The 100k is on for 2019.
Click the maps below to view as Jpegs or down load the google earth files from the Route Profiles tab above. The 100k course covers 2 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 (2600m vertical climb). The second ‘loop’ is another 50km loop with a climb of 3750m.
There will be plenty of marshals along key areas of the course. The course will be well marked with directional arrows, plastic poles and reflective tape at night.
There will be two aid stations with nutrition and electrolyte supplements, each one about half way around each loop. You will also be coming back through the start/finish area at the 50k mark you will be able to pick up your personal refreshments/gear as required. There will be multiple 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 we have just added this to the list.
- Whistle
- long thermal tights or trousers
- warm beanie or Thir Band
- 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)
- gaiters (optional but recommended)
- gps/compass optional
- waterproof over trousers (good to have in your drop bag at TW (major aid station up the mountain) just in case.
Start: 6.am Saturday at the marquee Northburn Station
$340 before October 1st. 390 until 1st March.
Entries will be refunded less 20% Admin fee if organisers are notified by 1st March (goes up on 1st march!) No refunds after this date but your entry is transferable to another runner or to next years event.
Entries close March 16th. Late entries may be available at the race organisers discretion but a late fee of NZ$50 will apply.


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HI Northburn,
Haha sorry to ask this but is there a medal for the 100k?
also if you enter the 100k and then decide you want to do the 100 miler can you change?
Thanks, Terri
Yep, medal for 100k finishers. Yep change up or down in the last few days before the event no problem.
Do you have the dates yet for 2016 for the 100 ta Sandy
[…] the race. On Saturday 23rd March, tomorrow, 1 month later he will compete again. This time in the New Zealand Northburn 100. Matty has been tipped by Matt Bixley from Back Country Runner to be leading the field along side […]
Hi there Lisa,
Just a question about the training towards the 100km. How many long distance off road training runs should one aim to complete a week? Im worried about under/over training. Thanks…looking forward to your next book!
Sorry for taking so long to reply Losa, Lisa doesn’t get these notifications unless I forward them onto her (which I will do now) . I would recommend 1 long 3-5 hrs run/hike per week plus on your shorter mid-week runs try to include plenty of hills or stairs on 2 of them.
[…] planning on doing the 100mile event but had to make a tough but wise decision and opt for the 100km event. There are two loops in this event that will take me from 200m above sea level up near the most […]
My husband and I have planned and trained to run the 160km and 100km run together but we notice changes have been made to the order of play and routes. Will there be any further change and if not any chance of still being able to run together ?? Helen
Hi Helen,
There are no more foreseable changes to be made to the course or start times, however we do need to hold the option open for further changes if extraneous interference should arrise.
The 100km and 100mile courses follow the same trail for the first 50km then they branch off from each other.
Do you have a cut off time for the first loop in the 100km/100mile run? (Can not find it, if any)
Cheers
Yeh sorry – I now have the FAQ’s tab on the main page. To answer your question:
50k – 12hours
100k- 30hours
160k – 48 hours NOTE – Prize giving starts at 12pm on the Monday. (Runners entered in the 160k will also have to abide by the 50k (first loop) and 100k (first 2 loops) cut-offs.)
Hi Matt
Thanks for the encouragement. I’ll see how I feel after the Heaphy achievement. I”ll keep my eyes peeled for you at the start line !!
Hi, I saw the Gobi doco the other day – man you guys are tough. I am interested although some people think I’m a bit loopy even thinking about it. I am running the Heaphy 1st weekend in Feb (50miles) do you think there is enough time for R&R (and the odd run) between that and the 100k Northburn? Or are they too close to be comfortable.
You should be able to run both of them but you probably wouldn’t be able to race both effectively.
If you are doing the Hephy just for fun and can take it ‘easy’ and use it like a training run then you should be fine. Listen to your body, late entry fee’s don’t kick in until March so maybe just hold off on entering until the end of Feb and see how you feel?
Hey Sue,
I’ll be doing both (plus Motatapu), 7 weeks is a very long time. 2-3 weeks rest, still leaves another 2-3 training and some more time for tapering. Enjoy.
Sounds like a great event.Unfortunately i’ve decided to compete in the Tarawera ultra next year as it’s run on a Saurday.Due to work committments running an ultra on a Sunday and possably monday doesn’t work for me.Being Christchurch based would have loved to come down for it.
Good luck with the event.
Thanks for that, fair enough. We kind of expect people will be taking some days off work one side of the weekend or the other. I hope you dont have anything too important to do at work on the Monday! I know myself after completeing 24hr endurance events I’m not my usual ‘sharp’ self for a good couple of days.
Hi Lisa, great race. Well that you organize the ‘race. Enjoy the other preparations.
Best regards Uli
Race Director Europe135
I have read Lisa’s book “Running Hot” and absolutely loved it. She has inspired me to run my first (of many) ultramarathons and this would be the perfect first-time-100km race! I love that it is in NZ and in my favourite part of NZ as well! I look forward to learning more about this race! Count me in for March 25-27 2011! cheers, Lesley Turner Hall