Trail running: 200 to lace up for new run

Rotorua's Kerris Browne is taking part in her first ultra marathon this weekend during the inaugural Tarawera Trail Marathon and 50km event. Photo / Ben Fraser

Kerris Browne never thought she would enter an ultra marathon.

Completing the Rotorua Marathon once a year was already a tough enough challenge.

But three months ago, the local runner decided to make the leap, entering the inaugural Tarawera Trail Marathon and 50km event.

Tomorrow's event starts from Te Puia and finishes at Hot Water Beach, on Lake Tarawera.

Browne decided to enter after joining a new trail running group this year. At first she was a bit cautious of the group, which she found on Facebook, but came to love the weekly runs in the forest.

"I was really afraid of getting in too deep. I had a picture of these people that run ultra and are made out of cougar skeletons or something and I just wanted something for the everyday person," she said.

"My question to them was: 'Is this for normal people or just for training for ultra marathons'?"

Browne said she was assured it was not just for ultra runners, and now she loves the relaxed culture of endurance trail running.

"It was very refreshing," Browne said. "They don't worry about what time you run. It is a lot more focused on enjoyment rather than a time. You are connecting to the outdoors rather than slogging against a footpath."

So when Paul Charteris announced the new trail running event, she opted to give it a crack. More than 200 runners and walkers will take part in the first Tarawera Trail Marathon and 50km event.

Event organiser Charteris said it had plenty of potential to grow into a top international trail marathon in the future.

"That was a big reason for putting this on, we can see it absolutely taking off.

"You look around the world at other trail marathons and none of them have the features that this one has."

The features of the course include starting near an active geyser at Te Puia and going through Buried Village. The course also covers some brilliant trails in Rotorua, including the relatively new Tarawera Trail near Lake Tarawera.

Charteris said part of the course was held on private land, and he thanked the owners and trusts for their support.

- Entries are now closed. Spectators wanting to get a boat pass to Hot Water Beach tomorrow should pop into the Visitor Centre on Fenton St today between 3.30pm and 8pm. The event starts at 8am with the runners getting away at 8.30am.