New year, new race calendar!
Well, here we are again—another new year, another chance to dream big and sign up for races that give our training purpose! There's something magical about a blank calendar full of potential adventures.
In this article, I'm excited to share my personal top 10 favourite races. Some of these are tried-and-true events that have left me with sore legs and great memories, whereas others are still on my bucket list - one day, I'll tick them off!
So, grab your calendar, your comfiest running shoes and a snack, and check out runningcalendar.co.nz and calendar.eliterun.nz and let's dive into a year full of running adventures!
Ben Lomond Vertical Kilometre (14th February 2025)
The only certified VK in New Zealand, this course (which actually even includes a downhill section, so you can imagine just how steep it is) is an absolute ball-buster. Once the stars clear from your vision, you'll be overwhelmed by the view from the Ben Lomond summit. Grab your wizard sticks and chase a sub-60 minute VK!
Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon and Ultra (15th February 2025)
I'll say it; these are the best ridgelines in NZ. It has distances for everyone, but I have only experienced the ultra (56km and 3500m+ vert). Exceptionally well-organised by race director veterans, the race even has its own beer ('Energetic Ewe') courtesy of Altitude Brewery, who make the best beer.
Northburn 100 (22nd March 2025)
You're probably picking up on a theme here - I like hard courses with lots of vert, and Northburn 100 is quintessential Terry Davis. This event has distances from 42 km to 100 miles, and the tagline "where suffering is the prize, and everyone'a winner". P.S. The Northburn 100 is NZ's only Hard Rock 100 qualifier, so you know it's gonna be good!
Faultline Ultra (26th April 2025)
Ridgelines in Wellington - how cool?! Apparently it's a very well-organised and executed event too. The autumn timing minimises the risk weather-wise and the city location makes it easily accessible with lots of accommodation options. Give it a go! It's definitely on my list!
Carousel Backyard Ultra (19th April 2025)
New to the BYU line-up in 2025, the Carousel is held in Central Otago's Alexandra where wineries, orchards and world-class mountain vistas are all just part of the package. A flat course (a.k.a. maximum value for money), this one is being held over Easter weekend in 2025, so you don't even need to take annual leave and can spend the entire long weekend on the course (if that spins your carousel)!
Kings Backyard Ultra (31st May 2025)
Held in Whangarei by the King and Queen (a.k.a. His and Hers) of endurance events, we wore sunblock for this in the middle of winter last year! It's a nice escape to the winterless North and an ultra-easy course. It's a fairly easy drive north from Auckland and there are plenty of accommodation options.
With entries limited to 150 and being in the enviable location of Arrowtown, this sell-out race is exceptionally well-run and supported by the local business community. Another flat course (yes, I like my ultras hilly and my BYUs flat), it also offers a lot of shade to protect from the weather, and is mostly wide enough for at least two across for socialising and teamwork.
Lake Dunstan Trail Marathon (7th September 2025)
The jewel in the crown of Central Otago trails, the marathon course runs from Clyde to Cromwell along Lake Dunstan. It has no shorter distances due to it being a trail of no return with the lake on one side and mountains towering over on the other, but being runnable and interesting makes this an achievable marathon for anyone breaking into the longer distances or needing a nudge to complete the beautiful Dunstan Trail.
9. Race Tekapo Trail Festival (13th September 2025)
Festivals may be the new big thing now that the BYU calendar is saturated! With a distance for every family member and all fitness levels, this attracts some big names in NZ elite trail running and makes for some stunning race photographs.
Clyde Classic (October 2025, date TBC)
Portrayed as Central Otago's iconic half marathon, the courses (5km, 10km and 21km) are relatively fast and take runners over the Clyde Dam, which is normally unable to be accessed. A great little local event set in the historical gold mining town of Clyde!
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