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The Matakana Xrun, an extreme challenge race over three kilometres, was held on July 23.
A total of 62 people slid through mud and cleared a range of obstacles to raise $2100 for the youth-focused Puriri Tree Foundation Trust.
This is the third year the event has been held, with both a winter and summer series.
“When we started the event we didn’t get many entries at all,” event organiser Max Carpenter says.
“This Xrun had a good feel about it and it felt like the turning point.”
Max says his goal is to make the Xrun New Zealand’s premier obstacle event in four or five years time.
The run is held at the Matakana Military Arts Camp, which incorporates a number of student activities.
The course is run two or three times in teams of two.
The 9km winners were Liam Wilkinson and Scott Thornton, who finished in 1hr 44 minutes.
The pair have done a number of running events and say the Xrun is the most technical in terms of the variety of obstacles it presents.
Among those competing was Rodney MP Mark Mitchell.
“I loved it,” Mr Mitchell says. “I will be extending an invitation to my fellow Members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister, to attend the next one with me. I think John Key would love this type of event.”
Max and his team are always looking to improve the event by adapting the course, with rope climbing challenges in mind for the next event.
“I think the Xrun experience allows you to push yourself far outside your comfort zone. Not a lot of events can do that.”
The next run will be held in February.
