The event features varying track lengths to encourage people of all abilities to participate, says Matthew Bryson, event organiser and Edgecumbe local.
A 7.5 km loop, a 1.7 km loop, and a 1 km wheelchair accessible track will be filled with participants from 10am on February 7.
Now in its third year, Born to Adapt is rising in popularity, says Bryson.
“From our first year to our second year, the participation numbers doubled. We are hoping for a few more this year,” he says.
Born to Adapt is an international group that encourages disabled people to join in on trail races.
Other locations of races and panels include the USA, Italy, and Switzerland.
The event is open to anyone, and everyone says Bryson.
“It just creates that awareness. It's creating the community, everyone to come along and mingle.”
He emphasised that anyone is welcome, “You don't even have to have a disability to participate, to come along. We had many people that were just runners coming along, families with small kids, parents, just a huge mixture of people, which made it fantastic.”
Many athletes will be competing in the Tarawera Ultra the week after, he explained.
“So, it's a week before the Tarawera Ultra, so we've already got quite a lot of international runners there. So, previously we've had many top athletes come and check out the event and have them participate, which is amazing.”
One athlete who will be attending includes ex-Paralympic runner and cyclist Kate Horan.
However, she is not the only inspiring athlete attending.
He described an older woman who used a wheelchair for the 1km loop last year, who will be using a walker in one of the longer races this year.
“The people that attended last year were amazing. Just the perseverance, the determination,” Bryson says.
The Redwoods are an ideal location for the event, according to Bryson.
“The Redwoods are stunning. The trails are wide. It's nice and cool, and there's so many options there.”
“It's central to the North Island. It's just such a great venue.”
Bryson says the event in the north island has been going well and this year it is expanding, for the first time, to include an event in Christchurch, which ex Paralympic swimmer Sophie Pascoe will be attending.
“Well, North Island events seem to be going really well, and we want to keep that momentum going. And I was talking to Zac, the founder of Born to Adapt. I said, well, let's organise something in the South Island.”
However, Bryson is excited to keep numbers up in Rotorua, where 60 people are currently registered with 200 spots available.
Registrations close on January 31.
