Newness in life is essential – new friends, new trends, new goals, new roles, new dreams, new themes …
… yet sometimes the deepest satisfaction rises from the recognition of familiar places, the recollection of familiar faces and yes, the repetition of familiar races.
For many runners, the Sri Chinmoy loop course tracing the tracks, fields and copses of Centennial Park is one such personal favourite, each return to this familiar route a routine of renewal and an affirmation of recurring satisfaction.
Maurice Keller ran a solo race in the Half-Marathon, leading from the front to blaze a win with 1:17:15, finishing minutes clear of 2nd placed D’Arcy Lunn’s 1:21:37, with Keyan Karroobee in 3rd with 1:30:45. Mark Arbib was excellent in winning the M50-59 with a fine 1:32:16, ahead of 2nd placed Stephen Barlow’s 1:34:21 and 3rd placed Akira Suzuki with 1:36:26. Evergreen Tetsundo Kato won the M60-69 in 2:02:40, yet it was in the Male 70 and Over category that Korea’s Tae Bong Kang set the course alight with his extraordinary showing of 1:43:40, only half a minute shy of his own course record set one year ago.
In the women’s Half-Marathon, Sarah Brewster similarly ran comet-like, lighting her own trail with 1:34:17, ahead of the ever-smiling Sachie Wada in 1:40:15 and 3rd placed Alicia Tyler with 1:49:07. 3rd place female overall went to the winner of the F50-59, the always impressive Sara Stace in 1:47:24, though Michelle Fitzpatrick was not far behind in 2nd place with 1:49:13. Kylie Lewis took the main prize in the F60-69 with 2:06:59.
The 7km women’s race saw the closest finish of the day, with first-time Sri Chinmoy race entrant Valeria Angulo (31:22) win in a tight finish from Orla Hayes (31:26), with Grace Chatfield almost in touching distance, crossing in 3rd with 31:47. The run of the day came from Roisin Boyle in the F50-59 with her scintillating showing of 33:48; while Wendy Glen took top honours in the F60-69 with 44:35, and Anne Elizabeth Boyd claimed the main prize in the F70 and Over with 1:10:24.
Samuel Morse ran a controlled lap to claim line honours in the 7km with 26:28, a sold lead at the finish over Clement Zindstein’s 26:59. David Carson is in a fine vein of form, taking the M50-59 1st placing with 30:27; while Kieron Blackmore marked his return to Sri Chinmoy races after a year’s sabbatical by winning the M60-69 in 34:04. David Iverarch – also returning to the fold after a year’s absence – claimed his customary 1st place in the M70 and Over (though he is now over 80!) with a fine outing of 41:29.
Thomas Berg ran a beautiful race to win the 4km event outright from the Boys Under 17 category, winning by over a minute in 14:13. Behind Thomas, the Girls Under 13 proved the most competitive category, producing the next 3 placegetters in winner Arielle McBrien who just missed the course record with her flowing run of 15:31, from Emma Felsman’s impressive 16:09 with Sierra Miller claiming 3rd in the Girls Under 13 (and 3rd in the female race outright) with 17:01. Zara Boulton was fastest among the Girls Under 17 with her 17:09; while Hannah Johnston took out the Female 17 and Overs in 18:40. Roque Rendic ran an impressive 17:07 to win the Boys Under 13; while Martin Doak was fastest among the Male 17 and Over with 19:04.
