Surviving Tarawera T102 Ultramarathon 2026

Описание: I went into the 2026 Tarawera T102 with a goal: sub-12 hours on one of New Zealand’s most runnable ultras.

What I got instead… was 102km of rain, mud, blisters, a swollen ankle, and one of the toughest mental battles I’ve ever faced.

The race starts in Kawerau and finishes in Rotorua, passing through lakes, forests and some of the most beautiful trails in the country. But this year, the trail turned into a mud fest. Feet sinking ankle-deep. Sliding on climbs. Fighting gravity on descents. Headtorch running through the night.

Blisters at 15km.
Sprained ankle.
Lowest point at 57km.
Almost 23 hours on my feet.

This is the real story of Tarawera T102 2026 — not the brochure version, but the raw, honest experience of pushing through when everything hurts and nothing goes to plan.

Massive thanks to the volunteers, aid station crews, and my support team who made it possible to keep moving forward.

If you’re training for an ultra, thinking about Tarawera, or just love seeing what the human body and mind can endure — this one’s for you.

🏅 Finished in under 23 hours (not the result I wanted but I finished it, as my friend says - finishing is winning)
💎 Earned 3 UTMB stones
🌧 Ran from daylight into darkness through relentless rain

Watch until the end to see what 102km in a mud storm really looks like.

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CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro - Driving to Rotorua
0:28 Village Green - Athlete check in and Expo
1:12 Bus to the T102 start at Kawerau
2:02 Race start - send-off haka
2:45 Runnable trails
12:23 Titoki Aid station
13:10 Steep uphill
18:17 Outlet Aid Station
18:53 Tarawera Falls track
34:20 Tarawera Falls
37:00 When it rains it pours
39:24 Otamuri Aid Station
39:46 Surviving the mud
47:11 Okataina - adressing blisters
48:33 Muddy hills past Okataina
50:10 Muddy trails at night
51:07 2am On my way to Redwood
53:33 23 hours on my feet


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