We asked the hive mind what advice they would give to people considering Tarawera for the first time. The following post contains the majority of their collective insight, in no particular order. Hopefully this helps you and if you need help with your training please get in touch [email protected]
- Read the miler warrant of fitness https://squadrun.co.nz/miler-wof/
- Enjoy the experience
- Get an awesome support crew – the running bit is the easy part right
- make a week of it https://squadrun.co.nz/what-to-do-in-rotorua/
- A Lot of Aid stations are not accessible to public/supporters and your race crew so make sure your carrying all the stuff you need and have backup (study the course, read the website)
- Hubby says don’t start off too fast!
- learn endurance hydration and nutrition basics and how your own body needs to fuel.
- Make your primary goal just to finish. – don’t worry too much about pace or times. Those are distant secondary goals.
- Say hi to every volunteer along the way it makes your day and is a great distraction
- Consider watching the preparation videos Gareth Morris did.
- There is a lot to be part of on Friday with Te Puia welcome, Expo and various informative presentations and race briefings.
- Eat the watermelon
- Take lots of photos
- Enjoy the scenery
- Smile for the camera
- Maximise that finish line
- Take your time in the cooldown tent
- Get your free beer!
- Understand what athlete you are now and on the day. Does this mean you might podium, run 75% walk 25%, run/walk 50%, walk 75% run 25%
- Make high cadence walking a part of your training.
- Beware the quarry steps! or laugh at them if you have done UTA.
- Have a banger playlist for your deep dark moments
- Get the right shoes and socks, consider spears.
- The trails are excellently marked.
- The cut-offs are very achievable.
- Book accommodation early.
- Don’t book accommodation with bedroom upstairs and bathroom downstairs
- Get to know the logistics and if you need a bus. Book your bus early.
- Don’t underestimate yourself, take the plunge if you have that little seed planted in your mind ‘I wonder if I can go that far’…you’ll be suprised that an average person can actually do a ultra, put in a solid block of training and be resilient.
- Gators!!! That volcano grit in my shoe caused me the worst blisters I’ve ever had!
- Follow the program, take the second guessing out of it, be consistent with your training, start early.
- Practice your night running. Expect to feel a bit down after dusk. It’s normal
- Practice eating on the go. Train your stomach.
- Treat minor issues before they get bad.
- You don’t have to run the uphills.
- Finish strong.
- The cut-offs are achievable.
- “never underestimate the restorative power of clean, dry underpants.”
- The volcanic trail mud is a breeze to run through. It’s like brown pumice sand that falls off your shoes instead of the sticky gooey wet mud we have in Australia.
- Even if your headspace isn’t quite right on the day, or things don’t go according to plan, we have so much more endurance capability than we give ourselves credit for. Turn the chatter off and keep the legs ticking over.
- For the longer distances pack a toothbrush and toothpaste in your drop bags after -70 km
- Sometimes maybe Poles.
- Make yourself a small problem solving kit and have it easily accessible without taking your pack off. In mine I had panadol, mints, gastro stop, salt tabs, lip balm and chaff cream.
- If you’re considering stepping up to a longer distance, do it. Even if it scares the crap out of you. You’ll surprise yourself, and it won’t be as bad as you thought it was going to be
And you’ll want to go back and do it all over again.
- Get your family on board from the start, it will be so hard if they aren’t. You will spend a lot of time training, recovering, sleeping, going to events along the way, being tired and grumpy, talking (obsessing) about it endlessly. You don’t want to be fighting for the time and space to do all of this.
- Clear the decks. Pick a year (as much as you can) when you won’t be moving house, getting married, changing jobs, etc.
- Training with a coach is paramount imo. Following a program takes a lot of guesswork away.
- Generally speaking don’t listen to Chris Townley.
- Download the app, read the website.
- Be part of this group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/98635982123
- Go out there with the attitude to enjoy the day – smile, speak to other people, say hi to course marshalls and thank the volunteers
- Know your “why” and write it on your arm or in a note to yourself in a drop bag
- If for some reason you can not enter/participate then get amongst the event anyway.
