Great Naseby Water Race 2010

The flickr photos are online here


Some of the 50k and relay runners at the start-line.

This weekend, I ventured south for only my third South Island trail run. Although many outside the ultra-running community have not heard of the Great Naseby Water Race, it is most certainly one worth travelling the distance for. This 50, 80 or 100km run takes place at 2000 feet above sea level in Central Otago. In August it's still fairly cool, with the nearby curling and luge still open at this time of year. Jamie and Aileen Sinclair at the Race Directors, a couple who simply love this event and are truly dedicated to the sport of off-road ultra-distance running.

The event started small four years ago with 13 runners. This year there were 65, double last years field. The 100k runners started at 6am in the dark. I bunked in with Lisa, Rich, Lisa's Mum (aka Momma Bear) and an amiable Frenchman named Morgan. Morgan had warned us the previous night to be careful not to contract giarrhooea - a uniquely French-Kiwi disease which (like many thing in trail ultras) involves bodily fluids moving at paid pace. Morgan left at 9am on his 80k odyssey. I lined up with Lisa, Rich, Heather, Grant and about 35 others for the 50k. My plan was to run as far as comfortably possible in five fingers and then switch to shoes for the remainder.


Andrew Shelly - doing the 80k and in contention for most fashionable runner of the day

We set off down a forest track which would up a small hill and on to open roads. Over the first hill on the road, we had an incredible view of the snow-covered Southern alps ahead of us. A couple of left turns and some long gentle downhill’s on the forest roads and we came to the intersection point of the figure 8 course. Naseby is a 10k course. I had planned on 5 loops. Out the back of the course, there were some gentle climbs and decent downhill’s. At the furthest point on the course, we started running along the water race. We'd following this water course pretty much the entire way bay to the start finish-line. Its is relatively difficult to get a fast time, there are some small hills that ascend or descend with sharp corners at the summit or the dips.

Great Naseby Water Race from trail ruNZ on Vimeo.

An overview of the intersection in the middle of the Figure 8 at the Naseby Water Race

The Figure-8 gives you plenty of opportunity to see and talk to other runners. Lisa’s Mum parked her car in the middle of the Figure 8 and was always on hand to take photos, cheer on runners and hand out supplies. It’s a superb course- lots of variety and very well suited for long-distance running. It reminded me very much of running along the trails in Auburn, CA. In fact, it was so similar it was spooky at times.

I did the first lap very comfortably, but my feet and legs started to hurt a little on the second lap – and my pace slowed as a consequence. At 20km, I was walking more then necessary – a lack of fitness and some soreness in my legs and feet. Grant Guise, the eventual 50k winner in 3:47 lapped me just before I hit the 20km point – he was exactly two laps ahead of me. I stuck with the five fingers for a further 5km and switched to normal trails shoes.


Vivian Cheng - doing what she does best - smiling and running a very long way.

A recurring left-leg soreness eventually prevented me from finishing. I did 35km in total. 25km in the five fingers and 10km in trail shoes. My total running time was not that long, I seemed to have a surprisingly (to myself) good pace while I was running. I was disappointed not to finish, but very happy with how far I did get – considering my recent leg troubles. At leastI ended the day in better shape than a local trout or rabbit - whose carcass littered the course. I felt a little bit like a fish out of water myself, with everyone else putting in very respectable runs. Well done team.


The best part of the weekend, exploring central Otago and meeting friends gain on the trails. That’s what it’s all about. Easily a race I’d recommend for the future – and well worth travelling for.

To Jamie, Aileen and all my South Island mates – see you again for Naseby 2011.


Rich with his well-deserved Speights in between Jamie and Aileen.