Tarawera Ultramarathon 102km Run to raise money for the Starship Foundation - 2 years in the making!

The Tarawera Ultramarathon 102km (TUM102) has been a bucket list challenge for me since moving to New Zealand in 2019. During that time, I've also become aware of the incredible work the Starship Foundation does. Through colleagues and friends who have worked at the hospital. So why not combine the challenge with raising some funds for a good cause? Any donations will be much appreciated.

I entered to run in 2022 with a good friend Jonny Littlewood (a physiotherapist at Starship hospital), but three weeks before the race start it was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. Our entries were postponed until 2023.

Following a disastrous Auckland marathon run, in October 2022, the training began again. Weekly Monday Underground runs; numerous events around Auckland; a 50km Ultra in Tauranga (we won't mention that it was actually only 49km), a 24hr relay, a 53km Christmas Eve training run and a 60km early in the new year. All with fellow TUM102 entrant David Greenwood and a host of other Run Undergrounders joining us at various points on the long runs. Many of whom are out on Saturday too, tackling the TUM50 & TUM21.

60km is the furthest we ran in training. That’s what the training plan suggested. On Saturday we will hit that point, the furthest my body has ever run and still have a marathon to go. I have no idea what to expect.

I held off putting this up in case recent weather events, or other issues, meant I couldn't run. But it's a go. I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be.