I was unsure what to expect going into the trail run of the Andrews Poulter circuit. My recent runs have caused me to be in disagreement with the ratings on the authoritative website for New Zealand Trail running Wild Things. On paper, it looks much easier than the Cass Lagoon Track that I had run just across the valley only a few weeks before. Plus, it certainly didn't quell my anxiety with us setting out to run a 40-km track in the high heat of a mid-summer afternoon.

The first hurdle to overcome, assuming you only have one vehicle, will be connecting the two trailheads. The Casey Saddle track (where the loop ends) is 3 km from the Binser Saddle Track's start. It made the most sense for us to park where the day would end and then run our way to the beginning. The run to the start extends the full loop from around 36 km to 40 km. The road is nearly flat between the two trailheads, so this is the best option for most.

The start of the Andrews Poulter Circut is a grueling climb to gain the Binser saddle. Though, if it isn't 25 degrees outside, then it is probably not as bad as it felt on this particular day. There are stretches of beech forest to protect from direct sunlight. Not much along this first section feels runnable in the heat. So we did our best to walk fast to the top of the hill as a warm-up for the rest of the run.

Descending from Binser Saddle down to the Poulter River, we began to pick up our pace. We had to navigate a few sections with some fallen trees, but for the most part, our descent into the valley went smoothly. Once into the valley, we were treated to our first views of the day.

From here, our trail run of the Andrews Poulter Circut started to take on a different feel. The track through the valley that holds the Poulter River is a winding road. Most of the time, I hate running or walking roads in the back country. They don't have the feeling of being outside, and it just tickles me wrong. But I have learned that when I am out here to trail run, the best way to encourage my pace when I feel demotivated is to pop in one headphone and get some workout music going. So that is what I did.

Overall, though, music or not, this section of the Andrews Poulter Circut was boring. Adding to the misery of the road was the fact that there was no shade for around 10 km. So it was 25 degrees outside, and we were attempting to run in direct sunlight. I couldn't have been happier when we finally made it to the shade again.

When we reached Casey Hut, my legs were shredded from wearing shorts and running in the tall grass. Trailcutter was moving slowly from what we now think must have been some low-level heat stroke, and our pace had come to a near stop (for runners, at least). All this combined made for a challenging climb to the Casey saddle, our last significant uphill of the day.

For me, the Casey Saddle section of the Andrews Poulter Circut was the prettiest section of the trail run. There were views of mountains in all directions, and a whisp of cloud rolled in over some of them, making them look dramatic. But, once again, we were running in tall grass, and it only exacerbated the hives and cuts all up and down my legs.

The final stretch of the Andrews Poulter Circut was mentally challenging after a long day in the sun, with my legs on fire from the scratches. It was also more technical than I expected this track to be. As the sun fell below the horizon and we finished our walk out, all I could be happy about was finally returning to the car.

I won't be doing this one again. Not as a run, at least. Maybe with a backpack and long pants.