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Frequently Asked Questions |
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1. Do I have to carry all of the compulsory gear? |
YES. Even if it is a sunny day you must carry all of the compulsory gear. Remember that you are competing in the high country and the weather can change dramatically and close in very quickly and without warning. If this happens you do not want to be caught in the cold without warm gear.
Also remember that access to the course is very limited – if you are injured (and it is not an emergency) you may have to wait for several hours to be taken out, and you do not want to be without warm clothing in this situation either. |
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2. Do I have to carry a chain breaker? |
YES. And you must know how to use it! Snow grass, swift water crossings, and mud are three 'prime chain break conditions' all which we have plenty of. You can break a brand new chain just as easily as an old one; one bad shift under pressure can do it - although a well maintained chain and bike definitely help avoid chain breaks.
If you do not carry a chain breaker, or you carry one but don't know how to use it and your chain breaks, you put the obligation for getting you out onto us, or your fellow competitors to help you fix it. |
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3. Is it essential for my bike to have suspension or shock absorbers? |
A non suspended bike can be ridden across the course safely by a skilled rider without too much difficulty.
That said, however, there are definite advantages to having a suspension bike:
1. Less chance of 'impact' punctures, tire wall damage, and broken front wheels.
2. Less chance of the rider 'impacting' the front wheel and going over the handle bars.
3. Generally suspended bikes give the rider a greater margin of error.
If you are using a non suspended bike and are not an experienced rider it is recommended that you ride the creeks with caution or consider getting off. It is also recommended that you get off and walk down the boulder field on the Soho descent. It may also be a good idea to practice 'lifting' the front wheel. You should be able to comfortably (and gently) ride up and down curbs without 'bashing' or 'banging' either the front or back wheel. This will give you a feel for the required weight transfer you need to be able to ride through creeks. |
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4. How far apart are the Aid Stations? |
For the Mountain Bike and Off-Road Marathon course;
Aid Station 1: 32km to finish line
Aid Station 2: 23km to finish line
Aid Station 3: 15km to finish line
Aid Station 4: 6.5km to finish line.
For the Miners Trail course;
There is one aid station at Brackens Saddle, approximately half-way through the 15km course. |
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5. What are the cut off times? |
Marathon Runners: You will need to reach Aid Station 2 by 12noon
Mountain Bikers: You need to reach Aid Station 2 by 3pm
At Aid Station 2 there is 23km to go to the finish line.
Marshals at this aid station will be watching that competitors are fit and able to finish the course safely. If it is deemed that you are not capable of finishing the course, race organisers have the right to pull you of the the event and you will be taken back to the Glendhu Bay Motor Camp, when the aid station pulls out.
NOTE: Competitors have been turned back to Glendhu Bay over the years due to lack of fitness.
Miners Trail Runners: You will need to reach the Brackens Saddle Aid Station by 12.30pm, approximately half-way through the 15km course.
Marshals at this aid station will be watching that competitors are fit and able to finish the course safely. If it is deemed that you are not capable of finishing the course, race organisers have the right to pull you of the the event and you will be taken back to Arrowtown, when the aid station pulls out. |
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6. What food/drink should I take with me? |
We recommend that you take at least 1000 calories worth of food with you to get you through the event.
There will be 4 aid stations along the way providing water to both runners and bikers, but you should also take your own water bottles and camelbacks filled with water or sports drink.
There will be cookies available for runners at Aid Station 4.
There will be Leppin available for runners at each aid station.
Miners Trail
Please ensure you carry enough fluids (water or dilute electrolyte sports drinks) to get you through the race, either side of the Aid Station. At the Aid Station cups of Leppin are available as well as self service water to top up your drink bladder/bottle. There are numerous stream crossings on course and competitors in past years have safely drunk out of the streams. We will be using water from the mountain streams at the Aid Station. We recommend you carry high energy snacks/gels etc and use as required to maintain energy levels throughout the course.
PLEASE carry out all litter and respect the environment and property you are on.
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7. What is the average time taken to complete the marathon? |
| The average time for the marathon is approximately 4 1/2 - 5 hours and this is for moderately fit, prepared people, running in good conditions. |
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8. What is the average time taken to complete the mountain bike? |
| The average time for the mountain bike is approximately 4 1/2 hours and this is for moderately fit, prepared people, riding in good conditions. The slowest people will arrive around the 6 hour mark. |
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9. What sort of ability/fitness is required for the marathon course? |
| Well it is a marathon, so naturally you need to be fit and prepared with plenty of training. It is also recommended to do plenty of hill work in your training as much of the course is uphill (although hopefully the spectacular scenery will distract you from the fact that you are running up hills….). |
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10. What sort of ability/fitness is required for the mountain biking course? |
It is not a technically difficult ride, but it should be remembered that the ride climbs for 35kms. That is a long way and could take 4-6 hours if you are not fit!
If the conditions are adverse (snow, rain, wind) then it could take even longer.
While the ride is enjoyable and achievable for one-event-a-year people, you need to be honest with yourself and you need to do some training! You should be training to complete the course no later than 7pm - it will start to get dark around then and it is too dangerous to be out on the course after this time. |
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11. Can I enter as a walker? |
Off-Road Marathon
YES. You may enter the marathon as a walker but you must be able to reach Aid Station 2 by the cut off time of 12 noon. At Aid Station 2 there is 23km to go to the finish line.
Miners Trail
YES. You may enter the Miners Trail as a walker but you must be able to reach the Aid Station cut off time of 12.30pm. This Aid Station is approximately half-way through the course. |
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12. Can I transfer my entry to someone else? |
Yes. Competitors may transfer their entry to someone else. Please download the transfer form, complete and return to Iconic Adventures. NO FORM, NO TRANSFER
The form must be received by Iconic Adventure by the 28th February 2010, no changes after this date. All transfers after entries have closed incur a $25 administration fee.
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13. What is the minimum age for the event? |
The minimum age for the mountain bike is 15 years on race day.
The minimum age for the marathon is 20 years on race day.
The minimum age for the miners trail is 18 years on race day. |
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14. Is it a full measured marathon? |
The Motatapu marathon is an off road event and therefore the distance is variable. For Olympic Marathons (on road) you have to realise that they can follow a line that measures exactly 42.195km (26 miles) and even then competitors do not run the exact line.
Over the years the Motatapu station owners have made vast improvements to the farm tracks on which parts of the course traverse and this has meant a subsequent shortening of the course. Many sections of the course are through river beds offering numerous routes to cross dramatically increasing or decreasing the distance run. The course has been measured with GPS devices and bike computers and all provide different results, every year.
There is also no exact route that can measured, particularly with all the river crossings, nor can we paint a line on the course for you to follow.
The course is as close to a full marathon distance that we can get, however given the nature of this off road event we cannot guarantee the course is a full 42.195km distance, just like most other marathons in New Zealand. |
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15. What is the average time taken to complete the Miners Trail? |
| We estimate an average race run time to be approximately 2hr:30min for moderately fit, well prepared people, running in good conditions. |
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16. What sort of ability/fitness is required for the Miners Trail course? |
| Hill work should regulary feature amongst your training runs, there is 680 vertical metres of climbing and descending on the course. Preparing your feet and ankles for rough terrain is also recommended. Keep off the ashphelt and train specifically for the expected environment. |
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17. What event transport options are there? |
| If you’re looking for transport between Queenstown, Arrowtown and Wanaka check these companies out
Transport between Queenstown and Wanaka:
Wanaka Connexions
(03) 443 9120
www.time2.co.nz/connexions
Atomic Travel
(03) 03 349 0697
www.atomictravel.co.nz
Transport between Queenstown and Arrowtown:
Connectabus
(03) 441 4471
www.connectabus.com
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