A Frankton-to-Queenstown 10K along the Frankton Arm and lake-side approach, finishing at the Recreation Ground. It is a point-to-point path-based outing with its own shuttle plan.
01 Know what you are taking on
What is the race like?
The water-side path and final town approach
Keep your line predictable on paths and allow a little pace variation through turns or changes in width. The lake view is part of the route, not an exact distance marker.
The course, section by section
Open a section for the terrain and a practical pacing cue.
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Frankton assemblyFrankton, Lake Avenue / Allan Crescent.
Separate 10K start, not the marathon or half-marathon start.
How to approach it Confirm the runner entrance rather than trying to reach a guessed roadside pin at the last moment. Choose an appropriate starting position and let the opening field settle. If running with a younger entrant, agree beforehand whether staying together is the main goal.
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Joining the walkwayBoyes Crescent / Bridge Street context, Frankton Arm Walkway.
Road-to-trail transition.
How to approach it Keep your stride controlled as the surface changes and leave space around others. A brief slowdown at a turn is easier to manage than a hard acceleration followed by braking. Establish a sustainable effort rather than copying a runner whose goal or experience differs from yours.
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Lake side sectionFrankton Arm, Lake Wakatipu.
Hard-packed trail mixed with road running.
How to approach it Use the lake as a mental guide without assuming a visible town landmark is the finish. If wind changes the effort, let your pace respond. Pass with room and keep your hands relaxed rather than spend the middle of the race tense and constantly checking the watch.
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Gardens and town finishQueenstown Gardens, Marine Parade, Recreation Ground.
Trail-to-street transition and final approach.
How to approach it Lift effort only when you know you can carry it to the actual line. Keep awareness through turns and avoid cutting across another runner for a photograph. Continue through the finish exit before stopping, especially if your group is meeting someone who finished earlier.
Official maps & course details
- Start
- Lake Avenue/Allan Crescent, Frankton; course prose starts on Allan Crescent.
- Finish
- Queenstown Recreation Ground.
- Official course map
- A dedicated distance-specific 2026 course PDF is published.
Use the official map for the full route. The route overview helps you prepare; use the official map or GPX for full navigation details.
02 Choose your approach
Find your race strategy.
Choose your goal. These are our pacing suggestions, based on the published course, rather than organiser instructions.
My first finish
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Start at a manageable effort from the confirmed Frankton assembly.
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Use the lake-side landmarks to divide the distance.
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Keep enough for the town and Recreation Ground finish.
A PB or time goal
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Avoid spending effort weaving in the opening path section.
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Use official kilometre markers rather than forcing a road-like instant pace.
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Save the final push for the actual town approach.
If the weather or your pace changes
The lakeside setting can change effort through wind even when the profile looks straightforward. Check the forecast and use familiar kit that handles damp hard-packed trail. In rain, allow room on turns and at the road-to-trail transition. For a younger participant, plan clothing for waiting and after finishing as well as the run itself. If conditions feel harder than training, ease the opening rather than make the watch target the priority. A smooth arrival at the gardens is more useful than an unnecessarily fast first kilometre.
03 Know what is on the course
Drinks, fuel & toilets.
Station positions and products are not yet confirmed in the available information for this edition. Use the organiser’s final runner guide before deciding what you can collect on the course.
Toilet locations: a confirmed location list is not available here. Check the official course or runner map before race day; a drinks table does not automatically mean there is a toilet beside it.
Know your stops
Find the start-area toilets before joining your wave. If you use an on-course station, look ahead, move predictably and leave room for other runners before slowing. Check whether the drink is in cups or bottles so it feels familiar.
04 Before the start
Your race morning.
Times are local to the event. Work back from your own wave, allowing for the walk, toilets and bag drop.
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Race number
Packet collection
Expo: Queenstown Events Centre, 12 November 12:00–19:00 and 13 November 10:00–20:00.
Proxy pickup
FAQ permits proxy pickup with photo-ID copy and confirmation; packs cannot be posted.
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The start
Start
07:30; the distance page says start times are based on 2025 and subject to change.
Provisional
Start shuttles
Book through the participant dashboard; a specific time is assigned. Online shuttle sales close 11 November 23:59, subject to availability.
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Finish window
Entry closing time
Online entries close 13 November 17:00 NZT; late check-in entries depend on availability.
Course closure
The course closes at 16:30 on 14 November.
Race number & collection
- Check-in hours in the FAQ
- The FAQ lists 12 November 13:00–19:00 and 13 November 10:00–20:00 at Queenstown Events Centre.
Pacers & course cut-offs
- Aid
- Two 10K aid stations are listed.
Bags, kit storage & collection
- Bags
- Official tagged gear bags can be checked before boarding or at the start; collect by 16:30 at the event hub.
Kit rules & accessibility
- Course equipment
- Wheeled conveyances and animals are excluded; headphones/music devices are discouraged.
Your allocated wave, event emails and final runner instructions take priority. Read the guide for your distance before travelling.
05 Make the day work together
Supporters & getting around.
Plan your support
A Recreation Ground finish base keeps the reunion simple. A Frankton Arm cheer needs a permitted public access point with enough space to keep the runner path clear.
The places below are viewing ideas from the linked route or spectator guide. Use your edition’s access map for barriers, permitted crossings and any crew restrictions.
Frankton Arm course section
An idea from the published waterside route; check the current contingency map, footpath width and spectator restrictions first.
Queenstown Recreation Ground surroundings
A common finish-area base. Allow time for road closures and arrange your reunion outside the runner flow.
2026
Official spectator or route information
Make the cheer easy to find
Agree a named point, the side of the road and your likely arrival window. Share your bib number for official tracking. Pick a separate reunion beyond the finish exit and a backup if the phone signal is poor.
Getting there and getting home
- Start shuttles
- Book through the participant dashboard; a specific time is assigned. Online shuttle sales close 11 November 23:59, subject to availability.
- Shuttle price
- NZD14 for the 10K.
06 Before you book
Entry, fees & time limits.
2026 prices are published; live distance availability is unconfirmed.
What you need to enter
- Eligibility
- Age 10+; entrants aged 10–12 need an accompanying adult with a paid adult entry.
- General entry fee
- NZD146 including processing fees and GST.
- Entry closing time
- Online entries close 13 November 17:00 NZT; late check-in entries depend on availability.
Transfers, refunds & deferrals
- Person transfers
- Formal same-distance transfers close 13 November 17:00 NZT; the withdrawing runner pays NZD27.
- Deferral
- The organiser describes no deferral system is available.
Can you finish inside the time limit?
- Entry closing time
- Online entries close 13 November 17:00 NZT; late check-in entries depend on availability.
- Course closure
- The course closes at 16:30 on 14 November.
Stay in the loop
Email me event updates.
Spend more time training and less time checking. Get the key updates for your race, straight to your inbox.
07 Make your training relevant
Practise for this course.
One thing to rehearse
Practise controlled running on a similar safe path and rehearse your assigned start-shuttle routine.
08 Put your plan together
Useful before race day.
Plan your pre-run fuel
Explore meals and snacks around the time you have before running.
Make faster running more purposeful
Explore the balance of easy running, quality sessions and recovery.
Know what each session is for
Make sense of easy runs, tempo running, intervals and long runs.
A plan that fits your life.
Running, strength or both, with feedback and adjustments as your training develops.
Official race information
Use the organiser’s information for current entry terms, the published route and your final runner instructions. Course resources show their edition where it is known. Pacing and training suggestions are The Runner’s Journal’s guidance and should fit your experience, health and conditions.