The forecast was bad, most of Canterbury was bathed in a rain cloud so we decided we might as well go for a run. With Grace’s wrist fresh out of the cast, running seemed like a suitable activity, quick, energetic, and at least it wouldn’t be sweaty.
We chose to go for a run in Hakatere, having previously biked the trail we knew it was not too steep and had a good surface, even in the wet. Also Hakatere is an amazing place, even more so in foul weather when the area gives me a great sense of how wild New Zealand can be.
The route we ran basically took us along the river, until the valley opened out. Up to this point its more or less flat with only very minor hills. Then we headed for a small col that has a decent path up to it, although that path doesn’t appear to meet the main track. Heading up to this col is the main climb of the route but its not that steep. From here a nice fast decent on a good track brings you back to the river where you turn right and a few more kms take you back to the start. There are only a few river crossings on this route, and they’re not too deep, but are unavoidable.