Pacers (friends to go with you through the night or for the last few stumbling killometers) are now allowed. They will need to fill in a form, sign a waiver and have a yarn with the medic at pre race registration or before they head out onto the course. $40 per pacer. Please see our official ‘policy’ on pacing here.

I recently did the 100miles to check it out from a competitors perspective – see how it went here http://northburn100.co.nz/2012/02/13/a-video-log-of-the-100miles/.

Pre-race breifing notes have been up-dated since last year – see here http://northburn100.co.nz/2011/03/22/pre-race-briefing-notes/

Thanks very much to Kia motors coming on board as a sponsor Lisa will be driving back and forth between Cromwell and Queenstown so let us know your arrival times and we may well be able to pick you up!

If you need accommodation in Cromwell don’t forget to give Glen a call at the Golden Gate Lodge +64 +3 4451777

Hope your training is going well! More info to follow in a couple of weeks.

Regards,

The Northburn100 team,
Lisa, Tom, Terry and Glen.

At the end of it all I was thinking – how can I encourage people to come and put themselves through such a tortuous event?? And here’s the thing, the 50km and 100km are great challenging distances that can actually be enjoyed. Those who enter the 100miles are expecting to be challenged beyond their ‘comfort level’, to those people I can in all sincerity say – you will get your moneys worth.

Tips? Trekking poles – I’d like to use them I think next time. Gaiters over your socks – there are a few grass-seads and small stones you don’t want in your shoes. Spare socks and shoes at bag drop area’s. Don’t eat chocolate brownies! 3 out of 3 of us who had some felt sick afterwoods.

Also likely to turn up are some good mates of Lisa’s including:
Molly Sheridan- www.desertskyadventures.com
Samantha Gash
Ray Sanchez
Ali Wehbi
Dr Rajat Chauhan

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 we have just added this to the list.

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

Good to have
cell phone (recommended but optional)
gps/compass – optional
running gaiters

Good to leave at TW bag drop (just in case)
Extra pair(s) of dry socks
Water proof over trousers
Extra warm top…
Spare batteries for headlight

Just got a pair this arvo and took them for a wee 1&1/2hr hill run over wet grass and dirt. Fantastically comfortable and superbly grippy. Early days yet but so far so good. These are NOT a low profile shoe like the other shoes I own but that’s OK. I still run in them with a mid/fore-foot style and I think it’s good to mix up your shoes as you train each week.

Oh yeh – and probably the best fitting shoes I’ve worn in the wet – even totally saturated my smaller right foot didn’t slip around as it sometimes does in other brands of shoe.

No marshals, no bag drops, no first aiders on site. We’re not racing but not going to be taking it too slowly either (well the first 50k’s anyway!) We will carry all the minimum gear plus extra food.

Here’s the plan – Saturday 4th Feb 9am start loop one, 50km 2200m ascent/decent, planning for 6-7 Hours will be gently running the flat and the down hills – walking the ups (nearly half of it).

3-4pm Saturday back at the Shed to reload with food and head out with the next group – loop 2, 50km, 2800m ascent/decent. 9-10hrs? Walking all ups, gently running the gentle down-hills, and some flats? Mostly tramping.

1-3am? Sunday 5th back at the shed to reload and head out with the last group – loop 3, 60km, 3000m ascent/decent. 12-13 hours? This will be a long and relatively slow ‘tramp’ (what we call hiking in NZ), I’ll run what I can but I wouldn’t expect to be running very much – there is some relatively nice gentle down hills in this section so we’ll see how we go. Good for night-time experience.

Email me if you’re keen to come along on a loop.

10. You get to tell your friends you competed in one of the toughest mountain run courses in the world.
9. The weather ‘should’ be good – Northburn station get’s an average rainfall of 24cm (about 10 inches) of rain each year. March is typically our most settled month.
8. You get to run/hike over some unique, iconic Central Otago high country.
7. We have a highly experienced medic team and effective yet non restrictive safety plan.
6. You get to meet Lisa Tamati in person!
5. All starters get a Lisa Tamati original bracelet, all 100mile finishers get the coveted belt buckle.
4. There is plenty of walking (up some very steep hills) to intersperse the incessant running involved with completing such distances.
3. No tarmac, you don’t touch a sealed road through any of the 160km (100miles).
2. The location, Central Otago and New Zealand are well worth the long flight.

And the number 1 reason you should sign up for the Northburn100 is… The sense of accomplishment after knocking this baby off will last you the rest of your life.