About T102
T102 is the 102km ultra trail at Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB 2027 (Firmin Field, Kawerau, New Zealand). The race starts on February 13, 2027 at 07:00 AM. It starts in Firmin Field, Kawerau and finishes in Village Green, Rotorua. The time limit is 30 h.
Race strategy
Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.
- 611m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
- The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
- Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
- Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 73.8km, then run your race pace.
- Start · 0.0km–1.9km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
- Settle in · 1.9km–46.5km · Climb of 594m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
- Work · 46.5km–58.1km · This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
- Fade · 58.1km–73.8km · Climb of 314m, high point 731m, descent of 611m averaging 5%. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
- Home · 73.8km–101km · 26.8km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
Course
The course climbs 2300m+. With 23m/km of climbing, the course is predominantly runnable. By gradient, 25% of the distance is uphill, 22% downhill and 53% flat. The longest climb runs 9.6km at an average 6.2% grade (594m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.5km at an average 4.9% grade (611m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 29.3% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 21.3% over 0.2km.
Poles
Poles bring little benefit here: only about 2.5km of pole-friendly terrain.
Quad damage
Quad damage risk is moderate (index 22 of 100), with 27% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.
- Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 73.8km, then run your race pace.
- #1 · 61.3–73.8 km · 611 m D−, -4.9% · 26.8 km ahead → control
This page has a pacing and nutrition planner, a gradient matrix, an interactive elevation profile and historical weather for T102.
Other distances of Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB 2027TMiler (163km)·T50 (52.0km)·T21 (23.0km)·T14 (14.0km)
Other editions of T1022026
Official websitetarawera.utmb.world
