More than 200 entrants lined up for the first Moturoa Backyard Ultra last Saturday morning but it came down to a battle between two trail running rivals.
A section of Rough Island was transformed into a tent village for the scenic endurance race where 230 runners had to complete a 6.706km circuit within each and every hour until there was just one left standing.
By the end of the first 24 hours and 100 miles, attrition left only six contestants still circulating.
Come lunchtime there were just two remaining – Nelson auditor Fran Harris and Riwaka builder Deane Brownlie who had both been pre-race favourites.
Fran seemed fresher while Deane’s support crew said he was battling with niggly achilles and ankle issues.
Deane, who completed the Coast to Coast Longest Day multisport gut buster in February, somehow mustered a sprint to start lap 29.
But Fran soon shook him off and cruised to victory in under 29 hours, finishing to the strains of Downtown by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
“My body is feeling fine, but my brain is tired. I didn’t get any sleep during the event because I didn’t intend going this long. I would run for three minutes and then walk for the next minute and keep repeating that. The plan was to keep going until I wasn’t having fun anymore,” says Fran.
With the distance it took to get to the crowded start line, the 36-year-old reckons she covered 200kms.
“That’s what my watch was showing. It was so windy the whole time, except between 3am and 6am on Sunday. I look like I have a tan. I don’t. It is just dirt,” reveals Fran, who had been training up to 70kms a week.
She clapped home Deane, who came home almost half an hour later, outside the time limit, meaning the race was over.
“I am sore. I am not going to lie about that. I was done by the end of the 28th lap but I am absolutely stoked. It was a bit longer than the Longest Day but it was an awesome atmosphere,” enthuses Deane, whose preparation had been hampered by the flu.
Both runners praised their support crews.
“My friend Sarah was chief support, but she actually ran the first 10 to 12 laps so she recruited another person I had never met before and Dave was ace,” says Fran, who greeted Deane on the finish line with the words thanks for stopping for me.
She was presented with an engraved Rimu trophy and a $200 voucher from principle race sponsor Gearshop, while Deane received the most male laps award as there was no second place.
While it was an individual event, group glory was at stake between teams of essential workers.
With firefighter Dave Egelstaff the fourth individual runner home, FENZ claimed bragging rights ahead of the Police, ambulance and emergency department staff.
That even pitted policeman Luke Minchen against his paramedic wife Alysha.
“I am hearing it is the biggest turnout yet for a Back Yard Ultra in this country. So that’s amazing. We will definitely be back even bigger and better next year. Anyone can give it a go even if it is just a couple of laps,” declares race organiser Pete Marshall, who barely managed much sleep over the weekend either.
Meanwhile spare a thought for one of the race sponsors, Fulton Hogan, whose staff wanted the best of both sporting worlds.
“One of their crew turned up with a ute with a big television screen on the back so they could watch the Warriors as well as cheer on their runners,” says Pete.
At least they didn’t fade so fast.
