An aerial shot of runners at the Waitārere Forest Run. Photo / Andrew Turner atphoto@xtra.co.nz
An aerial shot of runners at the Waitārere Forest Run. Photo / Andrew Turner atphoto@xtra.co.nz
Running to and from the office each day has served the winner of the Waitārere Forest Run well.
Wellington man Oliver Howitt, 36, runs to work and back each day as an energy programme manager for the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA). The 12-kilometre round trip was the extent of his training.
Oliver Howitt on his way to winning the 21km event at the Waitārere Forest Run at the weekend. Photo / Andrew Turner
Between raising a young family and work, he didn’t have much time to hit the streets otherwise, so running to the office each day made sense, although he admitted the 21.1km of the half-marathon was a real test.
“I was cramping afterwards and a bit worse for wear.”
Howitt was part of a leading group of five that set a strong clip early in the run. He hit the lead with about 5km to go and finished in 1h 24m 10s, just 26 seconds ahead of Wairarapa forestry worker Whana Gordon in second, with 12 seconds back to Carl Fisher in third.
Whana Gordon finished second in the Waitarere Forest Run for the second year in a row. Photo / Andrew Turner
For Gordon, 51, it was the second consecutive year he had been runner-up. He finished less than a second behind winner Tbaba Liu in 2023.
The former top boxer said he took to running after giving up smoking four years ago. He loved running for both its physical and mental health benefits.
Howitt wasn’t sure whether he’d be back next year. He tried to do one different running event each year, as a way of seeing the country.
The women’s event was won by Jess K in a time of 1h 42m 11s, ahead of Natasha White (1h 42m 2s) and Charlotte Milne (1h 44m 17s).
Waiopehu College student Ella Holmes ran the 10km at the Waitārere Forest event. Photo / Andrew Turner
More than 1800 people entered the Waitārere Forest Run at the weekend, about the same number of runners as last year. Babies were pushed along in prams, while the oldest runner was born in 1932.
There was a 21.1km half-marathon and 10km, 5km and 2km events. Runners in the half-marathon got value for their entry fee, as the course probably measured closer to 22km on the day.
Organiser Bengy Barsanti, from Barefoot Sport, said more young people entered this year, with an increase in entries for the 2km event, while schools, sports teams and businesses were well represented.
Waitārere Forest Run organiser Bengy Barsanti, from Barefoot Sports, pictured with daughter Indie. Photo / Andrew Turner
It was noticeable that many young runners finished among the top placegetters in the 10km and 5km events, both male and female, including 11-year-old Isaac Perrett, who was second in the men’s 5km.
The course was marshalled by volunteers. Members of the Levin Mountain Biking Club patrolled the course and communicated with organisers about where runners were and made sure the prizegiving was held off until the last competitor had crossed the line.
Barsanti said the success of the event was a credit to the volunteer groups involved.
A group of volunteers contributing to the success of the Waitārere Forest Run. Photo / Andrew Turner
The Waitārere Forest Run was first organised 28 years ago by Levin Joggers and Walkers as the Great Forest Marathon and quickly became arguably the biggest and most popular event on the Horowhenua sporting and social calendar.
The 2020 event had to be canned at the last minute because of Covid-19 and since then Levin Joggers and Walkers have handed the running of the event to Barefoot Sports.
Violet and Arlo Krivan competed in the 5km event at the Waitārere Forest Run. Photo / Andrew Turner
Barsanti said he was keen to carry on the legacy created by Levin Joggers and Walkers as the event was now firmly ensconced on the running calendar, attracting runners and walkers from throughout New Zealand.
