News

Ron Adams from our Club ticked off one bucket list item by competing in the London Marathon. Race result for Ron taken off the website is:

Time 3 hours 46 minutes 37 seconds. Half way 1 hour 45 minutes 32 seconds.
Placed for the marathon field overall 7678. Was placed 6243 for males and 472 in the category 50 – 54 age.

Well done Ron from Marlborough Harrier Club.

The following is Ron’s report from the day:
Well that would be a big fat line through the Bucket list line for today’s effort.
What a fantastic time. Spectators everywhere, the longest stretch I saw without people lining the railing was about 100 meters. Over half of the way it was 2 to 15+ deep on the railings then in the city centre ( the last 10 k or so) there where people up on the buildings everywhere, so much noise and support all the way it was amazing, the ears are just about as sore as the legs.
Was a good run for me up until the last 5 km or so then I started getting very sore knots in the legs that slowed me down by about a minute a km but I managed to run all the way.  I saw Debbie and our friends twice on the course.  The first about the 18km mark just as we were coming up onto Tower Bridge and then just before the finish outside Buckingham Palace.  Was absolutely packed basically all the way while I was running on the course. Just so many people, more than anything you think to expect even Auckland 1/2 is no-where near as congested but you had to be really careful not to get foot tripped or foot trip anyone else.
Security and Police wasn’t really anything more than normal for London. Police everywhere is the norm.
We all observed a minutes silence at the start for those from Boston.
Off tomorrow to start the Europe leg of the trip, but from all the different languages spoken everywhere here you’d thing we were already on the continent.
Cheers
Ron & Debbie

Despite heavy rain good competitive fields contested the Novice Cup at Taylor Dam on Saturday. The handicappers did an excellent job and racing throughout most of the grades was close.

The handicap system works so as to give every competitor, no matter what their ability, an even chance of winning their grade. In theory everyone should cross the finish line together. The closest finishes were in the Girls 12 and Girls 14 grades where just one second separated the first two placings in each event. The winners were Lucy Bendell and Anna Barnes.

The next race at Taylor Dam is for the Burton Cup which is one of the club’s oldest trophies. This will be held on Saturday 4th May and once again all competitors (with the exception of walkers) will start off on handicap. However it will be an extra challenge for seniors and veterans who will step up to longer distances on the day.

Full results

The first cross country race of the season held was at Taylor Dam on Saturday. Firm ground and a cool southerly promised some quick times and we weren’t disappointed. It was great to welcome new faces along the fifty competitors who lined up to take on the deceptively demanding course.

Angus Kopua and Gianna Harris clocked the quickest times in the Boys and Girls Under 7 grades. Hannah Monroe (W16), Bailey McKay (B14), Hunter Bendell (B12) and Jaxon Harris (B10) won their age grades with Lucy Bendell (G12) and Anna Barnes (G14) both having to hold off some stiff competition to be first across the line.

Judith Hyndman was the first walker home covering 3km in 23:35.

Andrew Curnow brought home the senior men in 24:50, with  Robbie Barnes the first veteran home only seconds behind in 25:15 for the 6km distance.

Seniors also edged out veterans in the women’s race with Jess Barnes finishing 4km in 19:32 just under a minute ahead of veteran Joanne Farrell.

Full results are here

Times from this race will be used to calculate handicaps for the next race in the Taylor Dam series which is the Novice Cup held two weeks from now on Saturday April the 20th.

This event was held at the Club Presidents property in Hawkesbury Road. Conditions could not have been better for the 50 members that attended.
All participants no matter what age, walking or running, were split into teams of 4 where they ran/walked a course through farmland. There were no winners but all had a lot of fun.
Afterwards during a sausage sizzle etc the Club Captain outlined what the Club was doing over the season.
The open day is a “get to know you” day encouraging all ages no matter how fit to come along and go to places you do not generally get to as a member of the public.