Day 8: Matakana to Stillwater

Start: Matakana (472km)

Finish: Stillwater (543km)

Distance for the day: 71km

Cumulative distance: 543km

Cumulative moving time:

A blog post from Mark tonight, as I had a late one on the trail - JB.

It’s been a long day for Jez today, both in time & distance. It’s now 8.20pm & he is still out on the trail having started running at 7am. Jamie is busy cooking his dinner, & I am about to unload the kayaks in order to paddle across the Weiti River with Jez’s kayak in tow. He should arrive at the opposite bank around 10pm which will be after dark.

Jez continues to impress his team with his absolute commitment, total focus, & ability to cover great distances, often over difficult ground, day after day.

Today he negotiated Dome Forest, Moir Hill, kayaked 8km down Puhoi River, ran the beach at Orewa, & he is currently tackling the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

When I met him for the Puhoi paddle he was smiling broadly & looked very strong & relaxed.

Right now he will be looking forward to a late supper of gammon & vegetables.

Tomorrow includes a paddle across Auckland Harbour & running through the centre of Auckland hotly pursued by our photography team.

It’s now 10pm. Jez is home & dry, & he is still smiling!

Mark T.

Keep smiling - that's the trick

Paddling the Punoi Rive estuary

The paddle make for a fabulous interlude during long running days.

Straight from the paddle into the final run section for the day, 19km down the coast. I just about got in before dark.

Kayak transition

The Waiwera River estuary (foot crossing via bridge)