Final result 1 Jul – 31 Jul 2026

VERTual July

Could you climb 49,600 m in July?

🏆 Winner confirmed

Dean Stewart

Days
31
Vert climbed
49,925 m

The numbers, all up

Everyone's climbing, added up and counted while they were still in it.

1,795,841 m
Total vert
×203.0
Everests
3,122
Activities
10 of 270
Still standing

Each day of the climb

Total vert climbed Avg activities / runner

No day 32

10

Survived

Day 1Day 31

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).

Got questions? Read the fine print.

The Day 31 tiebreaker, one clock for everyone, the runners-up pot, no skiing, and the rule that matters most.

The fine print

The bits people keep asking about. Fire away if there's anything else.

Day 31: so who actually wins?

Been a fair bit of chatter about this one, so here's where I've landed, which, if I'm honest, is basically what I said at the start, back when I didn't reckon anyone stood a shitshow of pulling it off. But here we all are.

If more than one of you is still standing on the last day, the winner is whoever banks that day's full 3,100 m of vert the fastest.

  • Not the earliest in the day.
  • Not necessarily in one go.
  • It's your elapsed time off Strava, not moving time, so faffing at the top of the hill is on you.
  • Split it over ten laps if you like: we add up the elapsed time of each one. It's not the clock from the start of your first run to the end of your last, so the gaps in between are yours to spend.

Smash it all out in the morning and set the target, or leave it to the night shift chasing a time. Your call. You can even play silly buggers and run it in the morning, upload it at night. Time zones, work commitments, life: it's only fair the same rule applies to everyone.

We won't announce a winner straight away. Every run logged on the day gets a proper look and a good hard squint before we call it.

And the main thing: you can still win by doing exactly what you've done the whole time. To me that's the only thing that's "fair" in an unfair game.

One clock for everyone: which timezone?

The whole thing runs on New Zealand time (NZST, +12:00), the same clock for everyone, 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 gets picked up after NZ midnight, so it counts toward the next NZ day. Same rules for all, so just plan your vert around the NZ day.

What's the runners-up pot?

For anyone feeling like they can't stack the fastest 3,100 m on the day, you're not walking away with nothing. There's a $350 runners-up pot, split equally across the whole runners-up field.

No ranking of the also-rans. Straight, even split:

  • 1 runner-up = $350
  • 2 runners-up = $175 each
  • …and so on down the line.
Do I have to run the downhills / finish where I started?

It's expected everyone competes fairly, in the spirit of the event, same as the whole field has done all month. If you want to be that guy and hack your way to glory, good luck not getting lynched by the mob.

The only thing worth noting: on your final push you can stop when it ticks over 3,100 m. You don't have to climb all the way back to where you started your last climb.

Can I count skiing?

Nope. Want to make this as clear as possible: it's a running challenge, which includes walking and hiking. No skiing.

Read the full post on Strava ↗

Are there age / weight / [insert excuse] categories?

Yeah, nah. One field, everyone on the same hill.

The oldies already have the advantage of forgetting how much they hated it the day before, so they don't need their own category. The young ones remember every single step. Reckon that's category enough.

And most importantly

Don't be a dick.

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.

Top female finisher

Girls only

A free training consult with Nic Ayson of Singletrack Collective.

Thanks to Singletrack Collective

The milestone ladder

Bank a rung's full vert on the day and its haul was yours. The deeper you went, the bigger it got. Claims are still open if you never put yours in: one per runner, checked against the board.

  1. Day 7
    Milestone reached

    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.

    Made it that far? Claim it →

    "Made it" means Day 7's full 700 m banked, not just still being here.

  2. Day 14
    Milestone reached

    Everything upgrades

    That's It Anti-Chafe ($23.90), a $140 Merrell NZ voucher (up from $70), a 15% Kinisi Running code, 20% Huntaway Run Co and Mountain Skag codes, and your free Crush the Cargill entry upgraded to the 100 Miler.

    Made it that far? Claim it →

    "Made it" means Day 14's full 1,400 m banked, not just still being here.

  3. Day 21
    Milestone reached

    Top-tier rewards

    That's It Anti-Chafe ($23.90), a $140 Merrell NZ voucher, 20% codes across the board — Kinisi Running, Huntaway Run Co and Mountain Skag — plus a free pair of Creepers socks, a Mountain Skag Speed Lid, and free entry to the Crush the Cargill 100 Miler.

    Made it that far? Claim it →

    "Made it" means Day 21's full 2,100 m banked, not just still being here.

  4. Day 31
    Milestone reached

    The last ones standing

    Everything on the Day 21 rung — and a share of the spoils on top, for going the whole month without missing a day.

    Went the whole way? Claim your haul →

    "Made it" means every day of it, Day 31's 3,100 m included, the whole 49,600 m, no days missed.

Our sponsors

The crew backing the challenge.

The soundtrack

Bradley wrote you all a song

A month of getting up in the dark deserves more than a certificate. One for nearly every day of the climb, and one each for whoever was still standing at the end. Exactly as ridiculous as you'd expect.

Playlist on Suno ↗

Play all 11 · The final 11

0:00 0:00
  • Dean Stewart

    Dean Stewart

    Dean "Martha" Stewart

  • Simon "CurraNZ" Angus

    Simon "CurraNZ" Angus

    The Buggy King

  • Geoff Williamson

    Geoff Williamson

    My Name Is Geeeeeeeeoff

  • Brendan "The Kid" Varty

    Brendan "The Kid" Varty

    The Mountain Ring King

  • 🌅

    Craig "Flight Mode" Thomson

    Flight Mode

  • Sara "Pocket Rocket" Vermeulen

    Sara "Pocket Rocket" Vermeulen

    Pocket Rocket

  • Steve "Just the" Tripp

    Steve "Just the" Tripp

    Just the Tripp

  • Wild Chris Taylor

    Wild Chris Taylor

    Wild Chris

  • Isaac "Dont" Tripp

    Isaac "Dont" Tripp

    Isaac, Don’t Tripp

  • Emma "Pipe Crusher" Rogers

    Emma "Pipe Crusher" Rogers

    Pipe Crusher

  • Scott "The Boogeyman" Bougen

    Scott "The Boogeyman" Bougen

    The Boogey Man Is Coming

How It Finished

Dean Stewart took it. Here's how the whole field finished.

⛰️ Still standing when the month ran out

10 of the 270 who started went the whole way, every single day of it, right through Day 31's 3,100 m. That's 49,600 m of vert in a month, the hard way, and not one day missed. There is no Day 32 to split them: the calendar gave out before they did.

On this list? Claim your prize →
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Time Total vert Status
1

Fiji

31 3,114 / 3,100 m 2h 58m 49,925 m ✓ Survived
2

Wellywood

31 3,113 / 3,100 m 3h 09m 51,759 m ✓ Survived
3

Dunnydin

31 3,106 / 3,100 m 3h 19m 50,083 m ✓ Survived
4

Masterton

31 3,104 / 3,100 m 3h 54m 50,192 m ✓ Survived
5

Kapiti

31 3,114 / 3,100 m 3h 56m 50,160 m ✓ Survived
6

Churchur

31 3,263 / 3,100 m 4h 49m 49,958 m ✓ Survived
7

Dunnydin

31 3,194 / 3,100 m 6h 06m 50,631 m ✓ Survived
8

Dunnydin

31 3,117 / 3,100 m 6h 20m 50,489 m ✓ Survived
9
31 3,111 / 3,100 m 6h 22m 53,122 m ✓ Survived
10

Churchur

31 5,610 / 3,100 m 12h 30m 55,612 m ✓ Survived

Out of the running

Out on Day 31 · Fri 31 Jul 1
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Whangas

30 48,826 m OUT · day 31
Day 30: everyone survived · Thu 30 Jul Clean sweep

Nobody went out. The whole field banked day 30's 3,000 m and stayed in it.

Day 29: everyone survived · Wed 29 Jul Clean sweep

Nobody went out. The whole field banked day 29's 2,900 m and stayed in it.

Out on Day 28 · Tue 28 Jul 1
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Pukekohe, Just south of the Mecca

27 38,299 m OUT · day 28
Day 27: everyone survived · Mon 27 Jul Clean sweep

Nobody went out. The whole field banked day 27's 2,700 m and stayed in it.

Day 26: everyone survived · Sun 26 Jul Clean sweep

Nobody went out. The whole field banked day 26's 2,600 m and stayed in it.

Day 25: everyone survived · Sat 25 Jul Clean sweep

Nobody went out. The whole field banked day 25's 2,500 m and stayed in it.

Day 24: everyone survived · Fri 24 Jul Clean sweep

Nobody went out. The whole field banked day 24's 2,400 m and stayed in it.

Out on Day 23 · Thu 23 Jul 4
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Piecockareeky

22 25,936 m OUT · day 23
2

Queenstown

22 25,728 m OUT · day 23
3

Baggueteville

22 26,862 m OUT · day 23
4

Whangas

22 25,760 m OUT · day 23
Out on Day 22 · Wed 22 Jul 5
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Wellywood

21 24,394 m OUT · day 22
2

Nelsonite

21 23,809 m OUT · day 22
3

Churchur

21 23,846 m OUT · day 22
4

Whangas

21 23,722 m OUT · day 22
5

Wellywood Nomad

21 23,627 m OUT · day 22
Out on Day 21 · Tue 21 Jul 1
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
20 21,653 m OUT · day 21
Out on Day 20 · Mon 20 Jul 1
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
19 20,382 m OUT · day 20
Out on Day 19 · Sun 19 Jul 2
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Whangas

18 17,364 m OUT · day 19
2

Lower Hutt

18 17,677 m OUT · day 19
Out on Day 18 · Sat 18 Jul 1
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Whangas

17 15,635 m OUT · day 18
Out on Day 17 · Fri 17 Jul 2
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Queenstown

16 14,580 m OUT · day 17
2
16 13,856 m OUT · day 17
Out on Day 16 · Thu 16 Jul 4
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
15 12,441 m OUT · day 16
2
15 12,625 m OUT · day 16
3

Arrowtown

15 12,869 m OUT · day 16
4

Southland Hardgore

15 13,680 m OUT · day 16
Out on Day 15 · Wed 15 Jul 29
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Whangas

14 10,936 m OUT · day 15
2

Hawkes Bay Hardcore

14 10,818 m OUT · day 15
3
14 11,019 m OUT · day 15
4

Wanaka

14 11,107 m OUT · day 15
5

Mt Pisa Otaaaaagooooo

14 10,710 m OUT · day 15
6
14 11,142 m OUT · day 15
7
14 12,947 m OUT · day 15
8
14 13,861 m OUT · day 15
9

Kapiti

14 10,655 m OUT · day 15
10
14 11,045 m OUT · day 15
11

Queenstown

14 11,000 m OUT · day 15
12
14 11,665 m OUT · day 15
13
14 10,873 m OUT · day 15
14

Rotochangchang?

14 12,556 m OUT · day 15
15

Hawkes Bay Hardcore

14 13,775 m OUT · day 15
16
14 10,641 m OUT · day 15
17

Dunnydin

14 10,613 m OUT · day 15
18

Ptown

14 10,762 m OUT · day 15
19

Queenstown

14 11,182 m OUT · day 15
20
14 10,773 m OUT · day 15
21

Lower Hutt/Dunedin

14 11,194 m OUT · day 15
22

Kapiti

14 11,374 m OUT · day 15
23

Queenstown

14 11,672 m OUT · day 15
24

Nelsonite

14 11,940 m OUT · day 15
25
14 10,831 m OUT · day 15
26

Mt Pisa Otaaaaagooooo

14 10,834 m OUT · day 15
27

Queenstown

14 10,767 m OUT · day 15
28

Wellywood

14 11,220 m OUT · day 15
29

The Tron

14 11,811 m OUT · day 15
Out on Day 14 · Tue 14 Jul 5
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Papamoa

13 10,458 m OUT · day 14
2

Wanaka

13 9,377 m OUT · day 14
3

Hawkes Bay Hardcore

13 9,297 m OUT · day 14
4

Whakatane/Ohope

13 10,844 m OUT · day 14
5

Queenstown

13 9,878 m OUT · day 14
Out on Day 13 · Mon 13 Jul 6
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1

Churchur

12 8,833 m OUT · day 13
2

Kapiti

12 8,071 m OUT · day 13
3
12 8,210 m OUT · day 13
4

Kapiti

12 8,145 m OUT · day 13
5

Dunnydin

12 8,878 m OUT · day 13
6

Dunnydin

12 8,355 m OUT · day 13
Out on Day 12 · Sun 12 Jul 3
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
11 7,117 m OUT · day 12
2

Lower Hutt

11 8,566 m OUT · day 12
3
11 7,074 m OUT · day 12
Out on Day 11 · Sat 11 Jul 11
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
10 5,943 m OUT · day 11
2
10 6,147 m OUT · day 11
3
10 8,046 m OUT · day 11
4
10 5,747 m OUT · day 11
5
10 6,167 m OUT · day 11
6
10 5,951 m OUT · day 11
7

Upper Hutt Hardcore

10 5,976 m OUT · day 11
8
10 6,227 m OUT · day 11
9
10 5,896 m OUT · day 11
10
10 5,841 m OUT · day 11
11
10 5,788 m OUT · day 11
Out on Day 10 · Fri 10 Jul 7
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
9 5,222 m OUT · day 10
2
9 4,594 m OUT · day 10
3
9 5,262 m OUT · day 10
4
9 4,806 m OUT · day 10
5
9 4,889 m OUT · day 10
6
9 5,319 m OUT · day 10
7

Wellywood

9 4,603 m OUT · day 10
Out on Day 9 · Thu 9 Jul 9
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
8 5,081 m OUT · day 9
2
8 4,332 m OUT · day 9
3
8 4,006 m OUT · day 9
4
8 4,200 m OUT · day 9
5
8 3,714 m OUT · day 9
6
8 3,885 m OUT · day 9
7
8 3,750 m OUT · day 9
8

The Mecca

8 3,864 m OUT · day 9
9
8 4,778 m OUT · day 9
Out on Day 8 · Wed 8 Jul 39
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
7 2,970 m OUT · day 8
2
7 3,851 m OUT · day 8
3
7 3,291 m OUT · day 8
4
7 3,114 m OUT · day 8
5
7 2,917 m OUT · day 8
6
7 2,896 m OUT · day 8
7
7 4,502 m OUT · day 8
8
7 2,926 m OUT · day 8
9
7 2,913 m OUT · day 8
10
7 4,440 m OUT · day 8
11
7 3,373 m OUT · day 8
12
7 3,033 m OUT · day 8
13

kapiti

7 3,169 m OUT · day 8
14
7 3,065 m OUT · day 8
15
7 4,035 m OUT · day 8
16
7 2,949 m OUT · day 8
17
7 2,907 m OUT · day 8
18
7 4,686 m OUT · day 8
19
7 2,853 m OUT · day 8
20
7 3,179 m OUT · day 8
21
7 2,946 m OUT · day 8
22
7 3,710 m OUT · day 8
23
7 3,827 m OUT · day 8
24
7 3,259 m OUT · day 8
25
7 3,187 m OUT · day 8
26
7 2,936 m OUT · day 8
27
7 2,945 m OUT · day 8
28
7 2,992 m OUT · day 8
29
7 4,247 m OUT · day 8
30
7 3,274 m OUT · day 8
31
7 5,724 m OUT · day 8
32
7 2,988 m OUT · day 8
33
7 3,258 m OUT · day 8
34
7 3,185 m OUT · day 8
35
7 3,073 m OUT · day 8
36
7 3,123 m OUT · day 8
37
7 3,052 m OUT · day 8
38
7 3,405 m OUT · day 8
39
7 5,466 m OUT · day 8
Out on Day 7 · Tue 7 Jul 3
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
6 5,124 m OUT · day 7
2
6 2,256 m OUT · day 7
3
6 2,648 m OUT · day 7
Out on Day 6 · Mon 6 Jul 11
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
5 1,980 m OUT · day 6
2
5 1,653 m OUT · day 6
3
5 4,315 m OUT · day 6
4
5 1,565 m OUT · day 6
5
5 2,312 m OUT · day 6
6
5 1,533 m OUT · day 6
7
5 1,624 m OUT · day 6
8
5 1,600 m OUT · day 6
9

Canterbury

5 1,778 m OUT · day 6
10
5 4,150 m OUT · day 6
11
5 1,626 m OUT · day 6
Out on Day 5 · Sun 5 Jul 12
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
4 1,892 m OUT · day 5
2
4 4,299 m OUT · day 5
3
4 1,041 m OUT · day 5
4
4 2,128 m OUT · day 5
5
4 1,359 m OUT · day 5
6
4 1,041 m OUT · day 5
7
4 1,160 m OUT · day 5
8
4 1,090 m OUT · day 5
9
4 1,427 m OUT · day 5
10
4 1,063 m OUT · day 5
11
4 1,168 m OUT · day 5
12
4 1,621 m OUT · day 5
Out on Day 4 · Sat 4 Jul 5
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
3 861 m OUT · day 4
2
3 811 m OUT · day 4
3
3 738 m OUT · day 4
4
3 1,418 m OUT · day 4
5
3 641 m OUT · day 4
Out on Day 3 · Fri 3 Jul 14
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
2 957 m OUT · day 3
2
2 935 m OUT · day 3
3
2 524 m OUT · day 3
4
2 420 m OUT · day 3
5
2 563 m OUT · day 3
6
2 346 m OUT · day 3
7
2 466 m OUT · day 3
8
2 400 m OUT · day 3
9
2 435 m OUT · day 3
10
2 400 m OUT · day 3
11
2 333 m OUT · day 3
12
2 1,293 m OUT · day 3
13
2 826 m OUT · day 3
14
2 373 m OUT · day 3
Out on Day 2 · Thu 2 Jul 26
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
1 136 m OUT · day 2
2
1 143 m OUT · day 2
3
1 151 m OUT · day 2
4
1 135 m OUT · day 2
5
1 357 m OUT · day 2
6
1 124 m OUT · day 2
7
1 536 m OUT · day 2
8
1 539 m OUT · day 2
9
1 485 m OUT · day 2
10
1 197 m OUT · day 2
11
1 131 m OUT · day 2
12
1 1,606 m OUT · day 2
13
1 103 m OUT · day 2
14
1 125 m OUT · day 2
15
1 101 m OUT · day 2
16
1 875 m OUT · day 2
17
1 119 m OUT · day 2
18
1 101 m OUT · day 2
19
1 127 m OUT · day 2
20
1 263 m OUT · day 2
21
1 127 m OUT · day 2
22
1 183 m OUT · day 2
23
1 145 m OUT · day 2
24
1 261 m OUT · day 2
25
1 129 m OUT · day 2
26
1 151 m OUT · day 2
Out on Day 1 · Wed 1 Jul 58
# Athlete Days survived Final day vert Total vert Status
1
0 89 m OUT · day 1
2
0 0 m OUT · day 1
3
0 0 m OUT · day 1
4
0 0 m OUT · day 1
5
0 0 m OUT · day 1
6
0 0 m OUT · day 1
7
0 0 m OUT · day 1
8
0 0 m OUT · day 1
9
0 0 m OUT · day 1
10
0 0 m OUT · day 1
11
0 0 m OUT · day 1
12
0 0 m OUT · day 1
13
0 0 m OUT · day 1
14
0 0 m OUT · day 1
15
0 0 m OUT · day 1
16
0 0 m OUT · day 1
17
0 0 m OUT · day 1
18
0 0 m OUT · day 1
19
0 0 m OUT · day 1
20
0 0 m OUT · day 1
21
0 0 m OUT · day 1
22
0 56 m OUT · day 1
23
0 0 m OUT · day 1
24
0 0 m OUT · day 1
25
0 0 m OUT · day 1
26
0 0 m OUT · day 1
27
0 0 m OUT · day 1
28
0 0 m OUT · day 1
29
0 0 m OUT · day 1
30
0 0 m OUT · day 1
31
0 0 m OUT · day 1
32
0 0 m OUT · day 1
33
0 0 m OUT · day 1
34
0 0 m OUT · day 1
35
0 0 m OUT · day 1
36
0 0 m OUT · day 1
37
0 0 m OUT · day 1
38
0 64 m OUT · day 1
39
0 0 m OUT · day 1
40
0 0 m OUT · day 1
41
0 0 m OUT · day 1
42
0 0 m OUT · day 1
43
0 0 m OUT · day 1
44
0 0 m OUT · day 1
45
0 0 m OUT · day 1
46
0 0 m OUT · day 1
47
0 0 m OUT · day 1
48
0 0 m OUT · day 1
49
0 0 m OUT · day 1
50
0 0 m OUT · day 1
51
0 35 m OUT · day 1
52
0 0 m OUT · day 1
53
0 0 m OUT · day 1
54
0 29 m OUT · day 1
55
0 0 m OUT · day 1
56
0 0 m OUT · day 1
57
0 0 m OUT · day 1
58
0 0 m OUT · day 1

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.

Staging · not the live site