Tarawera Ultra Marathon

Tarawera 100 Mile Ultramarathon: Return of the Fat Wood Pigeon

I had a failed attempt at the TUM Miler in 2020 due to my body rebelling against me at the Titoki aid station (I projectile vomited five times) which I took as a sign to call an end to my first go at a miler. This was about 9 or 10 weeks after a hernia op so my time on feet etc weren’t where I wanted them to be. Being a stubborn type of I immediately set my sights on TUM Miler 2021.

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Robyn Williams

Robyn Finds Inspiration At Tarawera

The Tawarewa Ultra 21km is a trail run from the Blue lake reserve, through the Redwoods, along steamy, sulphur trails and finishes on the lakefront in Rotorua. It is a pretty challenging course with an elevation gain of 734m. I decided that it would be a good training run for me to build some strength, leading into the Hawkes Bay Marathon in May.

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TUM Miler – The Story of the Fat Wood Pigeon

After thoroughly enjoying the longest run I’d attempted, the 102km last year (well, maybe not thoroughly but I finished it) I decided there and then I was going to give the miler a nudge. I also decided to get a coach so I’d been working with Coach Ray Boardman. Ray worked with me having this as a long term goal and in between I completed the 62km WUU2K (awesome run) and the 50km Catchment Ultra (also an awesome run). The plan was to also do the 100km Taupo as part of build up but thanks to my body rebelling against me by developing an inguinal hernia I didn’t. I was lucky enough to get surgery on the hernia quite quickly at the end of November, my darling and sensible wife asked if I was going to withdraw from TUM, I just stared at her, she then asked if I was going to drop to the 50km, same stare, the 102km? Stare remained. She may have referred to me as a copulating person with low intellect.

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