Laughing Lycra lads have a run at event record in Taupo trailwalk

Cool Runnings are known for their colourful finishes.

Team Cool Runnings are looking to break a record of a different kind at this weekend's Oxfam Trailwalker.

The lads from Wellington and Christchurch were the fastest team last year after running the majority of the trail - they had not planned to at the start.

This time they are looking to break the event record of 11hr 13min that was set a couple of years ago.

Cool Runnings are known for their colourful finishes. Not only did they run the equivalent of 2 marathons off-road last year but they also charged across the finish line in black, green and yellow Lycra suits with a makeshift bobsled.

We caught up with their team captain Matt Landreth, 35 - an opera singer who works in film construction and on the farm - about their buildup for this weekend.

What makes the Oxfam Trailwalker a special event?

Our team has been in quite a lot of running events and I think what sets the Trailwalker apart is the connection you have with all the other participants. There are so many people coming together from all walks of life trying to make a difference for the underprivileged. It creates a fantastic vibe for the weekend with everyone encouraging and helping each other along.

How much have you trained?

Training this year has been a bit of a mixed bag with two members of the team down in Christchurch and two of us in Wellington, so unfortunately we haven't seen much of each other. We've been doing a lot of our own individual training with some longer 20-40km trail runs in the weekend in the Tararuas and Arthur's Pass regions. Thankfully we're all quite naturally fit and enjoy the outdoors so we haven't had to do too much extra exercise.

You are looking to complete the 100km in less than 12 hours - how are you tracking for this goal?

Last year was our first Oxfam Trailwalker and there were a lot of unknowns as to how we'd go and what time we should aim for. We were pretty casual in our approach and we had a lot of fun along the way, but we were pretty disorganised and we've seen a few areas where we should be able to make up some time on last year and hopefully crack the 12-hour mark. Arriving in Taupo after 1am the morning of the race probably wasn't the most ideal preparation last year, so getting a good night's sleep will be first on the agenda.

Is the course record - 11hr 13min - on your mind?

It's definitely in the back of our minds although firstly we'll be aiming to beat our time from last year before we get ahead of ourselves; 100km is a long way. A lot will depend on how we're all feeling on the day but we have a rough plan to speed up our stoppage time in checkpoints. If we can stick to the plan, tough it out and stay injury-free I think we have a good chance of challenging the record.

For most people, walking 100km is really tough. How hard is it to run that distance?

In some ways, if you're fit and used to going longer distances, I think running can be easier. What seems hardest for most teams is walking through the night where the cold and lack of sleep takes its toll. Last year it was great finishing in the early evening and getting a good night's sleep. My hat goes off to those who walk through the night. Watching teams cross the finish line the next day after walking for 24-plus hours was pretty inspirational and obviously it's a huge achievement for those people, putting themselves at the extreme end of their comfort zone.

How important is it having a good fun team to get you through?

I think it's crucial. We're all pretty laidback guys and love a bit of banter so we'll be making sure we have some good laughs along the way. In an event like this everyone goes through dark times but having encouraging teammates to pull each other along makes a huge difference. This year we also have a great bunch of nine support crew who'll be trying to keep us on task and make sure we get across the line.