Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon

Another of Adrian Bailey's events, the Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon was on last weekend. Him Outdoors ran it, and I took photos and manned a drink station at the halfway point. This meant I got driven through some of the most beautiful scenery to Ben Lomond Lodge where we spent the night and were treated to some fabulous hospitality from the wonderful Foster Family.

John Foster on the barbecue, cooking up the 'most expensive sausages you'll ever eat' - made from pure merino sheep!

Him Outdoors 'entertains' Mr Faulkner and CJD

Talking about the route...

It was an early start the next morning as the competitors were taken to the start of the race by helicopter.

And then the runners started to arrive...

Martin Cox, the eventual winner

Runners emerging at the top of the ridge

CJD looking sexy

Him Outdoors hopes that his calf holds up to the terrain...

...and wonders if beer is considered a performance drink

Runners arriving thick and fast...

Louisa Andrew - 2nd lady (I missed the first one)

Mr Faulkner

Harald Ulriksen

Wasting way too much energy!

It's not like Cairns, apparently

Bringing us sunshine...

...the Born to Runners

Is this the finish? Yes, of the first half!

Look at all these clearly mental people, still smiling. Haven't they seen a map of the course? It's all uphill from here!



Polly Buchanan

Aha, someone knows what's in store...

Him Outdoors and CJD skip across the finish line after five and a half hours - okay, maybe not skip as such!

Backstage moments

Some 'backstage' shots from the season of Greed, Galmour and Grudges: Tales of Gold prove the beauty of the setting (and, of course, the wonderful cast!). 


Director, Tiffany Menzies



Belinda Fraser

Canvas town levitates!

An interested spectator

Melanie Grindell

Nicole Graham and Ailsa Williamson

The cast as spectators

Nicole Graham

Jane Robertson

Sarah Bogle

Paul Halsted

Tiffany Menzies

Ailsa Williamson and Eamonn McNicholas

Zelia Horrell, Jane Robertson and Samuel Farr

The weather was pretty chilly for our first night of performances so the cast took to blankets, knitting and thermos flasks to keep warm. It's not all sex and drugs and rock n' roll, you know!

Lisa Moore and Tiffany Menzies

Susan Auty gets carried away with the whole ghost thing

Victoria Keating swats up on salads

Paul Halsted keeps warm

Susan Auty

Nicole Graham

Quick change!

And then it was sunny and warm again the next day.

Helen Bird

Hana Ashworth-Manning

Melanie Grindell waits patiently to collect the gold cold donations

Andrea Reeve makes running repairs

Fraternising with the judge - David Cantwell and Jason Fullerton

The 'crowd' on the banks of the pond

'GOLD!'