Tauranga hosts first Rockys Backyard Ultra: Run 6.71km loop every hour

Rocky’s Bakyard Ultra event director, 21-year-old Sean Galdeman, at McLaren Falls Park. Photo / David Hall

A new marathon is coming to Tauranga and it has a twist - the winner will be the last person to call it quits.

Rockys Backyard Ultra will be held at McLaren Falls Park on December 14 and involves running a 6.71km loop every hour, on the hour, until only one runner remains.

Event director Sean Galdeman said this would be the first time a Backyard Ultra event was held in Tauranga.

He said he was excited to see how long it would take until there was only one runner standing - at the world championships, runners kept going for an incredible 110 hours, which added up to more than 700km.

Galdeman said he did not expect Rockys Backyard Ultra to go that long, but he was excited that strong competitors, such as Jane McAlpine from Cambridge who represented New Zealand team at the World Satellite Champs in 2024, would be attending.

He had participated in several Backyard Ultras around New Zealand since he was 19 and said he had fallen in love with the concept.

When he realised Tauranga did not have a Backyard Ultra, Galdeman took it upon himself to start one up at McLaren Falls, a location that held special meaning to him.

He named the event in honour of his puppy Rockys who used to join him on runs.

“This inaugural event is more than just a race; it’s an opportunity to showcase Tauranga’s vibrant community spirit and showcase the incredible natural beauty of the Bay of Plenty,” Galdeman said.

“The McLaren Falls course offers a pretty stunning backdrop, with trails winding alongside Lake McLaren, passing waterfalls, native bush, and even glowworms for those running into the night.”

There was an elevation gain of under 100m per loop which meant the event was a “challenging yet accessible experience” that catered to everyone, from those aiming to complete just a few laps to seasoned ultra-runners looking to run well into the night, Galdeman said.

“Everyone’s got their own little challenge.”

Spectators were free to watch and cheer on the runners.

Galdeman said the backyard ultra marathon was a ticketed event, but every effort had been made to keep entry fees as affordable as possible while covering essential costs.

Registrations close soon, and further details are available on Rockys Backyard Ultra Facebook page.

- SunLive