2015 Lifestyle 5k Series Wellington Waterfront Tue 24 Feb

Results

Participant numbers were quite low this week possibly because some of those who ordinarily turn up are recovering from running one of the Cigna Round the Bays events on Sunday. It is no excuse though.

For this photo session I went to Oriental Bay just for a change. On the way I stopped and watched a bunch of University students make use of the water-jumping spot just near the nudey man at the eastern end of Te Papa.  I bet the water was cold.

Out on the harbour there were the usual dragon boat and rowing sessions and one only has to wonder how they would get this training done if we had one of those relentlessly windy February’s.

In the 5km Aussie Keith Bateman came whizzing by in Sydney Striders colours looking smooth and relaxed.  Apart from being way in front of the pack he was running in barefeet which apparently is something he advocates.

Keith Bateman 16.42

2015 Cigna Round the Bays Sun 22 Feb

No - this is not Chris McIlroy

According to the Dominion Post about 14000 people took part in the various run distances that we know as Cigna Round the Bays. For many this event will be their annual mass-participation outing, while for others every inch of the course will be very familiar.

I wasn’t there to capture the race action but it seems that Stephen Day and Katie Kemp did well to take out the male and female Half-Marathon titles respectively for 2015. In the 6.5km Tim Hodge came out of retirement (temporary retirement I hope) to improve on his 2nd placings from 2012, 2013 & 2014.

The top 3 men’s and women’s placing are as follows plucked from the full results.

6.5km

Men

1              20.15     Tim Hodge

2              20.20     Dougal Thorburn

3              20.36     Chris McIlroy

Women

1              23.26     Tina Harris

2              24.09     Rebecca Bonner

3              24.21     Izzy Hegan

10km

Men

1              36.17     Patrick McKenna

2              36.45     Auren Clark

3              37.06     Michael Sutton

Women

1              38.06     Nicole Mitchell

2              38.18     Rebecca Elliot

3              41.10     Kelsey Forman

21.1km (Half Marathon)

Men

1              72.08     Stephen Day

2              75.04     Isaac Murphy

3              75.12     Stewart Milne

Women

1              78.58     Katie Kemp

2              82.11     Deborah Lynch

3              82.39     Gabby O’Rourke

2015 Lifestyle 5k Series Wellington Waterfront Tue 17 Feb

Results

Well what a surprise to see Ian Kemp on the start line in the first wave of runners. Ian is the founder/owner of the NZ and Australian Cool Running websites. A few years back Ian was based in Wellington before he moved back to Aussie to take advantage of better IT job opportunities. I presume he is still based in the dry land but the starter gun went before I could interrogate him further.
Meanwhile Ben and Burt turned up keen to get away in the second wave. Based on satellite images and Stravadata it seems that the pair did the Makara Loop over the weekend and we all know that means a long race is coming up. So the secret is out Ben and Burt are going to do the New Plymouth Marathon on 7 March. This is the race that drops in altitude from start to finish but includes undulations as they will find out.

Interestingly the record for the fastest time for this race is held by Scottish member Matt Dravitski who stopped the clock way back in 2006 at 2.13. Matt is of course a member of the famous Dravitski running clan (Gerald & Max) who along with the legendary Paul Ballinger made New Plymouth Harriers one very powerful club in the 70's and 80".

And yeah, Ben Twyman was fastest again tonight in 16.36 (20s down from his best) with Bert Prendergast 2nd in 16.58 (Go Bert!). Michelle van Looy was the fastest female in 19.31 (she did the Steeplechase at Newtown Park on Sunday) with Ayesha Shafi 2nd in 19.40

After the race the waterfront suddenly became crowded as the England World Cup cricket team arrived to a Maori welcome. I can tell you that it was so packed you would need a blowtorch to get through. 

Ian Kemp (Mr Cool Running) & Leah Kemp - the photo looks a bit overexposed

Ben Twyman wearing his blue running T-Shirt. He has a grey one as well

Bert Prendergast

84 year old Michael Browne

Michelle Van Looy

Ayesha Shafi

John Hines - took a shortcut