NZ Ultramarathon Festival — 6 Day

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Flat concrete-path loop through Hagley Park woodlands and around the lakes, returning to a central support hub every 1.9464 km.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Victoria and Albert lakes
• The Avon River bank
• Shaded parkland beside the Christchurch Botanic Gardens
• The Hub aid marquee, passed every lap

Course A is a flat 1.9464 km concrete-path loop with no elevation change, certified by World Athletics, through parkland with mature shade trees, past Victoria and Albert lakes and along the Avon River. It stays open to the public 24 hours a day, is marked with directional arrows and distance markers, and is mostly lit; headlamps are compulsory from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise. Runners cross timing equipment every lap and can check their laps on a screen in the timing tent. Runners who leave the course must sign out and back in with event crew. A certified 2.8122 km loop, Course B, was used in 2025 and is the backup. The organizer recommends at least two pairs of road shoes, one a half size larger for swelling feet.

The organizer expects mild early-autumn conditions of about 12–20°C (54–68°F). NIWA’s 1991–2020 April normals for the Christchurch Gardens station, beside Hagley Park, are an average high of 17.6°C (64°F) and an average low of 7.8°C (46°F), with 62 mm of rain in the month. The first edition was held in spring: RNZ described the weather as ideal but a little cool for the Australians, while 73-year-old Greg Wilson told the Midland Express he raced through freezing temperatures and heavy rain wearing five layers on top.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

The race began as the NZ 6 Day Ultra Marathon, first held in Hagley Park from September 29 to October 5, 2025. Race director Kerryn Bell, founder of Queenstown’s Southern Lakes Ultra stage race, told RNZ that 24 hours had been the longest race format previously contested in New Zealand. The second edition moved to autumn, March 30 to April 5, 2026, and to a shorter 1.9464 km loop, and Germany’s Andrea Mehner won outright with 781.540 km. For 2027 the event grows into a festival from March 31 to April 10, with races from 3 hours to 10 days around the six-day. Its ambassador is Sandy Barwick MBE, former president of the New Zealand Ultra Marathon Association, whose 883.631 km in 1990 was a world six-day track record.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• Men: Greg Ponych (Australia), 748.788 km, 2026 (best men’s distance in the two editions, per DUV)
• Women: Andrea Mehner (Germany), 781.540 km, 2026 (first overall)
• Greg Wilson, then 73, set an Australian M70 record for 500 km of 4 days 16:35:46 during the 2025 race, 24 minutes 14 seconds faster than Cliff Young’s 1992 mark (Midland Express). He finished with 591.515 km and improved to 663.432 km in 2026.

Preparing for a Race Like NZ Ultramarathon Festival — 6 Day

The 6-day race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• 6-day races explained: How six-day races work and how plans adapt across 144 hours.
• How to train for a 6-day race: A 24-week framework with an example training week.
• Sleep strategy for multiday races: An individual sleep plan with safe locations and clear stop criteria.
• Foot-care kit for multiday running: Tape, lube, socks, blister pads and simple hot-spot rules.

Best Fit

• Runners attempting a first six-day race who want full catering and round-the-clock support
• Record and ranking chasers: in 2026 IAU Bronze labels covered the six-day and the 500 km and 500-mile marks on a certified course
• Older and walking athletes; the 2025 field included runners in the 75–79 and 80+ age groups

Planning Notes

• Start conservatively and use flexible process checkpoints for effort, walking, food, fluid, alertness, and symptoms instead of forcing one hourly distance target.
• Prepare several rest options before race week. Stop for sleep or assessment if alertness, coordination, or safe decision-making deteriorates.
• Use repeatable but adaptable routines for sleep, food, skin and foot checks, weather, and medical escalation across the six days.
• Repetitive surfaces can expose fit, friction, and loading problems. Check in when symptoms or conditions change, and use only footwear already tested for the course.
• The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.
• Six days on concrete; bring at least two pairs of road shoes, one a half size larger
• Cold autumn nights, with an average April low of 7.8°C (46°F) at the Christchurch Gardens station
• Leaving the course without signing out and back in with event crew means disqualification
• Entries cannot be refunded, transferred or rolled over

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Browse the curated 24-hour race calendar
• Browse the 24-hour race calendar
• Browse the 48-hour race calendar
• Browse the 6-day race calendar
• Open the 6-Day format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist