After a few accomodation hiccups, we made it to our Queenstown hotel and the lads checked in at Rego and sourced a few pizzas for dinner.
An early start Saturday morning, we were close enough to town for Lee and Kris to walk in and catch the bus to the start line. The kids and I prepped for parkrun; my 100 milestone and a chance to catchup with our Queenstown friends before we drive out to Moke Lake, hopefully beating the runners to the Shotover Moonlight Finishline.
The Shotover Moonlight Marathon Race HQ & finish line. What a location! A picturesque panorama of mountains and lakes nestled beneath a towering Ben Lomond. It’s impossible to take a bad photo here. Moke Lake just one of the many amazing backdrops.
Next to the finish area (also the start line of the 10 and 21km), there is a beautiful spacious DOC campsite too. Some runners have camped here last night and it’s a superb idea!
Being the start/finish of the 10 and 21km meant there was a lot going to keep the kids and I entertained as we patiently waited for Lee and our friend Kris to come in from his 30km race. They’d caught the bus at 7:00am out to the start of their race on the banks of Shotover River at Skippers Canyon. Their first time on this course, a difficult one on paper, and with no comms out here, it was hard to say when exactly they’d be making their way up the finish chute.
Some familiar faces at HQ, it was fantastic to see and hang out with a couple of RunnersNZ crew before they headed out in the 21km Half Marathon. Brad @bradgeen, Jayde @jaydekruger_ and Josh @joshsboyd_ all relaxed and in high spirits for their leisurely 11:00am start.
Love a finish line vibe and this one is pretty special. Another grass roots kind of event, hosted by the Foster Family, runners get to navigate their way through a pretty special part of remote back country Otago. Past Ben Lomond Station and thorough otherwise inaccessible private property, vistas from the race promise to be worth the workout.
A huge congratulations to everyone that conquered this course and crossed the finish line – the trail, the vert and the heat sounded super tough and you all 100% deserved that race medal and beer/coke at the end! And well done to my No. 1 and partner in all of this, Lee. 12th overall in the 30km and 2nd in the over 40’s cat. Being your crew chief and supporter is always an honour.. and I’m grateful to still be involved in and witnessing a small piece of the summer race season through you.
Below are photos of Jayde @jaydekruger_ and Josh @joshsboyd_ (21km) and Lee @mr_webber_ and Kris @fiordland_finders (30km).
And all the best events have a Kids Dash! The Shotover being a paddock loop (varying in size by age cat.) and the kids in attendance were unleashed in a game of chase, trying to mow down the ‘Musterer’ or race lead/chaperone on their way back to the finish.
Not quite sure the Musterer of the 11-14yr was ready for a 4:20/km lap but he did well to hold Nath off for as long as he did. He looked out on his feet when he was passed on the final stretch – I think it’ll please him to know next year Nath wants to enter the 10km.
An absolutely amazing event run by fantastic organisers – we’ll definitely be putting it in the race diary for 2025!
