Tarawera Training Part 1

I love the Vibram Tarawera Ultramarathon. This year will be the fourth time I have run it, and (all going well) the second time I have run the 100km race.

My journey started in 2009.  At that stage I had only run 2 marathons (Auckland in 2007 and 2008), but I felt that I knew I could do the marathon distance, and it was time to plunge into the abyss of the unknown.  I was inspired to try trail running by reading Dean Karnazes' books 50/50 and Ultramarathon Man, and Chris McDougall's Born to Run.  In 2009 I didn't actually know anyone who ran trails, and I had never attempted to run off road (other than the occasional foray across the paddocks at Cornwall Park).

So I registered for the 2010 Tarawera Ultra 60km race. I trained by running around Cornwall Park, and on the roads around Auckland. I couldn't find much information about ultra training, so basically followed a marathon training plan, and tried to ramp up my long run to 40-45km.  I had mixed success on the long runs - I did a handful in the 30-35km range and one over 40km.  I had no idea whether I would be able to do 60km, off-road, and loved the idea of that challenge.

I remember people asking me at Tarawera what my trail running background was, and telling them that I had none - that the race was the first time I had run on a real trail - and the look of disbelief I got. It even seemed stupid to be saying it.

During the race itself I made all of the usual rookie mistakes. I went out far too fast - running the first 20k at around my half marathon pace at the time (what was I thinking?).  I didn't know the course, and hadn't studied a map of it, so I had no real idea of where I was. I wore a brand new pair of trail shoes (my first ever pair), and a new Camelbak, which I had run once or twice with.

As a result, by Lake Okareka I had blisters on my feet the size of jelly beans (I took off my shoes and socks and one of the volunteers gasped at the sight of my feet and went looking for a first aid kit), and I was feeling beaten up.  I didn't know that I had the hardest part of the 60km course yet to come.

The next part of the course up and over the Okataina Walkway was my baptism of fire. My legs and lungs burned on the steep climbs, and my body burned as I started to overheat and dehydrate. And then I hit the downhills into the Okataina aid station, and felt the pain in my quads from every step.  By the time I reached Okataina (about 40km in) I was done.  I slumped into a chair at the aid station, and didn't want to get out again.  But then I remembered why I was there - to take on the unknown (and beat the sucker!), and so willed myself out of that seat and onwards.

The next part of the trail, between Okataina and the 60k finish at Tarawera Falls was, and still is, my favourite. The trail runs deep into native bush, and in parts it's like a prehistoric world. It rejuvenated my will to continue - I remember thinking it was almost magical - like Pandora in NZ (I almost expected a Na'vi to appear in the bush!). That said, it was a hard slog - I ran some, walked some, shuffled some, and ran some more. Soon after entering this final section my Garmin died, and I lost the (at times cold) comfort of knowing how far I had to go.  I started counting footsteps 100 at a time - 1000 for each km.  I was beyond fatigued, slightly delirious, but determined to finish. So I kept on going, thinking "relentless forward progress" would get me there.

Finally, just over 9 hours after I had begun, I emerged into a clearing and shuffled across the 60K finish line, having completed my first ultra.  I was stuffed, but elated. I'd achieved something I never in my wildest dreams thought was possible. And started planning next years race...