Different Paces, Same Fever

We’re back with our first full episode of 2026 — and the fever hasn’t eased.We kick things off with Kent and I talking about one of the classic Tararua dilemmas: how hard it is to go deep into the range, touch the tops, and still leave enough time (and legs) to get out again. On paper it always looks doable. In reality… it’s the Tararua Ranges.We’re then joined by Andrew Thompson, organiser of the Jumbo–Holdsworth Mountain Race, to talk about what it takes to move fast across some of the most iconic terrain in the range — and why the race keeps drawing people back.For Walk ‘n’ Talk, we speak with Paulina Zack, who holds the fastest known time on Te Araroa and set a blistering pace through the Tararuas. We chat about endurance, mindset, and what it feels like to move quickly through terrain that most of us grind through slowly.Different speeds. Different goals. Same hills. Same fever.We wrap things up with a quick update on the Tararua Fever photo competition.If you’d like to get in touch, flick us a message at: [email protected], or via our instagram and facebook. Find out more about the Jumbo–Holdsworth Mountain Race here:https://jumbo-holdsworth.co.nz