Mud, sweat and tears were abundant, but so were smiles at the Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge in Kumeu. Photo / Michael Craig
Mud, sweat and tears were abundant, but so were smiles at the Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge in Kumeu. Photo / Michael Craig
Mud, sweat and tears were abundant at the Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge in Kumeu, north of Auckland.
A total of 1100 kids from primary schools all over Tamaki Makaurau sloshed, squelched, scrambled and stumbled through 6km of bog, pond and paddock in the 80 acres (32.4ha) of theKumeu Showgrounds just for sheer fun.
Kids sloshed, squelched, scrambled and stumbled through 6km of bog, pond and paddock. Photo / Michael Craig
Wednesday's event was the start of four days of similarly exhausting racing. The secondary school kids, Years 9-13, get their run over two days, Thursday and Friday, in the Massey University Secondary School Tough Guy and Gal Challenge.
When the going gets tough, the tough get gurning. Photo / Michael Craig
The big kids step up on Saturday with the Go Media Tough Guy and Gal Challenge and Glow Lab Tough Gal Team Challenge.
Older competitors get to challenge for entry to the New Zealand Championship in Rotorua on August 27. Only podium finishers from the secondary school and adult's entries are eligible and must be able to run 10km in 45 minutes – without the mud.
To have lots of mud, you need lots of water - and lots of splashes. Photo / Michael Craig
The sweat and tears will come from just thinking about it.
