And away we go!

It’s all go as the gun goes off to start The Gisborne Herald Quarter Marathon and 5.6km Fun Run/Walk outside Tairawhiti Museum yesterday. The 5.6km race was won by Ty Houthuijzen (pictured amongst it all here - No.505), who also won last year. Pictures by Rebecca Grunwell

Steve Morrow can’t put a number on it so his estimation of how many Gisborne Herald fun run and walks he has competed in is a very general “quite a few”.

Yesterday the 43-year-old added another to the collection and achieved victory “five or six” as around 500 runners and walkers hit the streets for the 2018 edition of the popular community event.

Morrow, for the second consecutive year, fended off the challenge of rising triathlete Josiah Ney to win the quarter marathon open men’s crown.

He overcame an Achilles tendon issue to reach the Marina Park finish line 37 minutes and 6 seconds after the start gun went off outside Tairawhiti Museum.

Ney had to settle for second again in 39.42, with Andrew Briant third in 41.10.

The Ney family were prominent among the leading runners.

Caleb Ney was fourth overall in 41.23 — nearly 2min 20secs better than his third-placed time last year — and fastest in the junior male 16 and under division.

Younger brother Matthew was 11th overall in 45.17 and second in the male 16/u division.

Olympian Michelle Rennie was fastest female and eighth overall in 43.39, with Le’Sharn Anderson second female and fastest in her 16/u age group in 47.44. Myah Houthuijzen was 10secs back in third.

Rocky Smyth flew the flag high for the 50-plussers, finishing fifth overall in 41.31.

Ty Houthuijzen — Myah’s younger brother — successfully defended the 5.6km fun run/walk title.

Ty was in a class of his own, rocketing around the course in 23.54, over 2min faster than 2017 and 3min 43sec ahead of second-placed Ashlesh Kuman (27.37), with Kate Wallingford (27.43) third.

Margaret Johnston won the quarter marathon walk in 1hr 10min 59 sec, with Christopher Bowman (1:16.09) second and Colin McNab 1:22.16) third.

Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti again ran the event and SGT events adviser Debbie Hutchings was happy with the increase in numbers on a disappointing previous year.

Other than a start gun issue — Hutchings joked that SGT’s chief executive Stefan Pishief would be receiving a procedure tutorial — everything went smoothly.

“I think the general feeling was everyone enjoyed it.”

The event raised $1000 for Hospice Tairawhiti.

Kelly Norris was the major spot prize winner of an Avanti Hurricane bike.