Half Marathon

Description

21km Race Briefing – Pay What You Want Tauranga Half Marathon 2023 FINAL

21km of Tauranga goodness
You asked for 21.097km – and we give you exactly that. Expect to post smart times on this fast, rolling and scenic course. On your 21km journey you’re never far from the Tauranga coastline and your course includes Beach Road, Harbour Drive, Kulim Park, Matua Saltmarsh and Carlton Reserve.

It’s best to think about the Half Marathon course in three sections.

• 5.9km Section. Entrants complete the full 5km course (that we’ve extended to be a 5.9km course).
• 0.2km Section. After high fiving supporters while passing through the finish line (5.9km in), entrants run a further 200m through the park to reach the 15km start line.
• 15km Section. Entrants complete the full 15km course.

The “cleanest course” possible for Half Marathon entrants. 

• 8.00am. The 21km event starts
• 8.20am to 9.10am. 21km entrants pass through the finish line for the first time & the 15km start line.
• 9.00am. The 15km event starts (95%+ of 21km entrants will already be on the 15km section  of the course ahead of the 15km runners/walkers)
• 9.10am to midday. The 21km entrants finish the event.
• 10.00am. The 10km event starts (75%+ of 21km entrants will have finished their event without interacting with any 10km entrants)

On your Half Marathon course…
Outside of the awesome scenery on course, entrants will pass our course entertainment, a bunch of supportive event marshals and support stations.  Each support station is manned by a passionate local community group and will be stacked with R-Line & water, plus will have first aid and toilets available nearby.

21km entrants pass 5x aid stations at the following distances:
– 3.17 km mark
– 5.95 km mark (“FERGS AID”)
– 9.98 km mark
– 14.65km mark
– 18.41km mark

Following Your Event Course
– It is your responsibility to know the route of your event course.
– Important intersections have been marked with RED arrows.
– You have two turn points on the course, both marked with RED ‘TURN HERE’ signs.
– RED distance markers will be placed at 3km, 6km, 9km, 12km, 15km and 18km.
– The background colour of your race number is RED.
– Follow all RED signage and ignore all other coloured signage.

CRITICAL: ‘FERG’S CORNER’ (see images below)
– As you turn left onto Beach Road you’ll see ‘Ferg’s Corner Ahead’ signs.
– You will reach ‘Ferg’s Corner’ (at the back entrance to Fergusson Park) four times
throughout the 21km event. You are responsible for following the RED 21km course
signage at ‘Ferg’s Corner’ correctly each time you pass.
1. You arrive here @ 1.68km and will TURN RIGHT (away from the park).
2. You arrive here @ 5.25km and will CONTINUE STRAIGHT into Fergusson Park towards
the ‘ FERG’S AID ’ Station.
3. You arrive here @ 13.1km and will TURN RIGHT (away from the park).
4. You arrive here @ 20.35km and will CONTINUE STRAIGHT into Fergusson Park to finish.

‘FERG’S AID’: When passing through the finish area towards ‘FERG’S AID’ (after 5.9km),
keep following the RED arrows.

Event Photos
Be sure to look out for https://photos4sale.co.nz (our official event photographers) as they operate a PWYW model for event photos too – PWYW sounds familiar right?

Start Time
8.00am

Winners Circle
Recent winners on the PWYW Tauranga Half Marathon run course are shown below:
2019. Jonny McKee (1:11:36) and Karen Donaldson-Barron (1:25:49)
2018. Regan Bones (1:15:43) and Alice Mason (1:16:37)
2017. Craig Kirkwood (1:12:16) and Jess Ruthe (1:17:07)
2016. Ben Ruthe (1:11:23) and Esther Keown (1:20:38)
2015. Ben Ruthe (1:10:12) and Jess Ruthe (1:17:53)
2014. Kyle McDonald (1:10:06) and Lisa Robertson (1:16:23)
2013. Tony Payne (1:10:56) and Jess Ruthe (1:17:01)

Pace Runners
Thanks to Craig Kirkwood Coaching, four key pace runners will be on the start line for the Pay What You Want Tauranga Half Marathon.  Meet your chosen Pace Runner near the start area 10-15 minutes prior to the run start time (look out for Pace Runner Meeting Point signage). If you are looking to achieve the finish times shown below, do stick close by the clearly identified Craig Kirkwood Coaching Pace Runners on course.
– 1:30:00
– 1:40:00
– 1:50:00
– 2:00:00

Let us take care of everything – you just enjoy your day!