Running: Tale of two races in half marathon

Craig Kirkwood (Tauranga) wins the men's half marathon yesterday. Photo / Ben Fraser

Rotorua runner Sue Crowley has won the feature race at the Podium Rotorua Running Festival, thanks in part to a change in her training methods.

Crowley and Tauranga's Craig Kirkwood won the half marathon titles yesterday during the one-day event.

About 1000 runners and walkers took part in the festival which included a half marathon, 10km race, 4km race and 2km kids' dash.

Crowley said she was rapt to win the women's half marathon in a time of 1h 28m 50s, about three minutes ahead of second-placed Sarah Joubert (Cambridge).

Crowley said she managed to stay behind one of the male runners, who set a good pace during the race.

"After the race, I went up to the guy who had been pulling me along and thanked him, and he said 'no, you were pushing me along'."

Crowley currently trains with the Rotorua Trail Running Club and Lake City Athletic Club, and said the two styles of running complement each other nicely.

"The trail running has helped a lot with the stamina side of things and the Lake City running [on the road] is helping get the speed up"

Meanwhile, in the men's half marathon race, Kirkwood and Auckland's William Harris battled out a tight race.

"The two of just battled out in front, and we were just toing and froing the whole way," Kirkwood, the eventual winner, said.

"At about 15km, he had about 25 or 30 metres on me, and it stayed like that until about a kilometre to go and I could see he was starting to hurt. I put a big effort in and caught him and then started sprinting and he had nothing left."

Kirkwood, who also competes in Ironman races, said he was happy with his winning time of 1h 11m 51s, which was seven seconds ahead of Harris. "That is pretty good considering the course is not a flat course - there is a bit of mud, a few hills and bit of off-road - so I'm happy."

Kirkwood runs a coaching business in Tauranga and one of his runners Kyle MacDonald (also from Tauranga) finished in third.

The Rotorua Running Festival was first held in 2013.