100 miles is 160km folks, and this course will have you climbing around 8000m. Not to be taken lightly.
Click the maps below to view as PDFs. The 100mile (160km) course covers 3 maps, each loop starts and finishes in the same place – great to catch up with your supporters!
The first 50km loop take you from 200m above sea level (Start/finish) up near the most central point in New Zealand at around 1660m (2200m vertical climb). The second ‘loop’ is another 50km loop with a climb of 2600m. The third and final loop is only 10ks longer but still with steep climbs distributed through it (3200m vertical climb). Total climb of 8000m.
There will be plenty of marshals along key areas of the course. The course will be well marked with directional arrows, fluro spay paint on the ground and reflective tape at night. There will be one aid station about half way round each loop with nutrition and electrolyte supplements. You will also be coming back through the start/finish area at the 50k and 100k marks so you will be able to pick up your personal refreshments/gear as required. There will be some extra fresh water re-fill positions (creeks) along the course so a water carrying capacity of about 2L per person should be adequate. There will be some compulsory re-fill points.
This is a dry, hard, rocky course mostly run over high country 4WD tracks but also including some short sections of fence lines and sheep tracks. The weather can be ‘changeable’ so your minimum gear must be carried at all times.
Minimum gear requirements are:
- small day backpack.
- rain jacket – it can be just a ‘shell’ but it must be seam-seeled waterproof.
- merino or thermal long sleeve top
- extra fleece/mid wieght wool top.
- long tights or trousers
- warm cap or beanie
- polyprop gloves
- survival blanket
- own snacks, gels, energy bars etc
- water bottles/bladders – enough to carry 2 litres of water at all times
- headlight for night-time with back up batterys.
- reflector stripes or vest or back flashing light for night-time running
- cell phone (recommended but optional)
- gps/compass optional
Start: 6am Saturday 24th March 2012 at ‘the Shed’ Northburn Station
Fee: $410 until 1st March 2012
Entries will be refunded less 20% Admin fee if organisers are notified by 1st March 2011. No refunds after this date but your entry is transferable to another runner or to next years event.
Entries close March 1st 2012. Late entries may be available at the race organisers discretion but a late fee of NZ$50 will apply.
 1st Loop 50km |
 2nd Loop 50km |
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Distances measured and maps compiled 
by the top jokers at
Would it be possible to make this event a qualifying race for Western States 100 event in 2013 and after? http://ws100.com/qualifying.htm
yeh we are chasing that up. Will keep everyone posted.
I see you’ve added an extra mid-weight wool top to the list of required gear. Do 220 icebreakers count? What about 200 or 180?
Thanks
Ties (pronounced teece)
Yeh Ties, 180-220 merino is fine.
I am interested in taking the leap from 100km to 100miles. Can you provide any contacts for someone I could get some advice from about training and everything. Afterall, I don’t want to go into 160km underprepared!
Hi Chris- where are you based? If you can run a hundred k’s you can run a hundred miles – well, there will be a lot of walking involved. Hey for our event include a lot of hills in your training – even just hiking (fastish, with a 10kg pack). http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ultra-Running/92624365889?sk=wall&filter=2 these guys have a lot of answers. All the best.
Are there any plans to make this a qualifying race for Mt Blanc ultra (to align with points earnt at Tarawera Ultra in Rotorua)? There are a heap of 2 point races but no 3′s in NZ and you need 5 points over 2 races in 2 years to qualify. Going to Oz just to get a qualifying race seems a bit of a shame! Cheers
Good point. Thanks for that – we’ll chase-up with the Mount Blanc organisers and see what they say.
I will be coming from India and If this is a qualifying race for Mont Blanc with 3 points I would like to sign up too.Cheers
It sure is Param, in fact it’s worth the most at 4points! http://www.ultratrailmb.com/page/87/courses_qualificatives_liste.html
Hi Team.
Any chance of being able to get an electronic copy of the photos from race day?
Why run 100 miles?
Because to play rugby or cricket you only need 1 ball.
Thanks team for a great event even tho I only toured 2/3 of it.
Any thoughts of making the 160 a 3 day stage race in 2012 for us velocity challenged but determined runners?
If that h2o bottle was a grey Nathan found on lap 1 it is mine and will collect.
With comments like that Jim, have you been reading Dean Karnazes’ latest book ‘RUN!’?
Is this race going to be held at the same time next year or a couple of weeks after the Tarawera 100km? Cheers.
We’re having a debrief this evening and will endevour to confirm next years date.
Date will be the same next year – 2012 4th weekend in March 24th and 25th.
GO MARTY>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi All,
This is my opinion only, but is based on my experience and is an attempt help those entered. I have run on this range, and the two ranges either side. I have run in the area during, summer and winter and in a variety of conditions. I have completed several 12, 24 hour and distance events in conditions and terrain similar to what we could expect. That includes the Motatapu events which are held in the 2nd week of March.
Having said that.
Weather – At this time of year it is not unusual for snow to fall. It fell at this time last year and has fallen at New Year in the past. It is not unusual to expect the temperature to fall to minus 5, several Motatapu starts have been that cold, as has the ridge section of the Kepler in December. Day temperatures could reach the 30′s and have done in the past. They were mid to high 20′s this past weekend.
Shoes – wear what you are used to and what is comfortable. A spandiard will pierce whatever you are wearing, 100miles will do more damage than the odd spaniard. The rocks will also do more damage.
Lights – No idea why the light is optional for the 1st loop. It will be dark until 7:15. The Motatapu Adventure run started at 6 and we needed lights until 7.
Cheers
Matt
Good point Matt!! Of course it will still be dark when you start so headlights will be absolutely nessesary. (Hopefully you’re all well and truely bck from the first 50 before it get’s dark again).
Fair point about the shoes too – however I’d just like to make it clear that this course is nothing like the Motatapu or the Kepler – I have road running shoes that I’d happilly run those two races in but I also have off-road shoes that I’d definately run this one in. If you have both types – bring the latter.
I tend to agree about the shoes as well, I’ll be in Trail ones.
Competitive field – Lukes for the win. But then another 10 guys capable of filling out the minor slots. Tracey Woodford won’t have it easy in the womans either.
Agree, wear what you’re most comfortable with on the shoe front. Now is not the time to be changing what is the most important bit of kit you need.
Very excited about this event now, looking forward to the cool after the Sydney heat this summer.
Thanks Matt
. I suspected most of that – but not all, so useful for me.
Hey Guys,
If entries have all been completed, any chance of publishing a start-list?
Yeah, that would be good, cos Marty won’t confirm that he’s entered
Also heard that Neal Gorman (Grand Slam record holder) had made an inquiry and is in the country.
Wow, that would be awesome to have that sort of quality in the field. counting down the days now!
OK, here’s the list to date – still a few late entries coming in. http://northburn100.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/competitor-list-14-03-2011.pdf
Only learnt about this race in the latest Red Bulletin, sounds fantastic and good on you guys for putting something like this together. I have done 2 Barfoot & Thompson 100km and am about to do my 2nd Oxfam 100km. Would love to do this but will have to wait to next year as my training would be well under at the moment. All the best for your event and I will be there next year. Cheers Kim
Thanks Kim, will be putting out plenty of how it went comments during and after race. Tom
You guys should set up a Twitter feed/profile and update via that… we can then send it onto friends and family to follow the event
Good idea Dan – I’ll pass that onto Glen our social media guru and see if we can get it set up in the next couple of days.
Hi Guys,
Any ideas on numbers for the events yet? I’m planning on entering the 100miler but will drop down to 100k if its going to be a significantly bigger field.
Brent
The 100miler is the biggest category so far with 20 entered. We expect there are a few holding off entering until the last minute in case of injuries and that sort of thing -
G’dday team.
Wondering if you could answer some of the questions above.
Cheers.
Sorry Callum – been a bit slack on the replies…
At ‘The Barn’ Race central, there will be water, powerade, pumpkin soup, boiled potatoes and the opportunity to get your own supplies. Competitors pass back through this area every 50km or so.
Competitors doing the 160k or 100k courses will have an additional point out on the mountain where we will have a large covered trailer you can store a personal bag of gear in – this can have food, drinks, extra clothing, light batteries… You will not pass this point on the first 50km but you will pass it a couple of times on the 60km and final 50km loop. There will be one Aid station per loop with Water, Powerade, and Manuka Boosta Bars on them. I’ll go in and ammend the maps to have the correct ‘A’ for Aid station and ‘B’ for Bag drops in the correct places now.
Hi team.
Is it possible to get a list of food / supplements / drinks that will be available at the aid stations half way around the three loops.
I understand that there is the option of athletes having a personal food bag at these aid stations. Is this the case?
Kind regards,
Callum.
Hi team.
Is it possible to get a list of food / supplements / drinks that will be available at the aid stations half way around the three loops.
I understand that there is the option of athletes having a personal food bag at these aid stations. Is this the case?
Kind regards,
Callum.
On the mandatory gear.Do you have to carry all of gear from the start or can you pick up your lights,vest,batteries after the first loop..
Minimum gear requirements are:
■small day backpack.
■light rain jacket
■merino or thermal long sleeve top
■long tights or trousers
■warm cap or beanie
■polyprop gloves
■survival blanket
■own snacks, gels, energy bars etc
■water bottles/bladders – enough to carry 2 litres of water at all times
■headlight for night-time with back up battery
■reflector stripes or vest or back flashing light for night-time running
Hi Northburn
Just want to ask a question about the aid stations, where are they located or do you have to carry food and water for the whole 100 miles?
Looks like a great course (3 loops)
Cheers Kieron
Hi there.
Will there be an area close to the course where my support crew (and other support crews) can set up a small 2/3 man tent? This would be of benefit as the runners pass through transition (a quick sleep and for storage of race food).
If this is possible, from when could we set our tent up?
Looking forward to it.
Callum.
Hi Callum, Yes there will be a place for tents with portaloo nearby and drinking water. a couple of days in advance is no problem. However we will be encouraging as many as possible to utilise ‘The Shed’ Race base main room 20 m by 9 m space for competitors and support crew to ‘utilise’ i.e sleep/massage/eat etc. Tom
Bummer! Discovered it too late to enter next year – doing the Tarawera 100k. See you in 2012!
After just having sweated out another run over the hump track just wondering if the sites on the maps marked as marshals will have water available. Would love to do this one but its 3 hellish climbs and still the odd nuisance of being 160km. Will keep pushing the training and see in Feb. Good luck to all others in preperation.
Hi Wayne, keep up the training! We will be requiring competitors to carry at least 2 litres of water and there will be water available every two hours. New updated maps on the way before christms with more detail. Tom
Looks good
I’m very likely to do this, looks exciting:)
mmmmmmmm tantalising
I’m a short, fat bloke so would’ve looked at the 50km but have signed up for the Tararua Mountain race a couple of weeks before. Your event looks great though, are you still looking for volunteers? Would love to be a part of the main event.
Ian
Hi Ian, hey good on ya for doing the Tararua Mtn run, I did that a few years back, it is a beauty.
If you are keen to come down and be a volunteer we’d be very happy to have you!
Thanks very much – (Tom will email you directly for more contact details.)
Hardrock 100 appears to have similar elevation change but with only less than 1/3 of the finishers completing before 36 hours and 2/3 completing by 40 hours…Perhaps a slightly more generous cut off time for the softer runners like myself ?
Yes, Lisa is running the full course this weekend and we will reassess after that. Thanks for your feedback.
Hey,
Any idea on potential numbers for the 100miler yet? Will be putting my entry in after racing in november.
No response from my earlier mail.A suggestion to get a bigger field….allow slow/old runners to start 12 hours early and be totally self supporting until the “normal” field start.These runners could have a tape on their number so they would not be confused with the leaders.Two friends from Canada were dead keen to do NZs first official trail 100 til the saw altitude profiles and cutoffs.I’m also a definite if this idea was taken up on.Please reply either through this site or my email.
Keep truckin’………Jim
Hi Jim, it’s a good idea but unfortunately the first loop has a couple of ‘off trail’ sections where marshals will be absolutely critical to ensure runners stay on the course. Any ‘early’ runners would be doing the first loop in the dark and from a safety point of view we have to err on the side of caution. We will be relaxed about the cut-off time, slower runners will most likely be allowed to finish after the cut off (depending on their condition and distance still to go…)
Terry
Fair answer Terry, thanks.Will talk to you when I get home to Good old NZ…………cheers,Jim
That is an excelent response for us slower folks.
Hoping to head down from the North Island for this.
Thanks
are you going to allow pacers and if so from what distance will they be allowed?
Hi Dan, hey sorry man, NO pacers is in the plan…
Nope.
Is there a compulsory gear list please, thanks
Yes there is. I’ve just up-dated the website to include –
Minimum gear requirements are:
* small day backpack.
* light rain jacket
* merino or thermal long sleeve top
* long tights or trousers
* warm cap or beanie
* polyprop gloves
* survival blanket
* own snacks, gels, energy bars etc
* water bottles/bladders – enough to carry 2 litres of water at all times
* headlight for night-time with back up battery
* reflector stripes or vest or back flashing light for night-time running
* cell phone (recommended but optional)
* gps/compass optional
Great to not have to head over to the States for a hundred miler.Course looks great, you just have to love those Mountains.
Good job Lisa and the rest of the crew.
Dan Greig
In the pursuit of happiness.
tarawera? Nice training run but no hills! My dog will love this and can help clear out a few rabbits.
so so keen, but just signed up for the Tarawera! Don’t let this be a one off
Course looks great, and having available bag drops will be perfect. Really looking forward to this one!
Love the 700m climb with about 30% slope near the 140k mark. Flatlanders, feel free to cry now
Congrats Lisa,Tom,Glen,Emma,Terry and Ed for your iniative.Cool to think wont have to go to U.S. to satisfy the addiction!
Am currently in the States doing a bunch of 100s but any suggestions you might want would be happy to oblige eg. fair cutoffs based on altitude change etc.A couple of guys from Canada are already dead keen.
cheers…………..Jim PS…………….Love the buckle design!!!
Brilliant, let the training begin.