Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 128, March 2020 | Page 36

A month or so ago I had the privilege of taking part in the Tarawera Ultramarathon in one of the most beautiful places I have
ever visited, Rotorua, New Zealand, a fern-forest and turqoise-lake wonderland. I was thrilled to come home with a podium
finish, and just as pleased to enjoy a smooth travelling experience! – BY NAOMI BRAND
A
lot of people have asked me why I spent
so much money to go race all the way on
the other side of the globe… Well, to me
the answer is threefold. I’ve dreamt of going to New
Zealand since I was little, after seeing photos of its
snow-capped mountains and forests. My goal this
year is to follow the Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT), and
it was part of my ‘strategy’ to start racing early in the
year. Secondly, I hoped to see a kiwi – I actually saw
one in an enclosure, and nearly died of excitement –
and the third reason was that my family moved there a
week before the race, and I helped them settle in.
As expected, the Tarawera Ultramarathon event
was world class. It offers 160km, 102km, 50km and
21km distances, and I chose to tackle the 102km.
The registration process was as easy as ABC, and I
even bumped into some Afrikaans-speaking Saffas
and chatted so much that I was at the front of the
line before I knew it! The day before the race, we
received a special welcome from the local Maoris
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ISSUE 128 MARCH 2020 / www.modernathlete.co.za
through song and a haka, and with the Te Puia geyser
spewing hot water and mist in the background, it was
a fantastic cultural experience and something I will
treasure forever. They also performed a haka right
before the gun went off for our race, and the energy
and confidence of the dancers put my mind straight
into beast mode!
The race itself was fairly flat, and as a result, friggen
fast! In my mind, it was much like what Comrades
would be like… on a dirt road. About 10km in I looked
at my watch, and I was running at threshold pace
just trying to keep up with the lead girls, one of which
was an Olympic marathon runner. And right there and
then, I knew it was going to be an exceptionally long
day. Or, as the Kiwi’s say when they’re surprised or
shocked, the finish was “far out!” But, thanks to the
support from my lovely hosts, friends and family, I
was in a really good head-space going into the race,
and managed to maintain both my drive and sense of
humour.
Naomi
Terrific Tar
& Travel Tr