2018 Preview of Gazley Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K Races Wellington Waterfront Sun 1 Jul

Stephen Day, 2017 NZ Marathon Champ as a result of being the fastest New Zealander

Preview (I expect there will be one. But no, there isn't) 

2017 Race Report

This isn’t a prediction of how well folks will go but rather a list of those runners who have entered so far and who should do well, all things being equal.

Entries are still open so there could be some surprise starters and dark horses.

Personally I think the waterfront course is slow and not conductive to good times even when the weather is good.  I know Grant McLean will disagree.

But over the years good times have been posted so I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating.  

My argument though would be that a person who did well on the waterfront course would do even better on a “faster course” with the same level of fitness.  And then of course there is the chaos of the finish.

This entry is a work in progress and will be modified, so here goes

Marathon

Stephen Day – last year’s NZ Marathon champ as the first Kiwi home. Can he go below 2.30?

Half Marathon

Jono Jackson – experienced and an obvious favourite. Although he is no longer on the entry list! 
Liam Back - Senior Boys silver medalist from the Sec Schools XC Champs. A rising star 

Malcolm Hodge – I expect he will be pushing it from the gun

Nathan Tse – reliable and solid so should be up there

Niam Macdonald – keeps on getting better and could surprise us all

Brian Garmonsway – tends to get overlooked but always runs an honest race  

#Mad Harry – this could be his race, but who knows.  Needs to keep his shoes on.
Lucas DuRoss - is no stranger to the course
Anthony Jackson - Englishman in NZ - previous best over HM is 69 min. Could be interesting
Emerson Deverell - 2x NZ Mountain Running Champs and 2x Sec Schools XC Rep

10k

Tina Faulkner – has been running better than ever, so should do well. I expect a podium finish
Melissa Black - could upset on the day
Hector Farmer - more of a middle distance track runner but should not be underestimated
Ayesha Shafi - getting better by the minute
Nick Sasse - had a great Vosseler Shield race


Also Entered

Edward Barnes, Boys 7,  " I am almost the fastest kid on earth"
Jonathon Woodhouse, Male 40-49 " I have been running for 35 years - i just love it"
Maisie Morton, Girls 8, "Maisie likes fluffy cats"
Adrian Cruz, Boys 6, "No experience on a marathon run"
Miles Coverdale, Male 40-49, "Olympic Harriers legend"
Owen Morton, Boys 9, "Owen likes magic tricks"
Emma Alexander, Female 30-39, "Passionate about running"
Liz McKenna, Female 30-39, "Running to fill in time while my husband runs the marathon"
Carl Laffan, Men 40-49, "This event is going to be better than Pierce Brosnan's wedding"
Rebecca Fone, Female 30-39, "This is my 5th marathon and I will be needing a post race wine"
Peter McDowall, M30-39, "U15 underwater tiddlywinks semi-finalist"
Sophie Smith, Female U19 " Where is the finish line?"
Mike Hancock, Male 40-49, "Will there be Big Mac stations????"
Mike Stewart, Male 60-69, "500+ marathons"
Libica Hurley, Female 20-29, "A cyclist trying to find a love for running"
Kelly Marzano, Female 40-49, "Any finish is better than not starting at all"
Peter Tearle, Male 80-99, "Eldest person in the entire event - 93"

2018 Scottish Club Novice Cup, Galashiels Trophy & Cole Land Cup Muritai School Eastbourne Sat 23 Jun

The Harry Potter Magic Portal. This takes you through to the enchanted track which winds its way to the road where there is a plate of cream buns. Okay there were no cream buns.  

Results and Race Report

The main event on today's menu was the open handicap Novice Cup which is basically unchanged from 40 years ago.

The Novice Cup is for someone who has not won a club handicap race before and the Galashiels is for somebody who has previously won a club trophy.

The start and finish are in the same place and the course identical to the one that Dave Hatfield ran when he picked up the race record of 15.26 in 1981.  

But there is a change which perhaps indicates how impressive Dave’s record is. In the old days, once you came out of the bush at the top of the track and headed down the sealed road toward the water. 

Instead of turning hard left onto the footpath and heading for home, runners had to cross the road and run on the beach for a way before getting back up on to the  seaside footpath/road and then heading back to the finish. 

And that involved more intersection crossings.

Clearly with today's traffic this is a bit more dangerous for competitors, hence the course change. 

The change probably doesn't alter the distance much but running in loose sand slows you down. 

Coming off the seal onto the beach and then running under the jetty was like running on sponge rubber and easily broke the rhythm. Tall people like Alan Wallis would have had trouble with the jetty. 

The line you took along the beach depended on whether the tide was in or out, but as I recall you didn't get your feet wet.

Also as part of the day the the Cole Land Walking Cup was contested and the kids raced for something as well.

I have posted some photos below. They are technically imperfect with some not quite in focus and some with the highlights blown. 

I also missed some shots mostly when Lord Voldemort stole through the portal disguised as a woman walking her dog.