Report by Sandra Jensen

The Taniwha is usually a scorcher but this time Total sport moved the event to may and so for the first time ever, we froze our butts off on the start line of the 43km ( yeah its a little over a marathon).

This year they sold out of all events and there wasnt much they didnt offer so almost an event for anyone keen to hit the Waikato River trails from walk/run to duathlon to running .

Sue Hunter and myself as always lined up at the back ( where we belong) and tail ended the long course. It was cold, we jumped around, my disposable hand warmer was lacklustre and we found only 2 other suckers, sorry Hawks who dared to run the long course.

But hey it was a picture perfect day with fog rising off the water as the sun was trying to push its way through the cloud, the water had an eerie stillness that made it seem almost primeval. If it wasnt for the manicured trail, you could picture yourself walking in the middle of nowhere.
We settled in with our tail enders for the long haul. Its not often we go over our cut off time but this year it was only just. By that stage prior cut offs had been met so it was just a matter of getting to that finish line which we did ( not before sue grabbed her jandals from the car due to having spent 8 hrs walking on blisters )  to a rousing chorus from Ronald chens wife aimee who is always a joy at any running event ( if you know of ronald chen, he is with the Y marathon club in auckland and has the best calve muscles ever created) and we were welcomed by our lucky last runner , Ross Steels supporters who took turns to hug both of us and then photos, medals, high 5’s . sighs, qrab a beer then head home.

Its always funny being first to arrive and last to leave .

Total sport events never faill to deliver and the crew themselves are awesome.
We come back year after year.