant walk along the beach and the rain eased up. 1:35 hours to northern end of Mason Bay. Pretty much low tide but we still had to time the waves around one small rock outcrop. Very muddy & steep track up from beach! 1 hour to top. Not too bad down the other side to Little Hellfire Beach. Rain was pelting down as we walked along the beach. North end of beach 2 hours after leaving Mason Bay. Rain stopped around noon. Long climb up to the ridge but not too steep. Saw a kiwi poking around in the bush beside the track at 300m, and another one just before point 399. Sun came out at 2:30pm and wind got up strongly. Was warm this morning but cooled down when the wind got up. 7 ½ hours to Big Hellfire Hut. Eiji was staying 2 nights here so we met up with him again. Spent 2 hours trying to get the wood burner going but to no avail as the wood was all damp.

Let the mud begin!
Climbing out of Mason Bay

Day 5: Up at 7am. Went out to sand dune to watch sun come up. Wind had died down. Saw a kiwi 30 minutes from hut. 2 hours to Waituna Bay. Rain started just after 9am but eased off by noon. Another 1:36 hours to Ruggedy Pass, and 2:13 hours down to West Ruggedy Beach. Tracks were a bit muddy. Tiptoeing around the mud added extra time. Saw a white tail deer. Tide was high when we reached West Ruggedy and waves were coming just about up to the sand dunes. Lots of driftwood. L got caught by a rouge wave. Took high route over bluff – extremely windy and hard to stand! Got sandblasted as we left the beach (1:10 hours along beach). Reached East Ruggedy Hut in 7:45 hours.
                Highlight of the day was finding fresh carrots in the hut! Darren was already there and had been given some venison by hunters so he fried it up and shared it with us. Pleasant evening inside but very windy outside.

West Ruggedy Beach

Day 6: Strong winds, heavy rain, hail showers overnight. Also a couple of loud thunderclaps which shook the hut. Lazy start as we were hoping the weather would improve a bit. Hail shower as we laced up. East Ruggedy Stream crossing was knee high. Just as well it was low tide! Wore longs & overtrousers. Much colder than it has been the last few days. Solid climb up and over to rocky coast. Low tide but big swells, so waves were crashing up onto the boulders. Only had to time around one small outcrop. Short hail shower. 30 minutes along coast. Very steep climb out. Met a hunter 20 minutes before Long Harry Bay – they have a very well appointed campsite beside the track. Could see the hut from point at west end of bay but took another 1 ½ hours to reach it. Several steep, slippery climbs in and out of streams. 5:10 hours from East Ruggedy hut to Long Harry Hut. The hut sits up on a headland looking NW. Very windy! Heavy hail shower just after we arrived. Hut shakes in the wind and chimney squeaks loudly.

Crossing East Ruggedy Stream

Day 7: Lazy start. Not as cold as yesterday. Warmed up quickly going uphill so soon stripped off a bit. Crossed river at west end of Smoky Beach – only ankle deep. Delightful beach! Not much wind, low tide, golden sand. Near the eastern end met 3 trampers heading the other way. Rain set in. Track inland was not very well marked but we had fresh footprints to follow. Another hill, this time a bit muddier. Rain all the way to Yankee River Hut. 4:05 hours. Only 9°C outside (didn’t get past 10°C). Two hunters were in residence and had shot a deer yesterday – it was hanging on the deck. Heard yellow-eyed penguins across the river about 4pm. Interesting to watch the river – tidal waves surge upstream as the tide comes in. Fire going, radio on, word puzzles; pleasant afternoon.

Unusually dry piece of track

Day 8: Up just after 7am. Nice orange sky so went out to beach briefly. Back out to watch the sun rise over the horizon after breakfast. Tranquil. Day turned out sunny with blue skies but we were in bush the whole way. The only steep climb was immediately after leaving Yankee River. Stopped at Lucky Beach to have a quick scout for paua but no success. 2:40 hours to eastern end of Lucky Beach. Track gradually got drier under foot. Some parts were lovely and dry but there were still plenty of mud holes. Lots of little streams whose water tasted delicious and was not discoloured by tannin. Tried eating a miro berry but it didn’t taste very nice and there wasn’t much flesh. 3 hours from Lucky Beach to Mt Anglem turn off. Eiji’s pack was there as he dashed up to the summit. Reached Christmas Village Hut in 5:53 hours from Yankee River. The hut is right on the shoreline. Feel hungry as I haven’t eaten enough the last couple of days (trying to make sure we don’t run out of food).

Sunrise up Mt Anglem

Day 9: I got up at 6:15am and set off at 6:35am to climb Mt Anglem by myself. L would walk on to Bungaree hut by herself. Extremely intense, red sunrise. Got to watch it as I ascended. Track was very rooty, muddy and steep. Much worse than any of the other tracks. I really enjoyed walking the first hour in the dark. Saw a kiwi at 300m (7:20am). Some knee-deep mud holes. Cold wind on top. 2:15 hours to summit. Got a good view. Started raining lightly when I reached the bushline on my descent. Got back to Christmas Village in 4:25 hours, pushing hard all the way. 980m climb, 10km. Quickly ate lunch and packed up then set off for Bungaree Hut at 11:30am. Lots of bush and the track gradually got muddier. Legs are rather grubby!  Lots of boardwalk into Murray Beach. Solid rain by now. It was lovely walking along the beach in the rain by myself. 2:16 hours to beach. My right knee suddenly got sore climbing out. Slowly got better but didn’t come completely right. Heard kaka and saw a deer 20 minutes before the hut. 4 hours to Bungaree Hut from Christmas Village. L & 3 tourists were in residence. Annie found some flour in the hut so made mini pizzas on the top of the wood burner. Absolutely delicious! Nice to have fresh baking.

Deserted Murrays Beach

Day 10: Yet another lazy start. 2:44 hours through to Port William Hut. Big (and deep!) bog holes in the last section. Had planned to stay here but a DOC working party was in residence with their generator and lots of gear so we decided to carry on out to Oban. Another 3 hours on the gravel Rakiura Track and roads back to Halfmoon Bay. Civilization!

Maori Bay
Last beach for the trip.

I thoroughly enjoyed tramping on Stewart Island and would recommend the North West Circuit. As long as you expect mud and some hard days it will be fun. It would definitely pay to check the tides beforehand. Getting a water taxi / plane to Freshwater / Mason bay would save a couple of less interesting days. Already I want to go back again!

Nelson Lakes Route

Here's my brief logbook of our Nelson Lakes Trip.

Day 1                     3 January

D’Urville Hut – Morgan Hut
10km                     5:40 hours

Water taxi up Lake Rotoroa. A few sections of bad windfall – first bit 2.5 hours above D’Urville hut. Worst windfall was on hill 1km downstream of Morgan Hut. I attempted to get through but soon turned back. Crossed river instead. Had also crossed once lower down just above the gorge. Malcolm, Mum, Deanne, and David stung by wasps. Drizzle set in as we reached hut. Bad sandflies. Didn’t sleep well as I was blocked up.

Day 2                     4 January
Morgan Hut – George Lyon Hut
9km                       3:39 hours (including 1 hour of stops for me)

Easy going. Fine, high cloud. Had swim in river at G.L. Sandflies, but not as bad as Morgan hut.

Day 3                     5 January
George Lyon Hut – Blue Lake Hut
6km                       7:50 hours

Challenged myself to see how quickly I could get up to Moss Pass. 3:09 hours up (2:26 from bridge). Good stream at 1260m on ascent, just below bushline. 2:10 hour wait at top of pass. 2:30 hours down with Mum. Saw a chamois below Moss pass on BL side. First stream marked had water. Mum, Millie, Deanne & Theo struggled. Great weather. I camped beside lake (under tree) with Raymond, Deanne, & Theo.  A bit cold overnight.

Day 4                     6 January
Climbed Mt Franklin
Blue Lake – West Sabine Hut
4.5 hours to summit        2:45 down to Blue Lake                 7:50 round trip

Woke up feeling under the weather and almost piked out. Climbed up via Constance dam, tussock, and sidled around under bluffs. Short rock climb at top of right-hand scree onto ridge. Saw a chamois near ridgeline. Crossed 2 snow patches to avoid gnarly ridge sections. Spent over half an hour on summit of Franklin. Descended down scree slope from small col marked with cairn (after 1^st steep down climb from summit). Good scree. Down to top of stream then sidled to bush and bush-bashed down to Blue Lake outlet. 2 hours at Blue Lake hut to pack up then down to West Sabine Hut in 2:25 hours. Muddy section is 1.5 hours below Blue Lake. Was tired & hungry by the end!

Day 5                     7 January
West Sabine – Upper Travers Hut
8.5km                    5:25 hours                           Hot!

Avalanche chute was hard work! No shade. Legs tired. 4:10 hours to Travers Saddle. Mum took 5 hours to top. Had a wash in lovely shallow pool near hut.

Day 6                     8 January
Upper Travers – John Tait Hut

Low cloud in morning so didn’t climb Kehu. Stopped at Travers Falls. Dad, Malcolm, Ray, David and I went up to Cupola hut. 1:11 up (540m climb) and 52 min down. Very nice little hut (no tent sites); great location looking straight at Mt Hopeless. Spent 1 hour at hut. Lots of sandflies at John Tait.

Day 7                     9 January
John Tait – Hopeless Hut
8km                       2:52 hours

Lovely gentle track through beech forest down Travers River. Walked by myself and enjoyed the morning. Sang praise and worship songs. Dawdled and stopped to look at birds. Saw riflemen, tui, fantails, tomtits, bellbirds and a family of grey ducks (possibly hybrid) just below Hopeless Creek junction. 1:20 to junction. Another 1:32 to hut (signposted 1.5 hours). Just ambling. Plenty of space in hut for 8 people + floor space for 3-4 in room downstairs. David tented (marginal site; sloping). Dad & Malcolm attempted to climb Mt Hopeless but went right too early and ended up on wrong peak. Malcolm took a couple of tumbles. I spent a long time by creek. Finished reading Animal Farm, which I picked up at Upper Travers.

Day 8                     10 January
Hopeless Hut – Hinapouri Tarn

Left around 7:30am. Followed cairns to bluff at head of stream then climbed straight up scree. Would have been better to angle up from near bush edge. Through snowgrass and more scree to beautiful tarn. I had a swim and even managed a bit of breaststroke. Cold! My favourite spot on the whole trip I think. On rocks from here to Sunset Saddle. David & I took turns carrying Millie’s pack. 2 small patches of snow. Mum was out of her comfort zone and was not enjoying herself. Quite hot and not much shade. 6 of us climbed Mt Angelus from the saddle (17 min up for me). Hardly a breath of wind. Set up camp at head of Hinapouri Tarn (true right side) after a long deliberation. Most of us were too hot to be bothered deciding where to camp. Most of us had a swim. Was warm enough to do some proper swimming (but still cold). I slept in the bivvy bag between tussocks. Fantastic bedroom!

Day 9                     11 January
Hinapouri Tarn – Robert Ridge carpark
5:30 hours

Had breakfast in bed to stay out of the wind. 30 minutes up to Angelus Hut. Took it easy along Robert Ridge. Stayed with Deanne for a bit to give her confidence. Climbed Julius Peak with Dad & David and traversed down the other side. Regrouped at Bushline turnoff. Went down Pinchgut Track (40 min?). Malcolm & David went via Bushline Hut. My feet were sore from the hard gravel. Didn’t like pinchgut – worst part of the whole trip.

Nelson Lakes

10 of us spent nine days tramping in Nelson Lakes National Park. Here are a few photos.

Route: D'Urville River - Moss Pass - (Mt Franklin) - Travers Saddle - Travers Valley - Sunset Saddle - Hinapouri Tarn - Robert Ridge

Walking up the D'Urville River

On the way up to Moss Pass

Descending to Blue Lake

On top of Mt Franklin

Nearing Travers Saddle

Camping at Hinapouri Tarn

I slept under the stars

Tarawera 50k

Light drizzle was falling when I emerged from my tent early on Saturday morning. The forecast was for the weather to deteriorate through the day, but by 7:30am the drizzle had stopped. It was a short walk from my campsite to the start line at the Te Puia geothermal area. There was an air of excitement and anticipation, and the backdrop of erupting geysers and boiling pools was spectacular. The warmth from the steaming ground kept the morning chill away as we gathered beside the active Pohutu Geyser. A traditional Maori welcome was performed and then we were off. To avoid getting caught up in the congestion I picked a spot near the front of the field.

The first few hundred metres was through Te Puia, and I stole a few glances at the thermal activity around us. A nice piece of track soon brought us to the mountain bike park. After setting off at a fast pace I eased back here and settled into a comfortable rhythm. A lovely soft trail under the redwood trees then onto forestry roads. After quite a bit of gravel we turned off onto the Puarenga track beside the crystal clear stream (7km). More gravel roads, a couple of bush-bashing sections (one of which was rather steep!) and a long, steep haul up through a logged area to the Pondy Vista water station (12.5km). This climb was out in the open and I was extremely glad that it wasn’t sunny. From here it was a short drop down to the Green Lake aid station (14km).

Puarenga Stream

Just past here the marathon & 50km courses diverged, with the 50km runners heading along Mossy Track (very aptly named) and bush-crashing up to the top of the ridge and onto Woodstock Farm. We carried on through a few paddocks before being pointed straight down the hill to the valley floor. I took one look at the short grass covering the very steep slope and thought “this would be treacherous when wet – I’m glad it’s not raining”. One step later I discovered that it was indeed slippery, ending up flat on my back! The couple behind me also slipped and everyone I talked to afterwards had also come a cropper. Having reached the bottom we almost immediately had to climb back up to the ridgeline. Woodstock woolshed (21km) could be glimpsed in the distance and was reached sooner than expected. Descending back down into the valley was again all grass so I took the steep bits carefully. Once bitten twice shy. As we made yet another ascent on the farm we could see people beginning their climb up to the woolshed.

Woodstock Woolshed.  Credit: Chris Browne

Once back down to the edge of Green Lake it was flat almost all the way back to the Green Lake aid station (28km). Passing the marathon turnaround point marked halfway for the 50km runners and I was quite please to reach that milestone. Heading out along Green Lake I got a bit light-headed. The short climb up to Blue Lake was where I really started to struggle. A decent shower came through as I ran the 2km of tarseal through to the Buried Village, and it was actually nice and refreshing. The aid station (35km) was a good excuse for a rest and I took my time before carrying on. A short section through the Buried Village past a splendid waterfall, up a steep set of stairs, then across a deceptively deep stream crossing (mid-thigh).

Returning to Green Lake aid station

From here on the course followed the Tarawera Trail to Hot Water Beach. This track winds in and out along the lake edge with a few gentle undulations to Twin Streams (42km). I was more than ready to finish here but there was still a long way to go. The highest point on the entire course is in the last 4 kilometers! By this time I was feeling terrible – the only thing that kept me moving forward was the thought that the faster I went the sooner it would be over. My feet and legs were also complaining about spending so long on a hard surface so even the downhills weren’t fun. Don’t get me wrong – the trail itself was nice and flowing, surrounded by native bush – I was just having a bad day. Reaching the finish line was a great relief and I soon found my way to the hot water for a soak. My time was 6:40 hours, which was a little disappointing as I should have been a lot quicker. But sometimes it is the bad races that strengthen us.

Race website

Photos

Video by Glenn Marvin

Rodney Coast Challenge

Rodney Coast Challenge is Auckland's longest running multisport race. The event crosses the North Island from Muriwai Beach in the west to Wenderholm on the east coast with a 10km run, 30km road cycle, 25km mountain bike, and 8km paddle. I had done this race once before in 2012 and I am pretty sure I said afterwards that I wouldn't do it again. But of course I had to return now that it is part of the Auckland Multisport Champs.

It was quite a warm morning and there was almost no wind as we lined up on the beach. A couple of hundred metres of sand over the dunes then gravel roads for the rest of the run. As usual it took me 5km to warm up and get into my stride. The course is flat to start off with then becomes an undulating climb. For most of the run I was with Pam Smith, who said later that she was pacing off me. As I wasn't sure if there were any drink stations I took a camelbak with a little water because I wanted to stay well hydrated right from the start. As it turned out there were 2 water stops so I could have got away without a pack.

A quick transition onto the bike and a nice downhill for several kilometres to State Highway 16. As we turned onto the main road I managed to get on Luuk Batenburg's wheel, and then a few minutes later Pam came past. I managed to draft off Pam all the way to the top of the Kaipara Lookout hill (25km).

Swapped bikes at Makarau and headed off onto the 25km of gravel road which is the MTB leg. The road was extremely dry and dusty. I deliberately decided not to push hard on this section as I don't really like riding on gravel and I wanted to enjoy myself. No supporters were allowed over the course but the roads were still open to locals. Every time a vehicle came past I got a face (and eyes) full of dust and it was hard to see the road for a minute or so until the cloud settled. Noakes hill was a case of simply changing into granny gear and spinning away. Thankfully the bottom part was in the shade. I took the descents extremely carefully, as the corners are notorious for riders coming second best.

The tide was roaring out of the Puhoi River which made for a fast paddle. A slight headwind for the last couple of kilometers down the estuary. The shallows were hard to avoid and the biggest sandbank had to be crossed just before the beach - I hit the bottom a couple of times here. From the beach it was a 150m sprint to the finish line, stopping the clock at 4:15:53.

Results
Event website

Kaimai Killer 60km

The Xterra Waihi Kaimi Killer is a tough 60km trail run with 2200m of climbing. There are 7 river crossings and a plethora of smaller side streams. I had been down 7 weeks earlier for a reconnaissance run, scoping out the first 40km loop. Back in 2011 the long course (20km) had been one of my first big trail races so it was quite nice to return to the event.

There were just over 20 crazy people lined up in the dark for the start of the ultra at 5am. It seemed like a sprint start across the 100m of grass as people vied for position before hitting the narrow single track. 2km of fairly flat trail along the river before getting to the first (and biggest) river crossing of the day. A short steep climb up through a kauri grove and then back down for another stream crossing. As we headed up out of the stream on the first long climb Kirstin Kowalewski passed me. We chatted for a couple of minutes and she told me that this was her first ultra so I wondered if I'd be seeing her again later on. Claire Akin-Smith also came past, but didn't get away. I could see her headlight ahead all the way through to Franklin Road. Once the climb was over there was about 1km of really nice smooth trail where I got into a good rhythm before turning off onto Deans Track, which was a bit rootier and slower. The birds were waking up and the sky was getting lighter as we emerged onto the farmland above Franklin Road. Turning onto the road I skipped the water station and headed up the Waitawheta valley. In fact, I didn't use any of the water stations at all during the race. By now it was light enough not to need headlamps as we were running through farmland but I kept my light on as I knew it would be much darker when we re-entered the bush. Soon we turned left off the main track and crossed the river onto Bluff Stream track. I caught up to Claire here and we pretty much ran together all the way through to the Waitengaue Stream (after Ananui Falls). The small undulations before the marathon / ultra split were the perfect chance to have a second breakfast. From the junction it is a good climb up to the highest point of the course. There are a few very steep pinches but on the whole it wan't too nasty. The next few kilometers through to Ananui Falls is really nice trail; technical but still mostly runnable, with gentle undulations. Near the falls the track passes through a large stand of rimu trees with not much undergrowth. No side trip to look at the falls today (but definitely worth it at other times). Claire was breathing down my neck all the way down to the next valley.

The section from Waitengaue Stream through to Waitawheta Hut is the most technical part of the whole course, and from my reconnaissance I expected this to take roughly an hour. I knew Claire was a little slower in the muddy, technical stuff and I managed to get away from her. At the 4 hour mark I passed the turnoff to Waitawheta Hut and set off on the 6km or so down the flat Waitawheta tramline track. Although this is a wide, flat benched track it required as much (or more) concentration than the single track as the path was cobbled with ankle-turning rocks. Turning off the tramline a couple of tramping parties came past and then I unexpectedly caught up to Kirstin. She looked like she was struggling so I put a burst in to overtake her and get out of sight. Now I was in 2nd place; I knew Shannon-Leigh was way ahead, but a podium place was mine to lose. It was an easy climb up past Daley's Clearing Hut (30km) then north towards where we had turned off on to Dean's Track early on and I was still feeling as fresh as a daisy. The first marathon runner zoomed past 1km above Daley's Hut, and it wasn't until the last river crossing that second place came through. Funnily enough the track back down into the river valley was just as steep and long as it had been when climbed up it at the start.

The loudspeaker at the finish line could be heard from over a kilometer away, and running along beside the river I could see competitors finishing the shorter courses. Passing back through the event base (40km) in 6:16 hours I heard them announce that the first ultramarathoner was just finishing. I still had 20km to go!
From here we followed the 20km course down the Waitawheta Pipeline track and around Mt Karangahake. Thanks to all the short course people who made way and offered encouragement as I went against the flow.

By the time I reached Karangahake Gorge my pace had slowed significantly. In hindsight I didn't eat enough in the middle part of the race. All the way up through Scotsman Gully and the gravel road to the water station was a mere walk. Once on Number 7 Level track the gradient eased off to a very gentle incline. Ordinarily the climb around the western flank of Mt Karangahake is easily runnable but now it was mostly walking interspersed with the occasional jog for a couple of minutes. It took me 15 minutes to reach the junction with Dubbo 96 track (47km). It was only now that the next marathoners caught up. Barry informed me that the next lady was only a couple of minutes behind and before long Claire came trotting past looking as if she was just out on a 10km afternoon run. In fact, she was running better than the handful of marathoners who had just gone past. The climb steepened as we neared the top, brightened by the discovery that I had more spare food than I realised. It was a long, long descent around the other side, much of which was in the hot sun. Reaching the water station again there seemed to be a merry picnic going on (ahem, Tago) and I downed my last gel. I don't know whether it was an instant boost from the gel or the relief of knowing that the hard parts were all behind me but I got my second wind as soon as I hit Number 7 Level track for the second time. 17 minutes back up to the junction then down Dubbo 96 track towards home. Dubbo 96 was a fantastic track to finish on! A nice fast, flowing downhill which was soft under foot but not muddy. No holding back now! One last 80m climb then it was down to the river and along the final few hundred meters to the finish. 9:13 hours after setting off I crossed the line in 3rd place. Thanks Claire for keeping me honest - you ran well and deserved second place.

Lessons learnt:

• A good headlamp and night running practice come in handy when racing through the bush in the dark. I only had the former.
• Eat, eat, eat! I don't normally have problems with fuel intake during races, but this time I certainly did not eat enough during the middle section of the race. I felt good and was still going strong so I fell into the trap of not eating when I knew I should.
• Course reconnaissance is hugely beneficial. Knowing exactly what lies ahead makes it easier to decide when to go hard and when to back off. It can also be a huge moral booster if you roughly know how soon you will get through any tough parts.
• Oh, and long training runs would also help!

Splits:

1:20	Top of Deans Track
1:54	End of Franklin Road
2:51	Top of Ananui Falls
4:01	Waitawheta Hut turnoff
4:58	Daly's Clearing Hut
5:20	Top of Deans Track
6:16	Event base
6:46	Karangahake Gorge
8:06	Top of Karangahake Mtn track
8:31	Start of No 7 Level Track (2nd time
9:13	Finish

Allan Ure from Photos4Sale

Heather (3rd), Claire (2nd), and Shannon-Leigh (1st)

Event website

Results

Photos

Several people asked how this course compares to the Hillary Trail. I reckon they are similar in terms of technicality but the HT has more climbing (even taking into account the extra distance). The main difference I found was that the HT is constantly up-down-up-down, the Kaimai Killer seemed to follow each big hill with some easy running. 

South Head Challenge

South Head Challenge is a short multisport event on the South Head of the Kaipara Harbour. It is run by the Waitemata Canoe & Multisport Club and once again I was involved in the organisation.

No proper race report this time, just a handful of photos.

11km kayak, 26km mountain bike, 10km run. I finished in around 3:40.

Event website

Results

Lake Ototoa

Coming in to land