Another amazing year of being on the Kepler Challenge Committee It is such a honour seeing the behind the scenes, helping the 37th race come together, and celebrating the incredible mahi of the ‘village’ that is Te Anau. Everyone here it seems plays a part in the annual event, and when race weekend arrives, town is buzzing!
Being ‘home’ makes this Race Rego special too. Familiar faces are everywhere and the atmosphere is vivacious. The event is legendary; its history deep, the mountains infamous, and the community second to none. Limited to just 650 runners across 2 races, and selling out in less than two minutes… it is not lost on those that are here just how freaking epic it is to be collecting a race bib and lining up on the Kepler Challenge start lines.
For me it’s always the coming together of people that I love the most, and this weekend provides another amazing opportunity to catch up and celebrate with friends from all over NZ.
SATURDAY, 7th December
A beautiful calm morning. So much light, even pre-sunrise. We arrive early and Lee joins the others in preparing for the 6am start of the Kepler Challenge. I’m running this year too, in the later 7am Luxmore Grunt, a 27km out and back with roughly 1,000m Elev. Gain. Doing so puts a bit of a dent in when and where I can take photos, but in the moments I can, I do.
I am stoked to have our Taranaki friends Sarah and Jon-Paul. JP #188 is racing the full Kepler and I managed to get Sarah on the volunteer crew for the Luxmore Hut Aid Station. She’s probably going to have the best day out of all of us – the mountain experience but without the DOMs! Once the main race starts she’ll be helicoptered to her mountain top position for duty. From there she’ll be able to see JP, Lee and all of the other runners come through for their gear checks, help get them refuelled and rehydrated before seeing them off into the alpine section. Luxmore Hut is also my turn around point. I’m promised a mid-race hug from Sarah and a surprise… something to do with their aid station theme and her fancy dress costume, which she’s managed to remain tight lipped about.
450 runners line up on the Control Gates. There is the expected nervous energy but vibes are high and conditions are perfect. The horn sounds and Lee and the other Challengers get underway. Once the TEC is out of sight spectators and supporters disperse. A calm silence falls over Race HQ, leaving just the officials there, doing official things.
There is a 60min wait before the Luxmore Grunt start and these runners only now start to trickle in. I round up some locals and a few friends who have arrived early for group photos, then hand my camera over to Nath to look after. It’s game on. Let’s go!
This is my first time on the track in 6 weeks. I haven’t been back since Labour weekend when I stacked it at the top of the tree line and quite spectacularly broke my hand. I had serious contemplations about withdrawing from the race and flip flopped on that decision no less than a dozen times. Fears of tripping and falling with my fingers now locked in a vulnerable position makes my stomach churn. I have two goals for this race. 1) Stay on my feet. And 2) beat the Kepler Challenge winner home… they have a 1 hour head start, I have a 33km advantage.
I start conservatively but the pace begins to creep up. It’s easy to get caught in the trail train between the Gates and Brod Bay. I stick with it and keep moving. It’s only 6km so I watch the feet in front of me and we skip through the roots, rocks and small sections of mud with unity.
I stop for the loo at Brody Bay. I’m competitive beyond my ability so am attempting to take some of the pressure off my ‘performance’ with forced casualness. That said, I know the upcoming hill well and am physically and mentally prepared for a strong hike. Back on the trail and into the climb, runners possibly less aware of how long this really does go for, overtake me and push on with a run. I know most of the midpack will burn out quickly with that tactic and so I stick to my plan, trusting that I’ll catch and pass them back soon enough.
I’m super stoked with my climb, I think I managed my energy and pace really well and passed a lot of people who I think had underestimated the track. With a real drop off in my training (in both running and strength work) I did question if I too was pushing beyond the limit of my legs, but once I got to the treeline and the trail started to flatten out across the tops, I was able to break into a steady run.
Absolutely EPIC getting to the Hut and seeing ‘Lady Sarah’ adorned with her ridiculously big hat! How did she get that on the helicopter!?!?
There is a cone on the lower deck of Luxmore Hut that Grunt runners have to loop around before heading back the way you came; or you can stop a while and take advantage of the aid station just beyond the cone. I couldn’t pass up a photo with “the Royal family” and the opportunity to share a moment of excitement and gratitude with Sarah, Gemma and Hannah. What a flippin amazing location for a rendezvous. And an absolute day for it!
Part 2. The descent. Blergh. I took that VERY cautiously. It’s hard in places, the steepness is such that you are propelled forward, and with that momentum it’s actually quite hard to slow down or stop. But I make it to the bottom incident free and having stayed on my feet; one near miss spiking the heart rate on the Garmin graph. Just 5ish km of ‘flat’ trail to the finish.
A bit of math, and cursing 2 toilet stops, I wonder if I can get home under 3:30. I settled into a jog, walking 3 or 4 pinchy inclines when my achilles and calf protest. I know every inch of this section now, and the sound of Race HQ starts to echo through the trees. Damn it’s good to see that last rise and Brad from Palmy standing at the top cheering. He and another volunteer radio forward our bib numbers and I hear my name called over the loudspeaker even before I see the Finish. Jan’s voice calls me home. Feeling quite proud as I cross the bridge to Nath and the Kepler team; being a part of this committee is pretty special. Thrilled to get my medal and hug from Irene. A quick breather and then the crew tee goes back on!
Four Images below by Photos4Sale
Carly – 27km (with 1,163m total ascent)
⏱️ 3:33:11
For a race I almost pulled out of, with 4 fractures in my throbbing hand, no further grazes or injuries acquired…. it’s been a good day. Plus I beat Dan Balchin (the Kepler winner) back – making both goals achieved. Gotta be happy with that.
Congrats to Lee on his second Kepler Challenge finish. Not the race either of us especially wanted (the Kepler doesn’t give those out easily!) but still an amazing day in the mountains, and an effort and finish we’re both still proud of.
Lee – 60km (with 3,317m total ascent)
⏱️ 7:42:57
Congrats to everyone who raced and a mammoth thank you to the volunteers, supporters, Kepler teams and the community of Te Anau. We love this place!
