The Taranaki-based competition concluded with a Sprint Relay, held at Pukeiti Botanical Gardens.  The organisers of this weekend have done a great job finding unusual venues for us.  Although we had to keep out of the formal gardens and other vegetated areas, there were plenty of paths and trails; they also used a lizard sculpture, fitness trail equipment, tunnels, and tiny tree houses as control sites. 

Much like yesterday morning, picking the correct path was the name of the game, and it wasn’t too difficult, as the maps were more readable.  Pam, the two Peters and I formed a team in the 60-69 year category, meaning the other 3 were running down an age class.  That’s permitted, but I am of course not allowed to run up.  We were one of the official teams as we all come from the same country, and it seems we contributed in a small way to Australia’s resounding win over New Zealand, by coming 4th.

Each of the four of us ran to expectation, and importantly made no errors that would knock us out.  I was last leg, and I had the course to myself, meaning I could focus on what I was doing without the distraction of packs of other runners around me.  I had one small error mid-course, involving a teeny tiny tree house, but otherwise a good run that I was happy with. 

With the sun out, it was also a nice social day.  Presentations for the weekend were held, with Pam claiming 3^rd to be the star of the household.  Afterwards we enjoyed a stroll around the gardens and down to the stream, with its towering tree ferns and timber water wheel.  And that’s it – the Lonely Mountain Sprints are done and dusted.