Experience nature's artwork first-hand

Queenstown's Kate Fluker once again takes out the women's elite title in the Skoda Mountain Bike Event. Photo / Tim Bardsley-Smith

Some people buy landscape paintings - to delight in the vista, colours and brush-strokes and to feel like they are transported to a beautiful place with every glimpse.

I'm an art-lover too and own a South Island landscape print by one of New Zealand's greatest landscape artists, Grahame Sydney. It transports me, too.

But ultimately, I prefer to be among nature's real-life art.

I'm an adventure writer, and keen runner, and my kind of heaven is travelling to stunning locations and running for the hills. Literally.

Rachel Grunwell takes in the stunning views as she participates in the Macpac Motatapu event. Photo / Magic Memories

One event I had longed to experience was the Macpac Motatapu event, an iconic off-road multisport event, set in the stunning Wanaka to Queenstown high country that traverses Motatapu, Soho and Glencoe stations. It's for walkers, runners, triathletes, mountain-bikers, and even ultra-runners. There are five different event categories that attract elite athletes to weekend warriors, like me.

It's a special event because of the scenery, but also because it is only accessible to the public one day a year via the event.

Mota means river and Tapu means sacred. And yes I did splash my way through river crossings near the end of the Miners Trail 15km race I entered. But the highlight was being up high - 906m to be exact, overlooking a postcard-like vista of Arrowtown with great skies above.

It's about the feeling you get up high in the hills: Isolated, free, the invigorating fresh air, the jaw-dropping view of otherworldly proportions.

It's also a challenge to conquer an event like this. Going uphill for miles, I longed for the downhill. But then it was hang-onto-your-hat-stuff with the grizzly downhill bits that were so vertical and snake-like that I might have been toast if I tumbled. But, instead of walking these bits, of course I had to gallop down them for the thrill. The single-track was just big enough for a goat and there were memorable sections where I turned sideways and tried not to look how close I teetered to the cliff-edge. But running through this event opens your eyes to the beautiful landscapes you can savour in Aotearoa; You literally run through one of Grahame Sydney's artworks in this race. But instead of just staring at it, you feel, touch and almost taste it.

Anton Cooper on his way to winning the Skoda Mountain Bike Event. Photo / Tim Bardsley-Smith

Up in the hills here you get as close to heaven as you can while alive. I'd recommend putting the Macpac Motatapu event on your bucket list. This place made my heart beat faster for more reasons than one. And almost anyone who prepares for this event could take it on. The oldest competitor in the Miners Trail event was John Falconer, 83, from Gore.

He ran the marathon category last year which makes me jealous. So that's on my bucket-list for 2017. I implore you to join me too if you love a sense of adventure - or "art". And if a mum runner like me and an inspirational 83-year-old can do it, then you should too.

- For more information visit http://motatapu.com/

Race essentials:

- Rachel's entry and gear for the event was courtesy of Macpac, which has great gear and clothing for adventures. Her top is made of delta fabric which is moisture-wicking and has evaporative cooling, so it doesn't cling in the heat and releases moisture evenly, to keep you cooler and drier. She used the AMP 12-Hour pack which is designed for holding hydration, fuel and items for running, biking and other adventure activities (www.macpac.co.nz)

- Rachel travelled courtesy of Air NZ. (airnewzealand.co.nz) Thank goodness there were regular flight options so she could make it back to Auckland in time for the Madonna concert that night, she says.

- She is our weekly wellbeing columnist, a marathoner, yoga teacher and adventure writer. She's the director of inspiredhealth.co.nz/. Follow Inspired Health on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/InspiredHealthNZ/) & Instagram @inspiredhealthandfitness