Kat and Mat Macmillan running the Tussock Traverse at Tongariro. Photo / photos4sale
Kat and Mat Macmillan running the Tussock Traverse at Tongariro. Photo / photos4sale
Tauranga elite runner Kat Macmillan is ticking off 50km before her 50th birthday as she takes on the 2023 Tarawera Ultramarathon this weekend.
The Bay of Plenty Regional councillor will be among a record 5000-plus runners expected to hit the trails as the 2023 Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB returns to Rotorua on February 11 and 12.
After a two-year hiatus, the event will welcome the most participants in its 14-year history, with runners taking on four distances, including 21km, 50km, 102km, and the 100-Miler (165km).
Macmillan said she had completed a few marathons before but this weekend would be her first ultramarathon.
“So many people have said, ‘You have got to do Tarawera it is amazing’. It has been on my list to do.
“I am turning 50 this year so I thought 50 before I am 50, it has got to be a must. It was a no-brainer really.”
The 49-year-old has entered the race with her husband Mat Macmillan. They are both part of the Tauranga Road and Trail Runners and Taranga Park Run running groups.
Running marathons was all about pace and sticking to it, she said, but ultramarathons were a different game altogether.
“An ultra is a more varied terrain and you have to incorporate a lot of hill work in your training. Endurance is massive.”
But there was no better way to train than just “a lot of running”.
“There is nothing like getting in enough kilometres.”
Macmillan said it was tricky to set a time goal as all ultramarathons were different but she planned to enjoy herself.
“I want to take in the beautiful environment,” she said. “I feel really lucky it is still going ahead after all of the weather events that have happened.”
Macmillan encouraged people to get out into the trails, tracks, reserves, and parks in the Bay of Plenty to enjoy nature.
“The more we are in nature the more we value it. Whether it’s running, cycling, or walking, there is so much to offer here in the Bay.”
Runners making their way through the sulphur flats during the Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB. Photo / Graeme Murray
The Tarawera Ultramarathon is the first UTMB World Series event of 2023, part of a circuit of the best trail running events in the world offering runners the only opportunity to begin their quest to UTMB Mont-Blanc – the UTMB World Series Final and the pinnacle event of trail running.
Race director Mitch Murcott said he was excited to reunite the trail community in Rotorua for what would be the biggest Tarawera Ultramarathon to date.
“It is great to see the event continue to grow each year, with 75 per cent of athletes taking part in the event for the first time in 2023, and the more than 5000 runners and their supporters will provide a welcome boost to the Rotorua region.”
The event begins with the 100-mile race at 4am on Saturday, with athletes given 36 hours to complete the course that runs through the Whakarewarewa Forest and finishes at the Village Green by the Rotorua lakeside.
However, a landslip and trail damage that has closed the entire Eastern Okataina Walkway trail section following the recent thunderstorms has forced organisers to move to contingency courses in the 100-mile and 102 events, which will now start at Lake Okataina and will follow the usual courses until they reach the Village Green in Rotorua, where they will turn around and head back towards the Whakarewarewa Forest.
Athletes in the 102km will then complete one lap of the 50km course, while athletes in the 100-mile race will complete two laps of the 50km course.
This year, the event will welcome runners from outside of New Zealand for the first time since 2020, with international competitors making up 40 per cent of the field.
“It is exciting to be the first event on the calendar of the 2023 UTMB World Series and helps the event attract runners from all over the globe. The Tarawera Ultramarathon is a great way to kick off the trail running season...”
Murcott said the ultramarathon event saw many runners and supporters staying in the area for several nights and spending “meaningful amounts” per day on non-event expenses.
“The event contributes strong economic impact to the region, estimated to be around $10 million in 2023.”
A powhiri will welcome competitors and supporters to the event on Friday at Te Puia.
2023 Tarawera Ultramarathon facts and figures
More than 5000 athletes taking part across four distances
Participants 51 per cent male and 49 per cent female
75 per cent of participants are first timers
International competitors make up 40 per cent of the field
Tarawera Ultramarathon runners represent 76 nationalities including from Australia, Great Britain, the United States, France, Canada, Ireland and Japan
The oldest male competitor is 83-year-old Ivan Beale in the 21km event
The oldest female competitor is 82-year-old Eileen Odgers taking on the 50km
There are multiple 16-year-old competitors in the 21km
