Alps 2 Ocean Ultra race runners get a rest

Race leader Australia's James Kohler at Sailor's Cutting during his 10hr 54min 90km effort on Tuesday's stage 4. Photo: Alps 2 Ocean Ultra
Race leader Australia's James Kohler at Sailor's Cutting during his 10hr 54min 90km effort on Tuesday's stage 4. Photo: Alps 2 Ocean Ultra
Alps 2 Ocean Ultra organiser Mike Sandri heads a team of 30 volunteers staging New Zealand's first stage ultra race from Aoraki/Mt Cook to Oamaru. Photos: Hamish MacLean
Alps 2 Ocean Ultra organiser Mike Sandri heads a team of 30 volunteers staging New Zealand's first stage ultra race from Aoraki/Mt Cook to Oamaru. Photos: Hamish MacLean
The camaraderie is a highlight among runners at the Alps 2 Ocean Ultra runners, Wendy Fallon, of Oamaru (left), Garth Reader, of Los Alamos, New Mexico, US, Yvonne Kemeny, of Victoria, BC, Canada, Sara Jones-Hogan, of Oamaru, and Toni Smith, of Timaru.
The camaraderie is a highlight among runners at the Alps 2 Ocean Ultra runners, Wendy Fallon, of Oamaru (left), Garth Reader, of Los Alamos, New Mexico, US, Yvonne Kemeny, of Victoria, BC, Canada, Sara Jones-Hogan, of Oamaru, and Toni Smith, of Timaru.
Auckland's Inia Raumati receives treatment from Mike Stewart of the Oamaru Physiotherapy Clinic. Mr Stewart worked a 14-hour day yesterday to deal with a steady stream of athletes at the Alps 2 Ocean Ultra.
Auckland's Inia Raumati receives treatment from Mike Stewart of the Oamaru Physiotherapy Clinic. Mr Stewart worked a 14-hour day yesterday to deal with a steady stream of athletes at the Alps 2 Ocean Ultra.
After a 90km stage 3 & 4 run, competitors cool off at Loch Laird. The event has drawn more than 100 athletes from 16 nations to the Waitaki Valley.
After a 90km stage 3 & 4 run, competitors cool off at Loch Laird. The event has drawn more than 100 athletes from 16 nations to the Waitaki Valley.

On the fourth day, they rested.

At Loch Laird, near Otematata, yesterday more than 100 competitors in New Zealand's first staged ultra race, Alps 2 Ocean Ultra, recuperated at camp.

With the fastest time in day three and four's 90km stage 4 going to first place supported runner Australia's James Kohler in 10hr 54min, Tuesday and yesterday were days when organiser Mike Sandri said he could have lost more athletes than he did.

The race began at Aoraki/Mt Cook on Sunday with 126 runners from 16 countries - yesterday after the final runner finished what was an overnight stage for some, from Lake Middleton to Loch Laird, 103 runners remained.

''We don't want to make it easy, we don't want to make it comfortable; we want to make it challenging,'' Mr Sandri said. ''They're already talking about the big hill that they went over last night: 'Oh, I was nothing but a mongrel when I came across the line', but this morning it was like: 'Oh, that was a cool hill'.''

From the first day, the first time he had organised the event had been ''frantic''.

Gale-force wind greeted runners at Mt Cook, and it was pouring with rain at Lake Pukaki. He had ''200 million things going around in my head''.

But he and his team of 30 volunteers had improved from the start, and had become efficient at breaking down and setting up the 22-tent encampment that made for a small runners' village - the team would shift the encampment to Kurow today.

Feedback from those in the race had been ''pretty good''.

''They've been, really, absolutely amazed with what we've done, how we've treated them,'' Mr Sandri said.

Oamaru Physiotherapy Clinic's Mike Stewart put in a 14-hour day yesterday as he and a team, including a general practitioner, another physiotherapist and two nurses tended to
runners.

Oamaru's Sara Jones-Hogan, one of four locals competing, said the ''family feel'' in the runners' camp extended to the long lines for medical attention.

''You talk about the line-ups, but we're sitting there laughing; we're just sharing our day and we're sharing our stories. You get to know people on such a deep level,'' she said.

Her stage 4 running partner, Oamaru's Wendy Fallon, agreed that Tuesday had been a long day - the pair finished the 90km stretch together in 14 hours and 25 minutes at 10.25pm - but looking forward, it was better to let the aches and pains go.

''You can look at all those negative things, but there's lots of positive things too,'' she said. ''OK, we're not getting much sleep but the atmosphere at camp is just brilliant. It's just a big family. The camaraderie is great. Everyone shares information to help each other, pull each other along. It's just fabulous.''

Mr Kohler who has completed four days in 22hr 15min, remains in the lead, but less than three-quarters of an hour behind is the first unsupported runner, Wellington's Brendon Thompson (22hr 56min). Queenstown's Kerryn Bell, supported, remains the fastest woman, seventh overall, posting 24hr 19min.

Today runners take on Loch Laird to Waitaki River, tomorrow, runners head from Kurow to Peaks Rd, and day seven on Saturday is Peaks Rd to Oamaru. Runners will be staggered and are expected to finish from 11.30am to 2.30pm.

hamish.maclean@odt.co.nz

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