Sunrise Half Marathon
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HAPPY DAY
Fun as all of those things are, they do not address the essence of what might makes the Sunrise Half Marathon probably one of the greatest running experiences of you life. The comes from starting your race in the darkness, with the sounds of the park to accompany the light show as the mass half marathon starts. From there, the fun is only beginning as dawn will start to break in the first half hour of the race. Enjoy a spectacular sunrise in beautiful Totara Park as you charge on towards your fitness goal.
At 5:30am, if you have not already progressed along your final lap, we'll transition you to the Day Time course - which includes additional and spectacular trail running through some more of Totara Park's most beautiful trails. And what then awaits at the finish line? Only the most stunning finisher medal you've ever received.
Get amongst it!
We Promise a Half Marathon Unlike Any Other You've Tried
The Course
The Sunrise Half Marathon starts on the Mighty Totara Night Time Course (click on the image to view in a pop window). At 5:30am, we transition to the Day Time Course (the changes are few and well signposted). Use the buttons below to check out the full details for both options.
Important! Both the Day Time and the Night Time course is measured to the standards set down by the New Zealand 100 Marathons Club.
3 Laps
Day or Night Time Course
1 km
Lead-In
Race Info at a Glance
The Basics |
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| Race | SUNRISE HALF MARATHON |
| Event Date | Sunday December 1st |
| Start Time | 04:30am |
| Time Limit | 3.5 Hours A special 4am start is being worked on for those who may require additional time to finish. Watch this space. |
| Distance | 21.1KM | 3x Laps of Night or Day Time Course + 1km Lead-In |
| Tickets & Fees | See here page |
Event Base |
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| Location | Totara Park [click for google pin to start line] |
| Access & Parking | See the dedicated Getting There & Parking page. |
| Toilets | Portaloos will be located opposite the Start/Finish line in the communal rest area. |
| Overnight Stay | Is not available to participants in this event (you'll be busy running!). |
On Course |
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| Course Map | See Night Time or Day Time course & 1km Lead-In The Sunrise Half Marathon consist of 3 laps of the 6.7km Mighty Totara course after the initial 1km downhill start. All participants will initially start on the Night Time course. We will then transition to the Day Time course at 5:30am sharp (don't worry - the signs make it very easy to switch). The exact split of laps day versus night will therefore vary - either 3/0 or 2/1 or 1/2 - depending on your pace and how much of the course you have covered by 5:30am. The very fastest few might get around purely on the Night Time course but most others will use a combination. |
| Directions | Look out for our directional arrows at all turns and intersections. There are no marshals on course and we reccommend carrying a mobile phone at all times in case you get lost or encounter another issue. |
| Overtaking | Be aware of the runners around you and be curteous on the narrower sections of the track. With multiple events still taking place - each with mutliple laps - it's likely you will be overtaken and overtake at some point during the race. |
| Pedestrians & Dogs | Please be respectful of other users of the park, they are entitled to be there just as much as you are. Look out for dog walkers and their four-legged sidekicks, particularly where the course skirts the Botanic Gardens, which is a designed dog walking area. That said, we anticipate most of your event (before first light) will be free of other pedestrian traffic in the park. |
| Toilets | Portaloos at the event base can be accessed at the start and finish of each lap. A well appointed set of modern public toilet block with three enclosed units is available in the picnic area near the park entrance (approx. 2km into the lap). |
| Aid Stations | An unmanned refill station - for water only - is situated at the 4km mark (half way around the lap). We will make best efforts to keep this station fully stocked throughout the event but you should not plan your race nutrition around this. Another refill station is available at the end of each lap where you can refill your bottles with water or PURE sport drink. There are no cups provided at this event ... you must bring your own water containers. You can also leave your own personal drinks in the unattended communal rest area directly opposite the Start/Finish line. |
| Race Rules | Due to the narrow tracks, we do not allow nordic poles in this event. See our general Competition Rules here. |
Awards & Results |
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| Results | 2024 results will be here and updated live throughout the event. Scan the QR code on your race number to be taken directly to your personal result page. |
| Scoring | Trophys will be awarded based on GUN TIME (first past the post wins). Online results will be based on NET TIME (the difference in time between crossing the start and finish timing mats). |
| Merit Awards | Trophy to first place overall Male & Female. |
| Participation Awards | All finishers receive the 2024 Mighty Totara medal - the very best half marathon finisher medal you will ever receive. More details here. |