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One of New Zealand’s most scenic marathons is the Tauranga Marathon. Set in New Zealand’s fifth largest city, this marathon features an absolutely stunning course along the coast of the Bay of Plenty. There are plenty of different races offered as part of the Tauranga Marathon, from 2km all the way up to 50km! Participants of all ages and abilities are welcome. Let’s take a closer look at what this great New Zealand marathon has to offer.
Tauranga is located in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty Region and is the country’s fifth largest city. The courses take place almost entirely along Tauranga’s beautiful coastline, giving participants a gorgeous view as they compete and making this marathon a once in a lifetime experience. The course is fast and flat, making it a great place to capture a new personal best or prepare for an international marathon.
The Tauranga Marathon features six different races with a wide variety of distances. Regardless of your age or skill level, there’s definitely something for you.
The largest and most intimidating race option at the Tauranga Marathon is the 50km-long ultra-marathon. Being nearly 8km longer than a standard marathon, the ultra-marathon is no joke. The 50km course begins at Maxwells Road and comprises two laps of the original marathon course’s second half, after starting with an 8km out-and-back. The route finishes at The Strand. As it is the longest race, it also has the earliest start time, which is 6:15am.
The main event of the Tauranga Marathon is the standard 42.2km marathon, which comprises two laps of the original marathon course’s second half. Like the 50k ultra-marathon, the standard length marathon begins at Maxwells Road and ends and The Strand. The start time is 7:00am.
Tauranga’s 21km half marathon follows the same route as the full marathon, but consists of just one lap of the second half of the course, rather than two. It also has a 7:00am start time.
The Tauranga Marathon features a classic 10km-long course. It begins on Maxwells Road and finishes at The Strand and features a flat and scenic route along the coast and through the town. The starting line is a 15-20 minute jog from the finish area, allowing for nice warmups. The start time is 7:30am.
For the less daring, or those looking for a more relaxed time, the Tauranga Marathon offers a 5km-long route. The route begins at the Hairy Maclary Statue and is a simple out-and-back to The Strand. The route goes along the Harbour Bridge, giving participants gorgeous views of the coast. The start time is 10:45 am.
Last but not least is the 2km-long kids’ course. Starting at the Hairy Maclary Statue, the route comprises two 1km loops, culminating in a mad dash to finish line at The Strand. The start time is 11:30am.
The Tauranga Marathon boasts several extra features and amenities including:
