Nelson Myers-Daly Hillary Trail FKT

Nelson Myers-Daly is probably a name not widely known in the New Zealand trail running scene and for those who have heard of him it is most likely as the guy who paced Vajin Armstrong to 2nd place at the 2012 Tarawera Ultra. But over the last year young Nelson has been clocking up the K’s that accumulated with a solid 6th place at the TNF 50km Australia back in May. But even that result didn’t forecast what Nelson was about to unleash on Auckland’s famed Hillary Trail. Below is Nelson’s account of his fastest know time (FKT) and how his day played out.

I woke early on Saturday the 6th of July to have some porridge, do my daily meditation and get myself sorted for the day’s undertaking that lay ahead. During my meditation I felt alert, awake and inspired because I knew I was heading out to have another crack at the record for the Hillary trail. This would be my third completion of the trail. My mum dropped me off at the Arataki visitor centre just after 7am. I stood at the start line and said a treasured verse of Sri Chinmoy’s that I use for strength and determination.

-My supreme My supreme My supreme

Your Victory is my heart’s only dream

My Supreme My Supreme My Supreme-

and Boom! I was into it. (a really quiet boom as no-one else was around)

The start was pretty cruisey because I didn’t want to go out too hard and blow up before Whatipu. It’s easy to get carried away on the Arataki to Whatipu sections. As soon as I hit the Pipe Line Track I was lightly cursing under my breath because of the crazy road works going on. The road had been fully torn up and big piles of chunky rocks were scattered, creating a rocky/muddy blend that proved rough on the ankles. Once I was back on single trail I was able to enjoy the Waitakere’s embrace of the rising sun. For me, once the most enjoyable technical section of the Hillary, recently transformed from classic rutty roots to stairs and boardwalk, the ‘Hamilton’ is now super fast and it was over before I could even start to grow a mullet

All was good apart from my constantly tight ITBs which were making it hard right from the start. Persistent and annoying I was half doubting I could finish, I told myself maybe go to Piha and stop. The rest of the way to Whatipu was awesome with the big hike out of Huia to the Karamatua forks and beautiful single trail along the Puriri ridge. Definitely one of those priceless sections that is so much fun if I wasn’t on a mission to Muriwai I’d be tempted to turn around and run it again. I got to Whatipu in 2.39 which was 8 minutes faster than when I ran with Vajin to Piha en-route to his record time.

Hitting Gibbons was hilarious, there were easily 20 Koreans with big packs and hiking poles laughing and spraying the Kauri Dieback solution on their boots and I found myself desperately trying to get past them, I caught my toe on something and plummeted into a lady, almost taking out three or four of them. I quickly gathered myself and thanked them like they were an aid station. Gibbons was super muddy and at some points it felt like I was running on a mudmill. Coming down Muir Track was similar and I was bombing it pretty quick giggling, hoping I wasn’t going to…… BAM! both legs flew out from in front of me and I was down, fully caked in mud, I was up in a flash and almost as soon as I got running again my right foot hooked into a root (which I was sure was out to get me) and ripped up my shoe while throwing me forward onto my front. As soon as I got to Paraha stream I jumped in, had a quick bath getting most of the mud off me.

I’m not a big fan of the Junction to Karekare beach bit and it’s often an intense head wind but it was over pretty quick. I had a really good climb out of Karekare and descent into Piha. 4.55 at Glen Esk car park. I was psyched to see Dharbhasana and Asankita who had come out to support me for the rest of the run.

Dharbhasana was running to Bethells with me He is one of the most inspiring people I know, he has completed the longest running race in the world of 3100 miles and he’s always keen! even if it sounds not possible he’ll be give it a shot. I was at my low of the day for sure along Piha beach with its soft sand and wild headwind and for most of the climb out of Piha. By the time I was on Anawhata Road heading to Kuataika I had chowed down a pack of cliff shots and I was starting to bounce back.

As soon as I was on Kuataika I was buzzing, I managed to run all the downs fully winding it out and kept a solid clip up all the hills. Half way along Kuataika we met Steve Neary and Matt Gummer, they were both running the Hillary the same direction as well (nice work boys). We shook hands, shared a few words and continued our journey. I managed to keep up a good clip to Bethells where Asankita would take over and run with me to the end. Asankita got me into running in the first place, so it was cool having him out there pulling me through the last section. It was also nice to meet Sally Law and Vicki at Bethells, fellow ultra runners always make the journey more joyful. I Managed to keep a consistent flow on Te Henga but found the parts where cattle had been through and turned it to mud tough on fatigued legs. Glanced at my watch and it had gone 8.07 and still had to climb the steep stairs out. Made the road in 8.21.

26 mins to the finish? Could I do it? didn’t feel like I could,….. that last road section was crazy fast for me trying to hold the pace. Got to the end of the grass section before dropping down the trails toward the beach and looked at my watch, 8.37!  Wasn’t keen on running all day to be a couple of minutes off the record, so I hit it hard down that last hill and ran as fast as I possibly could. Got to the top of the bird colony and Dharbhasana was at the bottom yelling to kick it in. The last sprint up the boat ramp and I was done. 8 hours 44 mins, Stoked!

Thank God Vajin is in Europe so he can’t take the record straight back

Hillary Trail Honours Board

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