The Gazley Volkswagen Wellington Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km fun run, and Kids' Magic Mile are back on 23 June 2024.
All races consist of flat out and back courses starting on the Sky Stadium Walkway and heading south on Waterloo Quay toward the Railway Station.
Thousands of runners and walkers participate in this annual event, which was established by the Wellington Marathon Clinic and has been Wellington's favourite footrace for 37 years.
Race Director Michael Jacques joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss the event.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Talks'd be Wellington Marathon underway early enough tomorrow morning, organized
or run, I suppose you'd say by Michael Jakes, the
event manager, joins us. Now, Michael, a rather large weekend
is probably an understatement. How snowed under are you?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah, A little bit like that. It's it's it's always
a busy weekend. We said that. It's a you know,
twelve months of the year operation getting the event underway,
you know, just even you know, things like traffic management
is a huge exercise where we were applying before Christmas
for a June event, you know, and all the organization
alongside that, and then you know, nearly three hundred volunteers
(00:47):
to sort out on top of the four thousand or
four thousand, three hundred participants for this year's Gaily Volkswagen
Wellington Marathon.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Right, four three hundred. That's not the one race, is
it is that divided between a number of different.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
There's lots lots of options for them. So you've got
the Classic Fall Marathon forty two point two k, but
then you've got half Marathon a ten k and We
have a Kid's Magic Mile as well, which is quite popular.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
And not too late to register. If you're in and around,
you're listening, your fancy a bit of a jog tomorrow
morning you can still climb on board.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yeah. So on Saturday people can walk into Gazely Volkswagen
thirty eight kent Terrace and make a late registration there.
So if you're feeling keen and want to join the crowds,
we'd be more than happy to see you.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Whereabouts see you I'd say jogging, but that's not fair
to be some people absolutely running? So whereabouts is the
actual course itself? What does it take in?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, it's a great course. It's it's all based on
race that it's all based at sky Stadium and it
heads through the Keys, through town to Oriental Parye, right
around Orientel Prey, Devans Bay, Preye, Cobham Drive and then
out to Shelley Bay and back and that's the half marathon.
The full marathon does two laps of that and the
(02:04):
ten k tunes around about halfway around the base and
comes back.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
The rock stars Michael, who are you looking at to
take this event? Are their dominant characters? Are there people
that we may know in and around that space. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, this year's race, all the race is actually quite
wide open because for the first time that I can remember,
there's no previous winners coming back for the race, and
so there's a lot of guys actually who have either
debutantes at this event or have been on the podium
several times without taking the top step. Who you know
who really could come away with a great win. The
(02:41):
half marathons looking really good. Local guy Nathan Teas has
been second and third at this event in past year,
so he'll be looking for the top step. And but
then we've got a first timer in the half mouth
and Chris Speakman, who's who's a really top per former
New Zealand rep and probably the fastest guy in the
(03:02):
field definitely from the mile up to ten k's or
at Milor, but trying his first half marathon, and so
he's he's probably the classest runner in the field, but
untested over the longer distances. So it'll be an interesting race.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You've had Nathan on the show before. He's a good rooster,
absolutely looking to chop down that that that victory. Finally
you once say he's a desperate man but he's definitely focused,
isn't here?
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, he is, he is, and you know he's been
a big improver in the last sort of twelve months
as well, you know, running PB's almost every time out,
so you know, I think he'll be not the dark horse,
but certainly perhaps someone to really challenge Speakman for the win.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
In case of Volkswagen Wellington Marathon, the event manager Michael
Jakes joining us, what about with the white henne. What
are we looking at there? As far as dominant women.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, I think probably the favorite would be in the
half marathon would be Debbie Donald. And yeah, she's she's
been a top performer over the full distance, you know,
the last couple of years and other events. This is
the first time she would have run the Wellington event though,
and she's just making a late entry for the half marathon,
(04:11):
so she's probably the favorite there. The woman's four marathons
wide open. Actually Japanese woman Shizuki Tanakis coming across. She's
a sub through marathon and she's possibly the favorite. And
after that is probably a handful of locals really who
won't be far behind. So if any of them had,
you know, had a really good day, they could be
a surprise win.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
As far as the spectators a concern, where's the best
place for people to watch? Ideally, where would you like
people gathering? Because that course you're talking about, she's a
bit treacherous in some spots, isn't have they got access
to it or not?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Yeah, well, because we have a lot of road closures
and road controls, the course isn't easy to get onto. Actually,
you know, we've got to do that for the participant safety,
et cetera. The best place to view the races, you know,
other than the start finish line is the corner of
Combum driving Evans Bay opposite Kilbernie Park. The both the
(05:07):
half marathon and full marathon go out and back past
that spot, and so the full marathon you'd see someone
four times, you know, because they're doing two laps. There's
also a drink station there so there there's plenty of
sea so that Yeah, that's definitely the best general spectator
point on the course.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Public service wise for people in Wellington who maybe aren't
interested but they've got to get about and do their business.
You've got any advice for them about what to do,
what not to do. I don't get in your car
in the morning or something of that ELK.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah, So essentially, in terms of the real impact, the
only real impact is Evans Bay Parade and Oriental Parade,
which are fully closed until about half US twelve one o'clock,
although we often have them open earlier. And while there'll
be resident movement and things like that, general public access
(05:58):
definitely won't happen in the morning on the Sunday morning.
And so really everybody's traveling around through Mount Viactanna, which
is probably pretty normal anyway, and services such as buses,
they'll be impacted around Evans Bay Parade and Orangeal Parade
as well. But if you look on you on on
the bus lines online, you'll see the alternative services there
(06:18):
quite easily.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
What about what people win? What are they in it for?
Are they in it for the prestige or do they
get a bag of gold in a top hat?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Well, this is it. You know, people are out there really,
I mean essentially everybody. There's always people at the front end,
you know who you know in this prize money available
for the winners, et cetera, as well as course record bonuses.
But by and large, ninety nine point nine percent of
people are out there just you tackling personal demons as
it were, you know, their own personal challenges, whether it's
(06:48):
a best time or the first ever marathon run, the
first ever run of any sort. In some cases, you know,
they're just out there doing personal things. Every finisher gets
a medal, you know, which is a big thing for
a lot of people, just a bit of a trophy
to hang on the on the bed post, as it were.
And yeah, I think it is really about, you know,
(07:08):
just sort of conquering those personal demons and doing things
that you might not otherwise do in an event, you know,
you get that opportunity to do it with lots of
other like minded people.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
And looking forward to you having a very successful morning
and a wonderful race. Michael Jakes, thank you very much
for your time here on ZB.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Thank you looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk said Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Talks'd be Wellington Marathon underway early enough tomorrow morning, organized
or run, I suppose you'd say by Michael Jakes, the
event manager, joins us. Now, Michael, a rather large weekend
is probably an understatement. How snowed under are you?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah, A little bit like that. It's it's it's always
a busy weekend. We said that. It's a you know,
twelve months of the year operation getting the event underway,
you know, just even you know, things like traffic management
is a huge exercise where we were applying before Christmas
for a June event, you know, and all the organization
alongside that, and then you know, nearly three hundred volunteers
(00:47):
to sort out on top of the four thousand or
four thousand, three hundred participants for this year's Gaily Volkswagen
Wellington Marathon.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Right, four three hundred. That's not the one race, is
it is that divided between a number of different.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
There's lots lots of options for them. So you've got
the Classic Fall Marathon forty two point two k, but
then you've got half Marathon a ten k and We
have a Kid's Magic Mile as well, which is quite popular.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
And not too late to register. If you're in and around,
you're listening, your fancy a bit of a jog tomorrow
morning you can still climb on board.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yeah. So on Saturday people can walk into Gazely Volkswagen
thirty eight kent Terrace and make a late registration there.
So if you're feeling keen and want to join the crowds,
we'd be more than happy to see you.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Whereabouts see you I'd say jogging, but that's not fair
to be some people absolutely running? So whereabouts is the
actual course itself? What does it take in?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, it's a great course. It's it's all based on
race that it's all based at sky Stadium and it
heads through the Keys, through town to Oriental Parye, right
around Orientel Prey, Devans Bay, Preye, Cobham Drive and then
out to Shelley Bay and back and that's the half marathon.
The full marathon does two laps of that and the
(02:04):
ten k tunes around about halfway around the base and
comes back.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
The rock stars Michael, who are you looking at to
take this event? Are their dominant characters? Are there people
that we may know in and around that space. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, this year's race, all the race is actually quite
wide open because for the first time that I can remember,
there's no previous winners coming back for the race, and
so there's a lot of guys actually who have either
debutantes at this event or have been on the podium
several times without taking the top step. Who you know
who really could come away with a great win. The
(02:41):
half marathons looking really good. Local guy Nathan Teas has
been second and third at this event in past year,
so he'll be looking for the top step. And but
then we've got a first timer in the half mouth
and Chris Speakman, who's who's a really top per former
New Zealand rep and probably the fastest guy in the
(03:02):
field definitely from the mile up to ten k's or
at Milor, but trying his first half marathon, and so
he's he's probably the classest runner in the field, but
untested over the longer distances. So it'll be an interesting race.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You've had Nathan on the show before. He's a good rooster,
absolutely looking to chop down that that that victory. Finally
you once say he's a desperate man but he's definitely focused,
isn't here?
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, he is, he is, and you know he's been
a big improver in the last sort of twelve months
as well, you know, running PB's almost every time out,
so you know, I think he'll be not the dark horse,
but certainly perhaps someone to really challenge Speakman for the win.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
In case of Volkswagen Wellington Marathon, the event manager Michael
Jakes joining us, what about with the white henne. What
are we looking at there? As far as dominant women.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, I think probably the favorite would be in the
half marathon would be Debbie Donald. And yeah, she's she's
been a top performer over the full distance, you know,
the last couple of years and other events. This is
the first time she would have run the Wellington event though,
and she's just making a late entry for the half marathon,
(04:11):
so she's probably the favorite there. The woman's four marathons
wide open. Actually Japanese woman Shizuki Tanakis coming across. She's
a sub through marathon and she's possibly the favorite. And
after that is probably a handful of locals really who
won't be far behind. So if any of them had,
you know, had a really good day, they could be
a surprise win.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
As far as the spectators a concern, where's the best
place for people to watch? Ideally, where would you like
people gathering? Because that course you're talking about, she's a
bit treacherous in some spots, isn't have they got access
to it or not?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Yeah, well, because we have a lot of road closures
and road controls, the course isn't easy to get onto. Actually,
you know, we've got to do that for the participant safety,
et cetera. The best place to view the races, you know,
other than the start finish line is the corner of
Combum driving Evans Bay opposite Kilbernie Park. The both the
(05:07):
half marathon and full marathon go out and back past
that spot, and so the full marathon you'd see someone
four times, you know, because they're doing two laps. There's
also a drink station there so there there's plenty of
sea so that Yeah, that's definitely the best general spectator
point on the course.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Public service wise for people in Wellington who maybe aren't
interested but they've got to get about and do their business.
You've got any advice for them about what to do,
what not to do. I don't get in your car
in the morning or something of that ELK.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah, So essentially, in terms of the real impact, the
only real impact is Evans Bay Parade and Oriental Parade,
which are fully closed until about half US twelve one o'clock,
although we often have them open earlier. And while there'll
be resident movement and things like that, general public access
(05:58):
definitely won't happen in the morning on the Sunday morning.
And so really everybody's traveling around through Mount Viactanna, which
is probably pretty normal anyway, and services such as buses,
they'll be impacted around Evans Bay Parade and Orangeal Parade
as well. But if you look on you on on
the bus lines online, you'll see the alternative services there
(06:18):
quite easily.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
What about what people win? What are they in it for?
Are they in it for the prestige or do they
get a bag of gold in a top hat?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Well, this is it. You know, people are out there really,
I mean essentially everybody. There's always people at the front end,
you know who you know in this prize money available
for the winners, et cetera, as well as course record bonuses.
But by and large, ninety nine point nine percent of
people are out there just you tackling personal demons as
it were, you know, their own personal challenges, whether it's
(06:48):
a best time or the first ever marathon run, the
first ever run of any sort. In some cases, you know,
they're just out there doing personal things. Every finisher gets
a medal, you know, which is a big thing for
a lot of people, just a bit of a trophy
to hang on the on the bed post, as it were.
And yeah, I think it is really about, you know,
(07:08):
just sort of conquering those personal demons and doing things
that you might not otherwise do in an event, you know,
you get that opportunity to do it with lots of
other like minded people.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
And looking forward to you having a very successful morning
and a wonderful race. Michael Jakes, thank you very much
for your time here on ZB.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Thank you looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk said Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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