Jones eyes fifth Kepler triumph

In the very early hours of this morning, some 450 runners will make their way across the Lake Te Anau control gates to write their own personal Kepler Challenge story.

For some, like four-time champion Daniel Jones, fresh (probably not quite the right word) from winning both the Auckland and Queenstown marathons over the past month – including becoming the first male to win in Auckland three times in a row – it’s about the win.

All going well he’ll complete the 60km lap of the Kepler track in about four and-a-half hours and will return to the control gates looking like he’s just jogged down to the dairy.

Only Russell Hurring and Ruby Muir, with six wins each, have a more winning history in the Kepler Challenge.

Jones loves the mountains. He earns part of his living guiding runners over the Goat Pass trail used for the Coast to Coast and Fiordland has been more than just a happy hunting ground for him – the stunning scenery and community support for the Kepler makes this event a special one on his calendar.

He loves the way the entire Te Anau township gets behind the race, the zany atmosphere the volunteers bring to every aid station along the route and the sense of shared achievement that makes the finish line such a special place.

With a sideline as an endurance coach, he’ll also be excited to see ‘‘his’’ runners achieving their goals.

For many others this event is purely a personal challenge that begins in the middle of winter when they set the alarm in order to be online and compete for a place on the start line. Numbers are capped by a Department of Conservation concession.

This year’s race sold out in just over four minutes when they opened in July.

From there it’s a long, hard winter of training in order to be ready to test yourself against the climb to the Luxmore Hut, the rocky ridges above which cut the sky like ragged blades on the way to the Hanging Valley shelter, the descent into the Iris Burn and then the long run home through Motorau and Rainbow Reach.

These are all names which are part of Kepler folklore, seared into the memory of the many runners who have tested themselves against this beautiful backdrop.

Seventy percent of this year’s participants will be running their first Kepler. The gender split is about 60% male and 40% female.

With border restrictions eased, international visitors are part of the Kepler field again, including a large number of Australians and the likes of United States runner Victor Allis who has done this race five times before.

Local woman Bev Thorne has run the event more than 30 times, as well as raising three sons and running a small business.

And let’s not forget the Luxmore Grunt, starting an hour later and completing a 27km journey up to the Luxmore Hut and back.

Judged on its own merits it is a fair hike and the speed with which the frontrunners come back down the mountain is nothing short of frightening.

First staged in 1988 to celebrate the opening of the Kepler track, it’s doubtful anyone thought this event would become what it has – something which not only brings the Te Anau community together in a unique way, but brings people from around the world together in a celebration of pain, suffering, beauty and accomplishment.