PRE EVENT INFORMATION EMAIL - Find everything you need to know ahead of event day here!
At the mouth of the mighty Waikato River lies the largely unknown – and often-forgotten – Waiuku Forest, all cloaked by towering pine trees with hard-packed, low impact sand-based trails underfoot.
Courses are all a little longer than usual and boast extensive and breathtaking views over the Tasman Sea, Port Waikato and the mouth of the mighty Waikato River.
WE HAVE GONE CUPLESS!
We have removed disposable cups from our aid stations in an effort to minimise our waste production. Please remember your reusable cup, hydration pack or water bottle to fill up! (You can purchase a collapsible silicone water cup at event base for 5$).
START TIMES
Compulsory event briefings will be held 15 minutes before the start of each event - please be at these!
Super long (Run only) – 9:00am
Long (Run only) – 9:00am
Mid – 10:00am
Short – 11:00am
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
Event base is located at the Beach Car Park within Waiuku Forest. When using Google maps, Ghezzie Road, Otaua will take you to the nearest mappable point and event signage will direct you from here from the forest.
It is a further approx. 15mins from this point to reach event base within the forest.
Please ensure you do not park until instructed to by our parking marshals - it is a condition of our permit that we restrict event parking to our permitted areas.
Detailed driving directions can be found HERE.
COURSE INFORMATION
We've made it easy for you to gather the whole gang (regardless of age or fitness level), and head out of the city. The Mid and Short courses are available as walks as well as runs, so one event you may get to stretch out in the long or super long while your partner takes a wee whipper snapper or two around the mid or short course.
SHORT COURSE
Distance: 7km
Total Climb: Approximately 142m
Course Map & Elevation Profile: Click here to view
Course Overview: A quick start on this course as you peel along Elders Road. With a left hand veer into the first playful forest trail. Bursting out on the gravel road, you will head North for a little, while sucking in that crisp winter air and soaking up the views of the river/ocean. Not far past the second aid station you’ll pass through the infamous Waiuku mud puddle for a splash. On your way back down the metal road, gulp down some R-Line Electrolyte Drink and dash through the final trail section and into the finish. The chips will be hot and the beer cold so sit back and enjoy your accomplishment.
Drink Stations:
2.4km (with water, R-Line electrolyte drink, chips, pretzels & lollies)
4.4km (with water, R-Line electrolyte drink, chips, pretzels, lollies & coke)
5.3km (with water, R-Line electrolyte drink, chips, pretzels, lollies & coke)
*Please remember your own cup/bottle/hydration pack as there will be no disposable cups provided at drink stations
Toughness Factor: 5/10
GPX File: Click here to download the Short Course GPX file
Participant Briefing: Click here to view
MID COURSE
Distance: 12km
Total Climb: Approximately 300m
Course Map & Elevation Profile: Click here to view
Course Overview: A quick start on this course as you peel along Elders Road. With a right hand veer into the first playful forest trail. Bursting out on the beach you will head north-east on the sand for a little, while sucking in that crisp winter air. As you head back into the forest there will be an aid station on route and you will begin winding your way north-west through the woods. This section is a mixture of metal road and trail. Gulp down some R-Line Electrolyte Drink at the last aid station and dash back down the metal road, through the final trail section and into the finish. The chips will be hot and the beer cold so sit back and enjoy your accomplishment.
Drink Stations:
5km (with water, R-Line electrolyte drink, chips, pretzels & lollies)
9km (with water, R-Line electrolyte drink, chips, pretzels & lollies)
10.3km (with water, R-Line electrolyte drink, chips, pretzels, lollies & Coke)
*Please remember your own cup/bottle/hydration pack as there will be no disposable cups provided at drink stations
Toughness Factor: 5/10
GPX File: Click here to download the Mid Course GPX file
Participant Briefing: Click here to view
LONG COURSE (Run Only)
Distance: 18.5km
Total Climb: Approximately 550m
Course Map & Elevation Profile: Click here to view
Course Overview: A quick start on this course as you peel along Elders Road. With a right hand veer into the first playful forest trail. Bursting out on the beach you will head north-east on the sand for a little, while sucking in that crisp winter air.
As you head back into the forest there will be an aid station on route and you will begin winding your way north-west through the woods. This section is a mixture of metal road and trail. Gulp down some R-Line Electrolyte Drink at the aid station then up over the sand drifts and into the northern area of the course. A short section of metal road as you begin a small climb with a pleasant surprise at the top. Shoot through a fast trail section to your second aid station. At this point you re-join with the super long runners and start on the epic sandy downhill (be sure to take a minute and enjoy the views - this is our favourite part of the course).
Once at the bottom you’ll take a left and travel through the woods onto the gravel road beside the beach and up over the last hill. Its a dash for there back down the metal road, through the final trail section and into the finish. The chips will be hot and the beer cold so sit back and enjoy your accomplishment.
The chips will be hot and the beer cold so sit back and enjoy your accomplishment.
Drink Stations:
5km (with R-Line electrolyte drink, water, chips, pretzels & lollies)
9km (with R-Line electrolyte drink, water, chips, pretzels & lollies)
13km (with R-Line electrolyte drink, water, chips, pretzels, lollies & oranges)
16.8km (with R-Line electrolyte drink, water, chips, pretzels, lollies & coke)
*Please remember your own cup/bottle/hydration pack as there will be no disposable cups provided at drink stations
Toughness Factor: 7/10
GPX File: Click here to download the Long Course GPX file
Participant Briefing: Click here to view
SUPER LONG COURSE (Run Only)
Distance: 22km
Total Climb: Approximately 640m
Course Map & Elevation Profile: Click here to view
Course Overview: A quick start on this course as you peel along Elders Road. With a right hand veer into the first playful forest trail. Bursting out on the beach you will head north-east on the sand for a little, while sucking in that crisp winter air.
As you head back into the forest there will be an aid station on route and you will begin winding your way north-west through the woods. This section is a mixture of metal road and trail. Gulp down some R-Line Electrolyte Drink at the aid station then up over the sand drifts and into the northern area of the course. A short section of metal road as you begin a small climb with a pleasant surprise at the top.
You split from the long course runners at this point and past the huge sand mine which is a fantastic sight. Once past this, there is a really fun section of fairly technical trails, coupled with views over the country side to keep that stoke meter topped up. On a small metal road section, you will re-join with the long runners and shoot though a quick trail. It's now time to take on the epic sandy downhill (be sure to take a minute and enjoy the views - this is our favourite part of the course).
Once at the bottom you’ll take a left and travel through the woods onto the gravel road beside the beach and up over the last hill.
Its a dash for there back down the metal road, through the final trail section and into the finish. The chips will be hot and the beer cold so sit back and enjoy your accomplishment.. The chips will be hot and the beer cold so sit back and enjoy your accomplishment.
Drink Stations:
5km (with R-Line electrolyte drink, water, chips, pretzels & lollies)
9km (with R-Line electrolyte drink, water, chips, pretzels & lollies)
16km (with R-Line electrolyte drink, water, chips, pretzels, lollies & oranges)
20.3km (with R-Line electrolyte drink, water, chips, pretzels, lollies & coke)
*Please remember your own cup/bottle/hydration pack as there will be no disposable cups provided at drink stations
Toughness Factor: 7/10
GPX File: Click here to download the Super Long Course GPX file
Participant Briefing: Click here to view
COURSE SAFETY
We recommend running with a Hydration back pack loaded with 500ml - 1 litre of liquid, and other nutritional nibbles. You can expect to be away from base for a decent period of time at these events, and we can't always get aid stations to the points where you may expect them to be.
While event medics will be at each event (they will be stationed at the event base, start / finish point) and participants may encounter on course marshals with first aid on them, it also pays to be safety conscious and carry items like:
a basic first aid kit
a cell phone
a whistle
additional warm clothing
It's all about personal responsibility!
Participant Briefing: Click here to view