Upcoming 1 Jul – 31 Jul 2026

VERTUAL July

Could you climb 49,600 m in July?

Enter the challenge 183 signed up

This is the hub for the Trail Running NZ VERTUAL July Challenge. It kicks off on Wednesday the 1st of July.

It's so easy that anyone can start … I'm just not sure anyone can finish it.

Day one you climb 100 m of vert. Day two, 200 m. Day three, 300 m. You keep adding another 100 m every single day for the rest of the month. Miss a day and you're out — no catch-ups, no banking, no IOUs.

Simple enough, right? Invite your mates and see who can last the longest. Last one standing takes the glory (and a stupid trophy for the pool room).

Every entrant is scored on one clock — New Zealand time — and each day closes at NZ midnight.

Which timezone?

One clock for everyone

The challenge runs on New Zealand time (NZST, +12:00) — the same for every entrant, wherever you are. There's no per-runner timezone.

Each day's climbing closes at midnight in NZ, and you're only ever knocked out once a day has fully ended — never mid-day for not having run yet.

Running from overseas?

Say you're in the UK: the NZ midnight cut-off lands around midday your time. An evening UK run is picked up after NZ midnight, so it counts toward the next NZ day. Same rules for all — just plan your vert around the NZ day.

What you're racing for

Not just glory.

Overall winner

$2,235 prize pack

$500 cash from TRNZ, the That's It Primo Pack ($539), Leki Ultra Trail poles from Kinisi Running ($430), any Merrell trail shoes (up to $379), Huntaway Run Co Foster 01 shorts ($119), a $100 Creepers voucher, two Mountain Skag tees ($158), and free entry to the Crush the Cargill 200 miler.

Make it to Day 7

Mere-mortal rewards

That's It Anti-Chafe ($23.90), a $70 Merrell NZ voucher, 10% codes from Kinisi Running and Huntaway Run Co, and free entry to the Crush the Cargill 24hr Challenge.

Make it to Day 14

Everything upgrades

A $140 Merrell NZ voucher, 15% Kinisi and 20% Huntaway codes, a 20% Mountain Skag code, and free entry to the Crush the Cargill 100 Miler.

Make it to Day 21

Top-tier rewards

A 20% Kinisi code, a free pair of Creepers socks, and a Mountain Skag Speed Lid.

Top female finisher

Girls only

A free training consult with Nic Ayson of Singletrack Collective.

Who's In

183 signed up — the climbing starts Wednesday 1 July.

Abe Smith.

Al "Spa" Shelton.

Alex Childs.

Alex Watson.

Alice Rose.

Allira "Smiling Assassin" Hanzacowcaazckiski.

Amir Karim.

Ana Lockyer.

Andy "Which One?" Thompson.

Andy Crosland

Angela Bishop.

Angus "Fighter Pilot" Ward

Arne Vanderburg.

Aster Metcalf.

Ben "Sky" Walker.

Ben Goldsmith.

Bernard C.

Blake "Schmashed Em Bro" Schimanski.

Boyd "Abs Of" Steel.

Bradley Houghton

Brendan "The Kid" Varty

Brendan Jones.

Bridie Macky

Busi Hall.

Cade Gillies.

Cain Soole

Caitlin Knox.

Callum "The Hammer" Mallet.

Cam "Buns Of" Steel.

Cameron Holden

Carn Hemingway.

Catriona Lang.

Celia Jane.

Charlotte "Char Hoo" Milne.

Chris Newson.

Chris Taylor.

Christophe Pinel.

Christopher "Fast" Carr.

Corinne Fournier.

Craig Palmer.

Crystal Bartlett.

Dani Klinge.

Daniel "Beezkneez" Beswick.

Dave Hume.

Dave Murray.

David M.

Dean Stewart.

Debbie Brown.

Diana Osavlyuk.

Dom Elden.

Dougal Shepherd.

Dwayne C.

Elspeth Knewstubb.

Emma Brockie.

Emma Darragh.

Emma Rogers.

Erin Greene.

Geno Milnes.

Geoff Williamson.

Grace Casey.

Grace Hessell.

Grant Pritchard.

Grep Files.

Gus Bottrell.

Harry Taylor.

Heather Connelly.

Helen R.

Hunter "2 Wrongs Don't Make A" Wight.

Isaac "Dont" Tripp.

Isaac Moore.

Isabella R.

Jack "The" Mace.

James Brundell.

Jarred Percival.

Jason Wain.

JayR A.

Jenna T.

Jennie Duffy.

Jessca Ann.

Jessica Rathgen.

Joe Brereton.

Jonas Boye.

Jonathan Ash.

Jonathan L.

Jonathan Neill.

Jono Armstrong.

Judit Comas Ginebra.

Kate Lewis.

Katerina Maluschnig.

Katie Pearson.

Katie Titch.

Kendall Peacock.

Kerry Ash.

Kerry Rowley

Kerryn Stewart.

Kieran Robinson.

Kirstie Baker.

Kirsty Hamlin.

Koleighne Ford

Liam Gundry.

Lukas Schafer.

Luke WIIIILSSSSOOOOON!.

Magic Mike Lea.

Mara Redman.

MÁ

Marcos Ángel Valero Palacios.

Maria Smith.

Martin "Goose" Šedy.

Matt Dyer "Wolf".

Matt Meckenstock.

Megan Bathgate.

Mikala W.

Mike "Keen As" Keenan.

Mike Richardson.

Mike Taves.

Monique Kerr.

Nic Ayson.

Nick Clapperton-Rees.

Nick Pharo.

Nikki Gunn.

Nikki Kear

Oliver Love.

Olivia "Vert Queen" Lawrence.

Olivia Barnes.

Olivia Hammond.

Oscar Gonzalez.

Oscar Oldehaver.

Patrick Kalin

Otago

Pete Robinson.

Peter Jones.

Petrus Hedman

pip S.

Quinton Penniall.

Rachael Green.

Rachel Minton-Smith.

Rad Piers

Rebecca Smith.

Red "Rocket" Runner.

Richard Clemo

Canterbury

Richard S.

Rob Lewis.

Robert "Rock'n'Roll" Soper.

Rocky "DJ" Allan.

Rory Hart.

Rowan Calvert.

Ryan Tait.

Sam "Moet" Mowat.

Sam Ashworth.

Sam Dickie.

Sam Edens.

Samantha Baker.

Sara McWilliam.

Sara Vermeulen.

Sarah Coxon.

Sarah Lockwood.

Sarah Mackey.

Scott "The Boogeyman" Bougen.

Sean Galdeman.

Sean McWilliams.

Shannon R.

Shaun "Rangabeast" Collins

Shayne "Moves like" Jagger.

Simon "CurraNZ" Angus

Sophie Beaumont.

Steve "Just the" Tripp.

Storm Sinclair.

Stuart "Yellow Racer" Meiklejohn.

Tatiana Winterbottom.

Teodora Georgescu.

The Big Jubrowski

The Sleeve.

Thomas Edger.

Tim Slade.

Toby O'Hara.

Tom Everton

Tom Peck.

Tori Watson

Trevor "Merrily" Rowe.

Trey Subritky

Tyler R.

Wendy Du Toit.

Will Joines.

Will Tidswell.

X‘

Xiang ‘Neo’ L.

An unofficial community tally for a bit of fun — vert is pulled from the VERTUAL Strava club. Watch died? Flag it and we'll sort it.