Course Notes
Peak Trail Blazer 2020
Safety note: On race day the course will be marked with tape, signs and arrows. Safety marshals, not always mentioned in the course notes below, will also be in place at key points on the course (especially when there are directional options and road crossings). Please take this into account when reading these course notes. Please follow marshal instructions on the day.
Tainui Trail
Kids & adults – all individuals (no teams) – 10am start Tainui Reserve (via Keith Sands Grove or Glenpark Place)
- Parents must ensure their children are at the Tainui Reserve main green (either get to it from Keith Sands Grove or Glenpark Place) start half an hour before the race begins. There will be a small course briefing at this time.
- Starting at the bottom of the Tanner Street Reserve, running on the grass all the way through the reserve with the stream on the right shoulder.
- Run to the end of the reserve and through a coned off area leading to the Tainui Reserve proper, (with Glenpark Place on right shoulder).
- Continue into Tainui Reserve, turning right at the first fork.
- Run straight up the gentle rise along the wide path, then turn hard left and begin climbing the steps.
- At the top of the steps turn hard right, and continue rising up along the ridge path. Follow the path, winding up and down until it reaches a fork in the path (there will be a marshal in place) – take the LEFT path to Hikanui Pa.
- Follow the path past the pa site on your LHS and then take the path to the right at the bottom.
- Continue heading down the hill taking a SHARP LEFT hand turn (marshal in place), avoiding the path with the steps.
- Carefully follow the narrow path down the hill and over a small bridge at the bottom, turning right over the bridge.
- Continue heading out of the gully, turning left and then straight away veering right down to the creek track rather than the main wide track (marshal in place). Follow this creek path back towards the race start at the Tanner Street Reserve.
- Run to the end of the Tanner Street Reserve, through the gate and keeping on the grass and runners track away from cars.
- Cross Tanner Street on to Joll Road when told by the safety marshal.
- Follow the foot path up Joll Road, continuing until reach Christie Crescent.
- Cross Christie Crescent when told by the safety marshal.
- Run to round about and cross two roads when told by safety marshals, returning to school along the Campbell Street footpath.
- Turn left at the first school driveway, around the amphitheatre and down to the school field through the finish line to the cheering crowd!
Te Mata Peak Trail
Individual run. Individual walk. Teams of three run. Teams of three walk.
8am walk start, HN Primary.
9am run start, HN Primary.
TEAMS Please Note: There are no transition points on this run. If you are in a team, each member of a team must complete the full course. Although you don’t need to stay together, the team time will be taken when the third member of your team crosses the finish line at HNP.
All Peak Entrants:
- Start at HNP field.
- Run through the school, carefully through the lunch area/amphitheatre and exit the school.
- Turn right on to Campbell Street footpath.
- Run along footpath to the the round about, cross to other side of the road when told by safety marshals.
- Left into Joll Road, running along footpath.
- Cross Christie Crescent when told by safety marshal.
- Continue to follow Joll Road until Tanner Street.
- Cross Tanner Street at the bottom of Joll Road when told by safety marshal.
- Into the bottom of Tanner Street Reserve, running on the grass all the way through the gate and into the reserve with the stream on the right shoulder.
- Run to the end of the reserve and through a coned off area leading to the Tainui Reserve proper, (with Glenpark Place on right shoulder).
- Continue into Tainui Reserve, turning right at the first fork.
- Run straight up the gentle rise along the wide path, then turn hard left and begin climbing the steps.
- At the top of the steps turn hard right, and continue rising up along the ridge path.
- Follow the path, winding up and down until it reaches a fork in the path (there will be a marshal in place) – take the RIGHT path through the ‘kissing gate’ towards Hikanui Drive.
- Exit the reserve and cross over Hikanui Drive – TAKE CARE – cross when told by a safety marshal.
- Head down pathway (at back of houses) Dropping down to Tauroa Road.
- Cross Tauroa Road when safety marshal allows – TAKE CARE roads are not closed.
- Follow Tauroa Road on left hand side grass verge until the Tauroa Road Carpark.
- Into Te Mata Peak park.
- Follow track into the park, eventually with the baby redwoods on left shoulder, turn hard right on the third track to your right (the one after the Giant Redwoods turn). Marshal in place.
- Follow this zig zag path until you reach the fence line at the top (do NOT use the Mt Biking track), climb over the steps and take the track leading up the hill of the paddock.
- Follow this paddock track until you come to a well-marked fork in the path, take the right hand path that leads up the incline and onto Windy Ridge rather than around the base of the hill.
- Smile!
- Follow this ridge-line path until you reach the road nearly at the top of the Peak.
- Cross the road when told by a safety marshal – TAKE CARE it is a blind corner – and climb the hill to the trig station where you must run over the timing mats to complete the course.
- Start heading home!
- Run down Te Mata peak on the OFF ROAD track that winds its way down towards the car park overlooking Craggy Range Winery. The Te Mata Peak road will be on your left shoulder.
- Cross the road before the carpark when the safety warden tells you – TAKE CARE – running through the gully, through Webs Bush, until you reach the top of the baby redwoods, returning to the Tauroa Road carpark, passing the baby redwoods on your right shoulder.
- Return along Tauroa Road as before and up behind the houses to Hikanui Drive. TAKE CARE on road crossings.
- Once in the Tainui Reserve and through the ‘kissing gate’, go straight ahead up hill with the Hikanui Pa site on your LHS, completing the same loop as the Tainui Trail course – WATCH FOR CHILDREN.
- Head down the hill at the end of the pa site taking a right turn, and then a sharp LEFT hand turn (marshal in place), avoiding the path with the steps.
- Follow the narrow path down the hill and over a small bridge at the bottom, turning right over the bridge.
- Continue heading out of the gully, turning left and then straight away veering right down to the creek track rather than the main wide track (marshal in place). Follow this creek path back towards the Tanner Street Reserve – WATCH FOR CHILDREN STARTING at 10am.
- Run to the end of the Tanner Street Reserve, through the gate, keeping on the grass and runners track away from cars.
- Cross Tanner Street on to Joll Road when told by the safety marshal.
- Follow the foot path up Joll Road, continuing until reach Christie Crescent.
- Cross Christie Crescent when told by the safety marshal.
- Run to round about and cross two roads when told by safety marshals, returning to school along the Campbell Street footpath.
- Turn left at the first school driveway, around the amphitheatre and down to the school field through the finish line to the cheering crowd!