From Mountains to the Sea: Stories from the Ian Priest Memorial

At first light, when the wind still whispers across the Remutaka Rail Trail and the valley holds its breath, a handful of runners stood at the start of the Ian Priest Memorial Ultra. Some were chasing podiums. Some were chasing milestones. Most were simply chasing something inside themselves.

By the time the day ended at McEwan Park in Petone, they would have travelled from mountains to the sea — through tunnels and bush tracks, along riverbanks and estuaries, across history and hardship — carrying not just tired legs, but stories.

This race has always been about more than distance.

Ingrid’s 399th Promise

Among the marathon runners was Ingrid Frost, 59 years old, wearing bib M399.

It marked her 399th marathon.

Years ago, someone told Ingrid she couldn’t run a marathon. So she decided to run 40 before turning 40. That challenge grew, quietly and stubbornly, into something bigger: 400 marathons before her 60th birthday.

There was no fanfare at the start line. Just steady steps, quiet resolve, and the weight of everything that had brought her here. As Ingrid moved along the river, every kilometre was another answer to doubt, another promise kept.

Nineteen Starts. One Spirit.

For Vivian Cheng, this wasn’t just another race. It was her 19th Ian Priest Ultra — having completed every single edition since the event began in 2007.

Vivian has won this race in the past. This year, she stood on the podium once again, finishing third overall. But what mattered most wasn’t the placing — it was the continuity. Year after year, showing up, enduring, honouring the event in the only way runners know how: by moving forward.

Some people measure time in years. Runners like Vivian measure it in starts.

Pain, Sandals, and the Hurt Locker

Further back on the course, Sam Ashworth was tackling the full 60km in running sandals.

Inspired by Born to Run and encouraged by a mate named Will, Sam converted to minimalist running three years ago. The theory was freedom. The reality, by the finish line, was blistered feet and a face that told a different kind of story — one of grit, stubbornness, and the strange joy that only comes from choosing the hard path.

As one runner later wrote on Strava:

“Great scenic punishment… running on fumes… but man I’ve missed the hurt locker.”

Some races you finish. Others you survive.

An 11-Year-Old Leads the Men

In the 10km Fun Run, the loudest cheer of the day wasn’t for a winner with years of experience — it was for 11-year-old Dougal, who crossed the line as the fastest male in his race.

Watching him sprint down the finishing straight, it was impossible not to smile. Trail running isn’t just about endurance. It’s about possibility. About showing the next generation what it looks like to try, to commit, to believe you belong out there.

World-Class Speed on a Local Trail

At the front of the field, Mel Brandon, a member of the New Zealand World Trail Running Team, delivered a performance worthy of the landscape.

Her time — 4:43:11 for 60km — was not just fast, it was commanding. Controlled through the climbs, relentless on the flats, Mel claimed both the overall and women’s titles, turning a long day into a masterclass of trail running.

The People Who Make It Happen

None of this happens alone.

The Eastbourne Lions Club stood for hours at aid stations and checkpoints, rain or shine. Aurora Harriers, who founded the event years ago, continue to carry its legacy. Volunteers — passionate, tireless, often unseen — ensured every runner had water, direction, and a reason to keep going when things got hard.

This race is built on community.

Why It Bears Ian Priest’s Name

The course is tough. The stories are tougher. But the heart of this event lies in the man it honours.

Ian Priest was a tireless advocate for athletics in New Zealand — serving across Athletics Wellington, Athletics NZ, Aurora Harriers, and Hutt Valley Presbyterian Harriers. He believed in dreaming up new events, improving how races were run, and supporting others without seeking credit.

The pinnacle of his work was the 2011 New Zealand Mountain Running Championships on Colonial Knob. Tragically, Ian passed away just three days before the event.

This race is not just a memorial. It is his values in motion: service, innovation, and a deep love for the sport.

Mountains to Sea — And What Comes Next

We had runners from across New Zealand, and visitors from Australia, America, and Norway. One overseas pair described the route as “nice and flat… but a bit windy.”

From the first climb on the Remutaka Incline to the final stretch along the Petone foreshore, this course doesn’t just test fitness. It reveals character.

And for many, it sparks something more.

For me, that same spirit is what drives the Tararua Mountain Race each March — another celebration of endurance, landscape, and community in the mountains I love. With three distances — Field Dash (13km), Kelly Glass Kime Climb (24km), and the Southern Crossing (36km) — it’s a natural next challenge for anyone who found themselves changed by a day on the Hutt River Trail.

Some races are about times.
Some are about distance.
This one is about people.

From Ingrid’s 399th promise… to Vivian’s 19th start… to an 11-year-old showing us what the future looks like… the Ian Priest Memorial Ultra & Trail Events remind us why we run:

To remember.
To belong.
And to keep moving forward.

👉 Learn more and enter: https://hutttrailevents.co.nz/

Race day photos https://www.facebook.com/IanPriestTrailEvents/photos
👉 Next challenge in the mountains: www.tmr.org.nz