Surf to Firth – are you tough enough?

Well I did it! I walked the 14km track of the Surf 2 Firth! My race was more like a Firth to Firth, but hey, you’ve got to start somewhere.

At 7am, in the dark, we gathered at Hikuai School for the debrief, along with 28 other marathon runners from around the world. There were Dutch, Swedish, American, Brazilian…

Sanitising procedures were followed to ensure Kauri Dieback was not carried into or out of the forest on the runners shoes.

The Hikuai School Principal, Jared Stein, welcomed the runners and spoke briefly about the painting that hung on the wall, which they use to inspire the students. He explained how at Hikuai School they encourage the children to set their goals high, looking towards the Pinnacles, the nearby mountain range the runners were about to climb. He pointed out the stepping stones in the river, which symbolised the challenges they face. He explained to the runners that if they accomplish each of the smaller challenges, before they know it they will have reached their main goal.