Hare and tortoise take on Peak

LACING UP: Laura Nagal is racing Milton Andrews at the Peak Trial Blazer, pictured with Havelock North primary principal Nick Reed. Photo Tim Whittaker

While the slow and steady tortoise usually wins the race, Milton Andrews knows he has his work cut out for him to try and beat a New Zealand 10km record holder up Te Mata Peak tomorrow.

The Havelock North Business Association chairman will take on the role of tortoise for the Peak Trail Blazer tomorrow.

The hare he'll be lining up against is track runner Laura Nagel.

People can win $250 worth of vouchers to spend in the Village by correctly guessing the time difference between the pair on the 12.8km Peak Course.

Neither would divulge how long they expected to take to scale the course.

Mr Andrews is a keen recreational runner who often enjoyed walking the peak.

"I'm nowhere in the league of Laura, she can do 10km under 35 minutes."

However, the competitive runner said the Peak was still a challenge for her.

"I actually have only ever run up the peak twice in my life - many walks. This type of hilly course is well out of my comfort zone for a race. I'm more of a track/road runner."

She was still trying to improve on her personal bests and hoped to add another track title to her name.

"Hopefully if both of those things align, the goal is to compete at the 2017 World Track and Field Champs."

Miss Nagel was just one of the competitive runners hoping to scoop the $500 prize money for King and Queen of the Peak.

Race director Jo Throp said the $2150 prize pool seems to have helped draw many of last year's champions back to the fundraising event.

"This is the greatest number of returning champs we can remember in our seven years and we're keen to see if anyone can manage to retain their titles," Ms Throp said.

So far, only Ruby Muir has managed to do this, winning the Hawke's Bay Orthodontics Queen of the Peak for the past two years.

But with different trail conditions and the weather on the day it could be anyone's race, Ms Throp said.

Eric Speakman, who broke the long-standing course record last year in a time of 46m 40s, was returning to have another crack at the title.

Mr Speakman is the only member of the newly formed The Scorchers sub-50 minute club which now sits along side The Hall of Flames sub-60 minute club.

Mr Speakman was hoping to create another course record.

"There's two or three other locals out there I'm hoping to see join me in The Scorchers this year. I'm really looking forward to returning. It's such a great event, really fun with a great atmosphere at the finish line."

Since its inception the event has raised more than $108,000, with around $80,000 going to Havelock North Primary for school hall improvements and a further $28,000 going back to the wider community.

This year's recipients will be Heart Kids Hawke's Bay and the Hastings Giants Boxing Academy who will each receive 20 per cent of the funds raised.

Entry numbers for the 3.5km Tainui Trail have had to be capped to 350 this year with about 80 places left. There is no cap on the Te Mata Peak trail in either the run or walk categories.

Late entries will be taken at registration between 1pm-3pm today at Havelock North Primary, and up to 30 minutes prior to race times tomorrow.