MARATHON: Furness fit to tackle challenging Taupo event

Erin Furness doesn't need much motivation to get off the couch _ that's because the 26-year-old runs a business in Hamilton in the fitness industry.
But when South-African-born Furness took a giant leap into endurance sport her friends wondered what her motivation was.
``I'd like to think I'm motivated although some of my friends think I'm crazy,'' Furness told SportToday after winning the women's open title of the Shoe Clinic Hawke's Bay Marathon in Havelock North on Saturday.
She stayed with parents Andrea and Darryl Furness, of Havelock North, at the weekend. The Furness family left Pretoria about 15 years ago to settle in New Zealand and the parents moved from Hamilton to the Bay a year ago.
Furness clocked 3h 28m 54s to beat Vivian Cheng 3:57:05 on Saturday before disclosing she was preparing for the international ironman event in Taupo in March next year. ``It was just my second marathon. My first one was in Rotorua where I finished in the middle of the field somewhere.''
Always a bit of a runner, Furness was happy to shave 15 minutes off her Rotorua time. Having savoured a half-marathon and half-ironman, Furness is pleased with her preparations for Taupo event. ``It does affect your social life a little,'' she said. ``You know, you don't go out for drinks, but I haven't been a big one for going out lately.''
Furness enjoyed her first Bay event on Saturday but wasn't expecting the hills around Craggy Range.
In the men's open section, Havelock North's Ross McIntyre clocked 2:39.19, showing Marcus Boshier (3:07:06) a clean pair of heels.
Unlike Furness, McIntyre has no desire to compete in endurance events but the 45-year-old has 13 marathons under his belt. Rating himself as a top-10 finisher, the owner of Smiths Shoes in Hastings was the first masters runner home in last year's Gold Coast Marathon in Australia, finishing 19th overall.
Competitive as a teenager, he took up marathons again five years ago and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly his body responded. ``I do two to three marathons in a year but some people do more,'' said McIntyre, who finished runner-up in the New Zealand Crosscountry Championship in Christchurch a fortnight ago and has his sights set on the New Zealand Road Champs in Dunedin next month.
Having set up his business here a little more than a year ago, McIntyre enjoyed Saturday's marathon _ his second Bay one. ``Havelock is quite punishing with the hills.''
With his body willing and still improving, McIntyre finds the runs quite rewarding and challenging and said: ``You get what you put into it.''
Napier's Bridget Keegan (1:39:59) won the open women's half-marathon over Linda Exeter-Grant (1:41:17). Neville Smith (1:16:02) won the men's open half-marathon, beating Garry Murcott (1:24:56). Mike Leahy (5:59:12) won the open men's marathon walk while Sherry O'Sullivan was the women's champion in of 5:17:38.