DCR AidStation

AidStation 004 - The Venn Diagram of Big Missions vs. Traditional Races and the Terrifying Nub in the Middle 

Leaving the great Tarawera pūkeko assault of ‘21 aside, there is a continuum of challenge throughout every level of our sport, and what one person finds scary another may not. 

This DCR AidStation, Matt and Eugene discuss which side of the ledger they sit on, be it the structure of an organised race or the freedom and logistic challenge of a big mission. 

They discuss their bucket list missions, and Matt lets the world know what event scares him so much that he would rather ford ice-cold high country rivers for ever than do one. And just what on earth drove him to enter one. 

Our AidStation treat is a catch up with our friend and SQUADRUN legend Kerry Suter on his recovery from surgery and his thoughts on Tarawera Ultra-Trail.

Paid subscribers can read the rest of the newsletter, including Eugene sharing some top tips for big missions, a guest DCR book club suggestion, and some cool stuff in The Stoke. If you haven’t already signed up for a monthly or annual subscription, we’d love to see you in the AidStation crew!

Photo: Sportograf/Tarawera Ultra-Trail

Polly Taylor. Unbroken, the road back  to UTMB — Dirt Church Radio 266.

Kia ora e te whānau! She’s 90 lbs soaking wet and with a personality 150 ft tall: Polly Taylor is a force to be reckoned with.

A  guide in the Marlborough Sounds, past Northburn 100 mile winner, and someone who could talk the iron legs off a stove, Polly is someone who exemplifies that maximum growth occurs on the cusp of support  and challenge.

In 2019, with her ultramarathon dreams about the come true, she was hit by a car.

What follows is a tale of heart ache, tragedy, loss, gratitude, triumph and redemption.

Eugene and Matt spoke to Polly as she toe’d the line at the Tarawera Ultra Trail 100 miler in the hopes of making her way back to Chamonix to have the chance to compete at UTMB after being run down on a pedestrian crossing cruelly robbed her of the chance four years ago. 

What unfolds will leave you cheering loudly – for her, and for your own best life.

Also in this episode – a rundown of the race we missed out on, Old Ghost Ultra, including a report on the ground from special correspondent Conrad Langridge. Best Enjoyed Running.

We went to Tarawera Ultra-Trail in 2024 and it was incredible.

Moments so surreal you question reality.

Simple pleasures, mundanity, joy, filth, pride, and noble stupidity (and this was just the car trip down).

Please enjoy this episode of the DCR AidStation, recorded at some aid stations, among other places, and featuring Sam Harvey, Coach Eric Orton, our reflections on the event, and a plethora of special guests and incredible conversations.

Race week is here and we’re so excited!

We’ve been getting along to Tarawera for more than 10 years, with a bunch of race starts in the 102 km and the 100 miler between us.

And the last few years we’ve been lucky enough to welcome home thousands of runners at the finish line, as MCs. We’ll be there again this year — say kia ora if you see us, at the start line, out and about on course, or at the finish line.

We’re also hosting a live event on Friday, a q&a with elites at the Village Green, 1 pm if you’re around.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Tarawera, it’s a series of races that has been going for 15 years, based in Rotorua. Started by Paul Charteris and Tim Day, it is now part of the UTMB world series and is the biggest (by entry numbers) race on the Aotearoa-NZ trail scene. It features 100 mile, 102 km, 50 km and 21 km events, on stunning course around the majestic Rotorua lakes.

We’ve been to plenty of exceptional races around Aotearoa (and in Australia) — this is definitely one of them.

Out in the forest this morning, we figured that between us we had a few tips to pass on about Tarawera. Watch the video for full details, but, briefly, these are things to bear in mind:

* Take a zip lock bag and fill it up at the aid stations so you can keep moving (and enjoy the nummiest treats out on course).

* If you see Paul Charteris out on course, or anywhere actually, it’s compulsory to high-five him.

* Lube. Say no more.

* Engage with and respect ngā mana whenua. Get along to the pōwhiri (welcome), be respectful during the karakia (prayers/incantations) and haka at the startlines — soak it up.

* Don’t be a dickhead to the volunteers.

* Get your headlamp out early.

What are your Tarawera tips? Drop them in the comments!

Ka kite māua i a koe ki korā! We will see you there!

— Eugene and Matt

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AidStation 002 – So, You Can Run 100 Miles, But You Can’t Do Your Calf Raises. Why are runners so bad at managing injury?

So we’ve all been there, perjuring ourselves in the (insert health professional of choice) office: “Of COURSE I’ve been doing my prescribed rehabilitation (look of pained innocence)

“And NO I absolutely have NOT been running outside of my prescribed guideline …” Only to hop up onto the table and have our muscles tell the truth or fold like an origami crane when asked to display said excercise.

Why do we do it to ourselves? This constant self-delusion? What is behind most runners resolute terribleness at prescribed rehab — or even acknowledgment there’s a problem? 

On this episode of the subscriber-only DCR AidStation podcast, Eugene and Matt  run down their history with illness and injury and offer themselves as tribute on where they sit on  the bell-curve from “Good at Rehab” to *spoiler* “Matt Rayment”. 

They discuss injury, illness (both acute and chronic) and what has been shown to work, and not work, if it is better to be seriously injured rather that having a pesky re-occurrence, is it better to be a fast or slow adapter, and why it’s best not to write important correspondence whilst on opioids. 

Our Bonus AidStation Treat: Some sound advice from Tarawera champ and good sort Dan Jones as he prepares for the race after catching Covid.

Whakarongo mai! Listen up!

AidStation 001 – Insert Something Cliché About Processes

We didn’t know this, but the second Friday in January is known as “Quitter’s Day”. 

This is the day that, statistically, most people abandon their New Year’s Resolutions.

Are you a resolution person? Or a goal guy? Or someone who loves a good old intentional process?

And why can’t we have all three?

On the first episode of our brand-new, subscriber-only DCR AidStation podcast (but free for January), Eugene and Matt sit down to discuss if they are on the resolution bus or not, what goals and processes they have in place for the year, and if, just, maybe, talking about something you are about to do on a podcast makes your more or less likely to achieve that thing. 

We also tackle the tricky question of what to do when your coaches (Kerry and Ali) fight publicly over your training in front of you, and share the audio of it actually happening.

*Spoiler: Matt went and waited in the car.