This weekend is the start of the XTERRA Trail Running Series in Auckland

3 distance options are available.

Short Course: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Course Distance:
6.1 km

Course Overview:

Uniquely your run starts in the Dunes! You have a very short sand trail section (approx 50m) before you hit a really nice wide walking trail. You follow this walking trail for 200m and pop out onto Coast Rd. Turning right onto Coast Rd you will follow this super nice gravel road for 2.8km.

At a big water tank on the corner of Mission Rd you will hit your one and only drink station and turn right onto what we have called the home track. On the home track you will merge with the mid and long runners. The home track is a track that runs parallel with Coast Rd and is a mix of walking tracks and horse trails.

The trail consists of nice hard packed sand covered with pine needles and not quite so hard packed sand. This trail is really nice fast running which is very easy on your body. Throw in a couple of small dune climbs, a couple of tree crossings and you have a wicked finish to your run! You will eventually end up back on Coast Rd and run the remaining 200m to the finish!

Drink Stations:

@ 2.9km

Toughness Factor
4 / 10

Elevation / Metres Climbed:
approx 120m

Mid Course: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Course Distance
15.5km

Course Overview

You will start on beautiful Coast Rd and head south for 2.9km. Here you will hit your first drink station and turn left up Mission Rd – following that for another 1.3km. Turning right near the top of the road you will hit a rolling wide dirt trail that takes you all the way to Willet Rd.

Turning left you will spend a solid 200m on Willet Rd then turn right down Perham Rd South. Perham Rd South is a nice mix of sandy gravel and dirt with a few puddles thrown in. At the end of Perham Rd Sth you will hit Puketapu Rd and your second drink station. This marks 7.9km. At this point you will turn right (long course turn left) and have a quick 100m of gravel rd.

You will then turn left onto a single trail we’ve called Puka’s Loop. At the end of Puka’s Loop you head straight across Pukatapu Rd onto Whites Line Sth. This is a really nice old dirt and gravel trail with a few sandy spots thrown in. Half way down the road you will make a left down a wide walking trial that has some very cool mossy grassy areas on the trail…look out for them!

You will find yourself back on Coast Rd where you duck into some very sweet single trails for the next 1.5km. A quick blat on Coast Rd takes you back to your first drink station and onto the “Home track”. On the home track you will merge with the short course runners. The home track is a track that runs parallel with Coast Rd and is a mix of walking tracks and horse trails.

Drink Stations
@ 2.9km,
@ 7.9km
@ 12.3km

Toughness Factor
4.5 / 10

Elevation / Metres Climbed:
approx 200m

Long Course: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Course Distance
21.5km / 24.5km

Course Overview

You will start on beautiful Coast Rd and head south for 2.9km. Here you will hit your first drink station and turn left up Mission Rd. Follow Mission Rd for another 1.3km. Turning right near the top of the road you will hit a rolling wide dirt trail that takes you all the way to Willet Rd. Turning left you will spend a solid 200m on Willet Rd then turn down right down Perham Rd South. Perham Rd South is a nice mix of sandy gravel and dirt with a few puddles thrown in. At the end of Perham Rd Sth you will hit Puketapu Rd and your second drink station.

This marks 7.9km. You turn left, head up Puketapu Rd, right onto Inland Rd until hitting the Inland Rd Skid. From here it’s up up up to Selwyn Rd where you’ll take in a slice of the very cool Rangitira Walking Track - a variety of forest and native bush trails. This section has a couple of good climbs in it to break up the largely flat course you have been on so far. Before heading back down towards the Inland Rd skid there will be a small crossover section (600m) where competitors will be running up as you are charging down!

So don’t be alarmed if you have fellow long coursers running the opposite direction to yourself – it’ll be a good spot on the course to see who’s behind you! You will continue on some very choice undulating horse and walking trails back towards Puketapu Rd and hit your 3rd drink station.

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Superlong Extension Point - If you’re a tough bugger and have signed up for this 3km extension (the superlong course) your turn-off point is 100m before hitting the 3rd drink station on the long course – you’ll dart off left and enjoy more of the good stuff before rejoining with those in the long course a little later on – the 3km is a worthy addition!

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Longies once your hit your third drink station it’s a quick left & 100m of gravel Rd. You will then turn left onto a single trail called Puka’s Loop. At the end of Puka’s Loop you head straight across Pukatapu Rd onto Whites Line Sth. This is a really nice old dirt and gravel trail with a few sandy spots thrown in.

Half way down the road you will make a left down a wide walking trial that has some very cool mossy grassy areas on the trail…look out for them! You will find yourself back on Coast Rd where you duck into some very sweet single trails for the next 1.5km. A quick road section on Coast Rd takes you back to your first drink station and onto the “Home track”. On the home track you will merge with the short course runners.

The home track is a track that runs parallel with Coast Rd and is a mix of walking tracks and horse trails. The trail consists of nice hard packed sand covered with pine needles and not quite so hard packed sand. This trail is really nice fast running which is very easy on your body. Throw in a couple of small dune climbs, a couple of tree crossings and you have a wicked finish to your run! You will eventually end up back on Coast Rd and run the remaining 200m to the finish!

Drink Stations:
ALL @ 2.9km
ALL @ 7.9km
LONG @ 14.2km
SUPERLONG @ 16.0km
LONG @ 18.5km
SUPERLONG @ 21.5km

Toughness Factor:
Long - 6 / 10
Superlong - 6 / 10

Elevation / Metres Climbed:
Long - approx 360m
Superlong - approx 420m