100 mile Ruapehu relay

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 313, 14 November 1989, Page 16

100 mile Ruapehu relay

New Zealand's biggest relay is on this weekend - the New Zealand Army - DB Draught Limited Around the Mountain Relay.

The Around the Mountain Relay (ATMR) is a circuit race around Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngaruhoe in the Tongariro National Park. It is New Zealand's biggest relay and it will be held on Saturday, 18 November 1989. The event is a giant 100 mile (160km) relay through the central North Island's volcanic plateau and had become a highlight of the central North Island athletic calendar, attracting teams from all over the North Island, the other Armed Services and also from the Australian Army. The relay has come a long way from its small beginnings when only New Zealand Army teams participated. It is now in its thirteenth year and each year the event has grown to its 1988 size where more than 2,000 runners, supporters and managers attended. The 1989 event has been restricted to a similar number. The ATMR is sponsored by the New Zealand Army and for the last three years DB Draught Ltd has also been a principal sponsor. Total prize money offered this year is $6,000 and all entrants receive a free t-shirt. The AMTR is hosted by the Army Training Group in Waiouru and it

is primarily a relay for teams of ten runners although some individuals will complete the course alone. 1987's winning solo or ultra runner was Birkenhead's Richard Tout, who finished the 100 miles in a very respectable time of 12 hours 39iminutes, breaking New Zealand records for 100 kms and 100 miles. Richard Tout returns this year to defend or even better his records. For those not so keen on the ultra marathon, there is a two by 50 mile (80km) grade and a four by 25 mile grade (40km). The 25, 50 and 100 mile grades are fun in conjunction with the main relay. The record time for the Open Grade of 9 hours, 21 minutes and 58 seconds was set by the Wellington Harriers Social Team in 1988. Most of the teams though, compete not against the clock but just for the fun of it. This can be seen by looking at some of the team names such as "Can' ardly", "Just for Fun" and "Old West Road Plodders". The run begins in Waiouru and follow the Desert Road (SH1) north along the eastern side of Mt Ruapehu. At the Rangipo the relay turns west and then south to the National Park intersection of SH'S 4 and 47.

Southbound the runners head through the settlements of Horopito and then east through Ohakune and Tangiwai and finish at Waiouru. Each leg of the relay progresses through a different type of terrain, from a gradual climb to the highest point of the Desert Road at 1075m, to undulating country and then to some legs which are simply described as "hard". The relay has a different start time for each grade. Women and Youth grades will be early risers, starting at 3.00am on Saturday moming, with the remainder of the grades being flagged off at half hourly intervals. Ultra runners will start as early as 7pm on Friday evening. Motorists travelling around the central North Island area during the period 17/18 November 1989 (Friday/Saturday) should be aware that runners and support teams will be on the road and that the Army's Military Police and Ministry of Transport Officers will also be in attendance at each change-over point. Motorists' speed at these locations will need to be considerably lower than normal (5km/hr) as these change-over locations become very congested. The following grades will be run in this year's relay: Open: 10 runners who each must run 10 miles (must be able to run course in a time un-

der 10 hours 30 minutes). Mens: 10 men who each must run 10 miles (collective time for course is not under 10 hours 30 minutes). Women: 10 women who each must run one 10 mile leg or two five mile legs (collective time for the course is not under 10 hours 30 minutes). Veterans: 10 runners, all 35 years or older who each must run one 10 mile leg or two five mile legs. Composite: 10 runners who each must run

one 10 mile leg or two five mile legs. The 10 runners must include five runners of which two are women and three are veterans or three women and two veterans. Youths: up to 20 runners under the age of 17 who each must run at least one five mile leg. Ultra: One runner running the whole 100 miles. Pairs: Two runners running 50 miles each. Fours: Four runners running 25 miles each.