The Shotover Ultra

It's 2024, I’m 21 years old, about to head back to uni next week. As I’d never run an ultra before, but last minute changed from the Tawawera relatively flat 21k to the Shotover ultra with a fair bit of vert, I was thinking how hard can it be? I saw I'd have to have a hydration pack and having never used any gear before (usually just head out and hope for the best), I found a pack on FB marketplace and popped round to pick it up.. “56km is a few k’s.” Richard (the chap I got the pack off remarked with a concerned expression as he handed over his well-loved ultimate direction pack, which I still use to this day. ahh yup..

My last run before the race, I managed to sprain my LCL and couldn’t run full stop, so I wasn’t off to a great start. The next morning, I shoved some pink strapping tape into my bag, a singlet and shorts, and not much else, then told dad that “it’ll either be a good time or a good story,’ before nervously cruising down to Queenstown in my Hilux Surf.

Terry, the race director, did not inspire great confidence as he remarked after. “No offense, but we thought you’d be our first DNF,” he cheerfully said.

I wasn’t really sure what to do with myself, so I slept in the back of my truck and ate some apples I'd found on the drive. The next morning, I woke up and my first thought was I really actually didn’t feel like running today.. great. It was kinda cold, and there was a thick fog at Moke Lake. I wandered over to the start line in a fluffy jumper and my hunting and fishing fleece pants. There were no girls to be seen. The start of the ultra was just hardy looking grim, middle-aged men. What was I in for?? Eventually, some extreme-looking girls turned up, and then it was the start, and I reluctantly stripped down to a singlet and shorts, and we were off. It was actually a stunning morning, and I could hear the helicopters overhead as they shuttled the marathon runners up to their start line. A couple of hours later, we were starting the main climb as the sun was up. Wow, such a stunning country! I started to feel super hyperglycemic and realized I probably should have woken up earlier to eat something before the race. I was also super tired, and we were only at 20km. I'd already decided that I'd only make it to the halfway point, then would definitely have to pull out. Also realised why I was the only one in road-running shoes as we bombed down a slippery, steep descent into the valley. At the 30km aid station, the guys there were white with dried sweat, and no one had any energy to talk. It was about 30 degrees in a hot, sheltered valley. I ran up the next hill; it was hot and hard. At 42km, there was an aid station, and I remember telling the marshal don’t tell mum I'm taking some of these airplanes. He laughed. I was super happy running out of here as the lady told me I was in 2^nd place! The next memorable moment was running a water race with a tough ultra runner who told me this is where it sucks, and you hurt, and it's hard and hot, but you don’t give up. Sheet he was having a day! I left him to it and ran a sporty 10k back to the finish. I was super happy and felt smashed but in a good way, if that makes sense! 3^rd place. My first ultra race, and I felt like I'd left everything on the course. I threw myself in the lake, and the rest of the day was a blur, either due to a pub crawl or the sudden hit of alcohol to my already severely dehydrated system. As I limped back to my truck at 6 a.m. the next morning after kick-ons, I remember thinking the sunrise was so pretty and purple! Well, I guess it was my first ultra race, but now it also didn’t turn out to be my last!