First Ultra

The Tarawera Ultra-Trail

My first ultra: the Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB® in New Zealand, February 2025. The 100K course covers 102 km with 2,400 meters of elevation gain.

Here we are—my friend and I have arrived in Rotorua. We check into a guesthouse near the lake, even though the weather isn’t great, the view of the lake puts a smile on our faces.
We take a quiet day to get ready. These preparations put me in a state of focus—or maybe a mix of stress and apprehension. I try to check and double-check that I haven’t forgotten anything.
I think I’ve trained properly by following a training plan tailored for this Ultra. Will that be enough ? Right now, that’s the big question.

The tension is building—it’s race day. Buses are taking us from Rotorua, the finish line, to the race start. On the bus, I meet two French women who’ve settled in Australia; during the ride, we chat a bit to pass the time—and probably to ease the stress, too.
The weather isn’t great, but it’s still better than the heat I endured during my last summer training sessions in New Caledonia. And yes, since we’re in the Southern Hemisphere, January is summer, with temperatures reaching 40°C or even higher in the sun.
Here, it’s cool; there are about 930 runners at the starting line. I position myself in the yellow starting block, the last one, which roughly corresponds to my target time of 17 hours.
And we’re off. The pack quickly stretches out; I start off easy, as if it were a basic training run, just to warm up.

This misty landscape reflects my state of mind. A blend of serenity and calm.
I feel good.

The miles fly by, and the runners I pass or who pass me often offer a word of encouragement—it’s really nice. Sometimes we strike up a conversation for a few moments.
After a few miles, we hit a particularly fun, winding single track. I catch myself picking up the pace, and I’m not the only one. I think a lot of us find it really fun; it creates a kind of buzz. Luckily, it doesn’t last too long because we don’t want to burn out for the rest of the race—we haven’t even reached the halfway point yet.
This section runs along a river with multiple waterfalls; it’s magnificent. I’m not the only one who stops to take a photo.

I was so focused on the race that I unfortunately didn’t take many photos. I think I was really focused on the race.
The miles fly by, and we reach the halfway point. I’d packed a “drop bag” with a change of clothes. It feels good to put on clean, dry clothes.
After 30 minutes, I set off again, and from there, the terrain starts to get muddier because of the steady rain the region has been experiencing for the past few days.

The aid stations are a welcome sight. There’s plenty of food and drink, and the volunteers are very attentive. I realize I brought way too many granola bars and energy gels (homemade). I’ll keep that in mind for future trail runs.

The further I get into the race, the worse the weather gets; three-quarters of the way through, we even get hit by a full-blown thunderstorm. The trails are getting muddier and muddier, churned up by the hundreds of runners ahead of me. I start to think that if it stays like this until the end, it’s going to be a long haul.
When I reach “Blue Lake,” the rain lets up. This lets me enjoy the beautiful scenery before nightfall.
From here on out, I know I only have about twenty kilometers left. We do indeed join the twenty-kilometer course. I still feel good; even though my muscles stiffen up a bit during the stops at the aid stations, I’m okay.

When I catch sight of the lights of Rotorua, my attitude starts to shift, especially once we hit the pavement. I don’t have much energy left, of course, but I can let loose a bit. I find my rhythm and settle into a good pace, even passing a few competitors along the way. Everyone cheers me on as I go by, which gives me a little extra boost.
I see the finish line, which I eventually cross feeling completely relaxed. I’m tired, of course, but not exhausted, which makes this challenge a double success. And being able to share this moment with a friend who had run the 20K that morning is truly wonderful.

So I finished 350th after 16 hours, 58 minutes, and 54 seconds. The winner finished in 7 hours, 31 minutes, and 27 seconds—I still have some work to do 😄.

So the results are very positive. Looking at my split times, I’m slowly climbing up the rankings.

And toward the end, I really get back into the swing of things

Well, now all I need to do is visit that beautiful northern island and sign up for a new race. I already have an idea in mind…