Some Events are just 'Special'!

Labour Weekend was looming and not an event on the horizon that was suitable... the the lovely Kate Townsley, founder of Kori Kita organized the Tarawera Fat Ass Kiltathon!


Yes, a kiltathon... the idea was a run from the Blue Lake to Hot Water Beach at Tarawera via the new and (at that stage) not officially opened trail. The question came in... would I like to take part as an event for 52 in 52.

I of course said I would love to take part, but that the guideline I had set was for a minimum of 20 people for it to be an 'official 52 in 52 Event'... not a problem... on the day 40 souls turned up from all over the place... Clive from Wellington, Raewynne and her team from Whakatane and of course a bunch of Jafa's.


It was a gorgeous day which in the end turned into a bit of a problem... but more on that later. I started from The Landing by Lake Tarawera to leave the Subaru there for after the boat trip back. I then ran back to the start with Kate and we met up with the others who all started from there... but not before the compulsory whiskey and a lamb chop!

 
Starting from The Landing turned out to be fortuitous, as the original planned run from Blue Lake came in quite a bit under Half Marathon distance.

As you may have guessed from the race name, the expectation was to wear either a kilt or a tutu... and pretty much everyone did and we looked a riot. The aforementioned Clive Start from Wellington was wearing a full weight ceremonial scottish kilt that by the end of the run he regretted. I had a nice piece of tartan carefull sewn by Lainy onto a pair of cheap running shorts that did the job nicely.

This was not a race, more a celebration of running and I ran the first section from Blue Lake to about the 5km mark as tail-end Charlie.... spending most of it with Katy Jones who stopped every 5 metres for a photo... a bit of a recurring theme with Katy!

Once we caught up with the bunch who had stopped for a refreshment and catch-up stop we headed off again. Paul Charteris had drifted to Tail-End, so I settled with the middle bunch and we had a thoroughly enjoyable ramble around the lake.

I had the chance to chat to Katherine Jancys, to schoolmate Raewynne Blommerde, to the incomparible Ross Steele and many more over the journey.

And then - all too soon for most of us - the trail finished and we were at the Hot Water Beach, into the togs and into the water... alternating between hot and cold. My couple of beers I had along disappeared quickly... and way too soon Clearwater Pride, our ride back to The Landing was there.

Not knowing how the weather was going to turn out, the boat had been booked for a time soon after we figured everyone would be there, which was pretty spot on.... but with it being such a fantastic October day we would love to have stayed longer... never mind. 


A lovely trip back, with a few beers and wines and the end of a thouroughly fantastic day. A further reminder - as if I needed one - of the fantastic comeradery in the running community!


Roll on Kiltathon #2!