Distances and Aid Stations

The advertised "55k" is officially 59.8km
The advertised "80k" is officially 83.4km (see Table below)
The 100k is just that.
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There will be 10 (12 for 100k runners) aid stations along the course. The largest gap between aid stations occurs between the Start of the Western Okataina Walkway and the Okataina Lodge Aid Station. Be prepared to cover many km of wilderness terrain under your own resources in this section.

The large aid (Full) stations will have a California-ultra style buffet going. You'll have all sorts of food and drink on offer. If you were not running an ultramarathon you'd probably gain weight. See performance rules for details about cut-off times.

Aid Station	km covered	km from previous	Cut-Off	Access	Relay change-over	Nutrition	Drop -bags	Pacer-pickup
Start	0.0	0.0
Tikitapu (Blue Lake)	13.2	13.2		Easy		Std.
Boyce Park (Okareka)	18.5	5.3	10:20AM	Easy	Yes	Full	Yes
Millar Road (start of W. Okataina	21.2	2.7		Easy*		Std.
Okataina Lodge	36.0	14.8	1:30PM	Easy	Yes	Full	Yes
Humphries Bay	46.4	10.4		Boat		Std.
Tarawera Outlet	54.5	8.1		Easy		Std.		Yes
Tarawera Falls	59.8	5.3	5:30PM	Easy	Yes	Full	Yes
Titoki	69.1	8.3		Easy		Full	Yes	Yes
Awaroa	(77.0 & 82.3)	(7.9 & 5.3)		No		Full	Yes
Fisherman's Bridge	74.4 (90.7)	5.3 (8.4)		Easy		Std.
River Road	76.8 (93.1)	2.4		Easy		Std.
Finish-line	83.4 (100)	6.9		Easy		Good kai

Relay Teams: Runner Distances

Runner 1: Start to Okareka 18.5km
Runner 2: Okareka to Okataina: 17.5km
Runner 3: Okataina to Tarawera Falls: 23.8km
Runner 4: Tarawera Falls to Finish: 23.6km

Read a description of each section

Crew / Spectator Access
Most Aid Stations are accessible by car, with the exception of:

 

• The Western Okataina Aid Station is ay accessible by car. However, parking is almost nonexistent and you'll be on a winding narrow road with the runners. We'd prefer not to have spectators on this section of the course.
• Humphries Bay is accessible by boat only.
• The Titoki Road Aid Station (on the 80k and 100 course) can be accessed by car. However, you'll be sharing Edwards Road for about 1km with the 80k runners (from the bridge to the aid station) so please drive slowly and carefully.
• The Awaroa Road Aid Station is essentially off-limits to cars to minimise dust.

The Fisherman's Bridge and River Road Aid Stations can be easily accessed by foot (5 minutes walk). preferred parking spots near these aid stations will be sign-posted. Mountain Bike access is fine and strongly encouraged.

Mountain bike: Bring a mountain bike if you like so you can ride through the Tarawera Forest and follow the race from the Tarawera Fals to Kawerau. You'll still need a forest permit from the Kawerau Information Centre.


Jo approaches the Phoenix Health Centre Aid station at Lake Okataina

Some maps showing a preferred driving route are shown here:

Aid station supplies

Standard aid station fare includes: water, sports drink, coke, bananas, electrolyes. Vaseline and some other small supplies like bandages are also available.

Full aid station fare includes: water, GU2O sports drink, electrolyte capsules, GU gels, coke, mountain dew, bananas, melon, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Em's Power Bars, chips, cookies, jellybeans, roast kumara, salt. Vaseline and some other small supplies like bandages will also be available.


Part of an aid station for a trail ultramarathon in California.


Drop bags (available to solo runners only)

Drop bags are for your own special needs supplies such as clothing, a change of socks, hat, bodyglide, your favourite gels, sunglasses or even a change of shoes. Drop Bags are OPTIONAL. You can also stuff your surplus clothing in to your drop bag if you get too hot during the run.

All drop bags must be handed in to race officials at registration on Friday. If you hand them in to us on Saturday, we cannot guarantee they will be delivered to the correct aid stations.

Some tips for packing bags:

Don't overfill it. Over filled bags have a tendency to break. Don't use flimsy supermarket shopping bags if you want to protect your stuff -- they break easily -- and WILL get thrown around.

• Place an easily identifiable mark on the outside of the bag. Rubbish bags are easily confused because so many people use them.
• Compulsory if you use drop bags you must put your name, number, and drop bag location on the bag using a waterproof marker. The five drop bag locations are Okareaka (OKE), Okataina (OTA) and Tarawera (TAR), Titoki (TIT) and Awaroa (AWA). For 80 and 100k runners, if you think you may be runing through the night, it may be useful to pack a headlamp in the Titoki and/or Awaroa Drop bags.
• If you use crew and bags, have your crew take your bag from the aid station when you are done with it. Getting the bags back at the end of the race, any race, can cause headaches. Especially if you have really bad blisters and can't walk.
  
  

Volunteers will take your drop bags back to the finish line for you to pick-up.

Pacers (two options)
Having a pacer is purely OPTIONAL. This option is available (and really only necessary for) solo 80 and 100k runners only.

A pacer can run with you:

• from the Tarawera Outlet to the finish line, or
• from the Tarawera Outlet to the Titoki Aid Station or
• from Titoki Aid Station to the the finish line .

Pacers provide moral support and encouragement, and importantly can provide assistance if you are extremely fatigued or disoriented. Beyond companionship, pacers can provide advice on when to pick up the pace or ease back, advise on fueling and making sure the athlete fuels up at aid stations. We will not be tracking pacers and they are responsible for their own transportation. Pacers may take food and fluids at the aid stations as available.

- ALL pacers must report in to pacer central at the finish line in Kawerau prior to travelling to the Tarawera Outlet or Titoki. You will be issued with a Pacer ID so everyone knows you are part of the event.
- There is no cost associated with being a pacer.
- Pacers should in physical shape to run about 30 km on forestry roads and single track trail.
- Only one pacer per runner.
- Pacers must be on foot only.
- Pacers must not provide any material assistance to their runner (i.e. carrying spare/surplus clothing, food and drink).
- Pacers must not push, pull or physically move their runner along the trail.
- In circumstances the runner is under severe distress, a pacer is allowed to assist that runner to the nearest aid station or other medical support.
- Pacers must stay with their runners at all times, except in the case of an emergency.


If you are doing the solo 80k run, you'll be allowed a pacer along this section of the course. Runners pictured on River Road in the Tarawera Forest.

Crewing
Many ultra-runners like to have a crew with them to help them get special food and drink at aid stations and provied a cheering, smiling face. Crew members may not run alongside their runner along the trail for more than 200-300 metres either side of the aid station. Please note the most convenient crew access points (above). If you have a crew on hand to give you food and drink, drop bags will be unnecessary.

Crew may often have special supplies for their runner, such as: clothing, loo paper, a change of socks, special food and drink, body lubricant, hat, sunglasses, gels.

If you are crewing, it pays to be familiar with the course. There is absolutely no need for crew members to rush and break the road speed limits to get between aid stations. You'll have plenty of time. You must never drive at a fast speed near runners. All roads in the Rotorua and Okataina sections are publicly accessible. The Tarawera Forest Roads are private and will require a permit to enter.

Tarawera Forest
Access to Tarawera Outlet and/or Tarawera Falls is from Kawerau township (off SH 30 between Rotorua and Whakatane) via private forestry roads. You require an access permit available for $3.50 from Kawerau Information Centre located on Plunket St, Kawerau. Opening Hours: 8am - 4pm Monday-Sunday.

Some maps showing a preferred driving route are shown here:

 

Any idiot can run a marathon. It takes a special kind of idiot to run
an ultramarathon."
- Alan Cabelly