“Hopefully I can encourage people to take part now or in the future. And how often do you get to run on the airport runway? It’s something new and exciting. It’s flat and fast, so you can expect great times.”
Rachael encourages people to give the community events a go, and to not be afraid of completing them more slowly than others.
“Everyone is super encouraging, just come and give it a go!”
Rachael Wright in a Rotorua Half Marathon event. Photo / Supplied
Rachael says she was a sprinter as kid, and long-distance running came about for her when she moved to Rotorua.
Her friend Kiri Kepa got her involved in the Rotorua Group Challenge, and from there she was inspired by a lot of people participating in the Tarawera Ultramarathon - “I wanted to be part of this cool event, and I went on in 2017 to do my first ultramarathon.”
From there she joined Lake City Athletic Club. “I’ve found a new passion for running again, although I’m not into those long distances anymore.”
Nick Willis - New Zealand middle distance runner and two-time Olympic medalist in the 1500 metres - says: “Running is by far the least time consuming way to get in cardio and burn calories.
“It’s also the cheapest, most natural way, and nothing beats a natural runner’s high once you start feeling fit.”
For those who are just getting into running, Nick recommends starting small, and taking lots of breaks - “Walking breaks are okay!”
He says the mile is a great distance for running beginners because the training can be quite varied, including all elements of running training such as sprints, hills, easy jogging, and interval training.
“This not only makes it more interesting, but also safer from an injury prevention standpoint too.”
Taking place at the Government Gardens on Friday, May 5, the Museum Mile is a quick street course which will be welcomed by both elite performers and community runners alike.
Athletes will compete for individual and team honours on the night, with the Mile Championships also incorporating club awards across the U16, U18, U20, senior and masters divisions. Community miles will take place on the same evening in seeded races.
The high-octane RampRun, to be held on Saturday, May 6, will see competitors race in a four-heat format in the Rotorua city carpark building.
Competitors will race to the top of the three-storey carpark, with a short recovery period between each heat, before returning to the foot of the building in readiness for the next heat.
Set to a backdrop of neon lighting and music, the RampRun will provide a vibrant spectacle, with the race timetable allowing for two races to take place at one time.
The Red Stag Rotorua Marathon weekend will climax with the Runway5 on Sunday, May 7.
Runway5 uses a 90-minute window of availability at Rotorua Airport - the five-kilometre will span the stretch of the Rotorua Airport runway and finish alongside the departure terminal.
An Under-12 mile race, held in recognition of World Athletics Kids’ Athletics Day, will also feature. Runway5 will include seeded 5km races, with elite female and male races, junior and community races.
The Runway5 has also partnered with kiwi conservation efforts on Mokoia Island, home to more than 30 breeding pairs. All Runway5 entries will contribute to the ongoing kiwi conservation on the island.
