Another event in the Auckland Half Marathon Series! This time we headed north of Auckland, to Orewa, for the Hibiscus Half Marathon. This year it became part of the official Auckland series for the first time. Karine and I took on the 10 km distance again (walking), and this route turned out to be perhaps the most scenic in the entire series.
The start and finish were located at Metro Park in the Millwater area. The location is convenient, and the 10 km route is laid out as one big loop (half-marathoners also do a single loop, but it is larger and includes running along Orewa Beach). The main part of the route follows the famous Te Ara Tahuna pathway, which goes around the picturesque local bay. The track is mostly flat, with plenty of greenery and water around. We were a bit unlucky with the low tide: instead of blue water, there was mud and mangroves, but the views were still amazing.
Around the halfway point, the organisers included a slight detour from the main path - the Settlers Grove section, which they jokingly call “The Race Track.” It’s an 800-metre stretch with separate timekeeping. Essentially, it’s a “race within a race” where anyone could push it to the max to get a separate sprint result in the final standings. We weren’t in a hurry and simply walked it at our usual pace.
Further on, the route skirts the scenic and very peaceful Maygrove Lake. It’s well protected from the wind, so the water surface is perfectly smooth, and it’s home to ducks and swans. A great change of scenery and a moment of serenity before returning to the main track (and starting a small climb before the finish).
We completed our 10 kilometres in about 1 hour and 44 minutes. At the finish line, as usual, a well-deserved medal and a banana for recovery. An excellent race amidst beautiful scenery - I will gladly return here next year!