Imminent cyclone leads to new perspectives

Past ultra winner Kerry Suter reckons there are some positives to running in the rain. PHOTO/GRAEME MURRAY

The best thing about running in the rain, says former Tarawera Ultramarathon winner Kerry Suter, is that "no one can see your tears".

The race veteran posted on the event's Facebook page in response to worries Cyclone Lusi would affect Saturday's iconic race.

The race, which starts in Rotorua and finishes in Kawerau with 60km, 85km and 100km options, is on when the tail end of the cyclone is expected to strike New Zealand.

The organising team is "closely monitoring" the weather reports and a decision had yet to be made as to whether it would be compulsory for runners to carry a waterproof jacket.

Race director Paul Charteris posted on the Facebook page on Monday that rule was a possibility.

Suter, who won the event when it was first held as an 85km race in 2009 and then the 100km in 2010, posted his own response in the group with why wet weather on race day was a good thing.

He wrote the following:
1) You won't get dehydrated.
2) You won't overheat.
3) You can throw away the stopwatch, no one is expecting you to run a fast time.
4) You own a thousand pairs of knobbly trails shoes. Finally that matters.
5) No fire course.
6) Most importantly, no one can see your tears.

The Vibram Tarawera Ultramarathon is the third race of the inaugural Ultra-Trail World Tour.

"Yes, ultra endurance running is hard, but it's also about a community sharing information and encouragement - and humour and camaraderie," said Charteris.

"That's not just on the day, but in the weeks leading up to the race."

More than 850 runners from 28 countries are taking part, the official welcome is on Friday and today there will be an 8km fun run open to all runners.

Media spokesman Graeme Simpson said a number of weather reports were being pored over but Cyclone Lusi was unlikely to hit until Saturday evening when the majority of runners had finished.

"It's being discussed constantly and we're monitoring everything," Simpson said.

"There's good support among runners and everyone is looking out for everyone else. The elite runners will run in anything. We're keeping a close watch but tropical cyclones track so wildly that we're playing it by ear."