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Following a hell ride down to Levin, (Where the windscreen wipers on the Camry decided they wanted to go in different directions in the middle of a rain storm), the morning of the Great Forest Marathon dawned (what else would it do?) bright and clear. I had no idea what to expect of this event, although I had heard a number of rumours as to what was ahead. A huge hill in the middle said one, sand dunes for half the course said another... just have to wait and see I guess. We headed over to the start line from our zero star accomodation early enough to watch the Marathon runners and the Half Marathon walkers start. Heaps of Marathon clinic shirts abounded and plenty of the usual good natured ribbing going on. After a pre-race briefing, during which the organisers explained that they had had to put some carpet on the sand dunes to make them negotiable(!), the walkers were off... followed about 1 minute later by Russell Pattison who was having trouble negotiating the portaloos. Of course no-one gave him a hard time about being late!
The Half Marathon run start was scheduled for a half-hour later, so it was time to warm up. Just three of us from Napier doing this - Paul Dally, Richard Crooks and myself, with Arthur Corbett missing the event due to work commitments. On the start line we received the same brief about the carpet(!) and then... the start was delayed so as to allow late comers to get to the start line (must have remembered how silly Russell looked). As the gun sounded we headed in to the Waitarere Forest with little knowledge of what lay ahead. Oh well, just give it heaps and see what happens. The first 6 km or so were on shingle roads and past quite quickly, then the interesting stuff started. Off to the right and on to some undulating tracks which would have been quite negotiable by car - if you didn't care too much about your car. Then another right took us off into Four Wheel Drive country. This continued for about 2km until we came out at a river and headed back toward the coast, skirting the river banks. The further we went the sandier it got under foot until we reached the carpet. (Ah, must be home. where's the lounge chair? I feel a beer coming on - I've been warned to watch out for beers in the forest). Just a couple of big sand dunes and on to the 4WD type tracks again. Not too much further and we were back onto the forest trails again and in what seemed like no time at all we were back out on to the main (?) drag and across the finish line.
My result? Third overall, 2nd open man (yup got beaten by an old bastard again!). 1hr18min39sec. Of the others Paul Dally ran 1:33 and Dick Sick about 1:50. Dont have any other times but Adrian Rhodes did the Marathon in something like 3:40(?). Granny Lycra won her 60+ age grade in the Half Marathon walk and the rest of the walkers just annoyed everyone else by taking all the way through the event and generally having fun!
This is a great event that I thoroughly recommend. Lots of drink stops, lots of people on the course to give directions and lots of diversions to take your mind of the pain.
Great Fun. Check it out next year.
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