It was absolutely brilliant - it's destined to be one of the best running events in the North.Amy BurkeAmy Burke relished the challenge of Athletic Whangarei's tough two-day marathon, easily taking the top woman's prize for the three-race event at Glenbervie Forest on Saturday and Sunday. "It was absolutely brilliant -it's destined to be one of the best running events in the north," Burke said. Burke scored her first victory on Saturday morning, finishing the 16km race on steep forest tracks more than one minute ahead of accomplished runners Katherine Anton, Ady Ngawati and Leigh Ruddock - who ran together, using the event for training. With Anton and Ngawati not continuing in the event and Ruddock deciding not to compete again on Saturday, Burke swept easily through the afternoon's hilly 5.1km road section, taking line honours well clear of Denise Limby and Jane Sweeney. Sunday's off-road half-marathon - traversing mud, knee-deep water and tough climbs - seemed ideal for the more experienced Ruddock, who had returned to compete. But Burke retained her dominance, running in her easy style over the inhospitable terrain to finish with a broad smile, well clear of Ruddock in second place and Limby in third place. In the men's section, Elliott Frizelle - who had entered only the first race - made light work of the off-road 16km race on Saturday morning, taking line honours in 1hr:03min:34sec, with Tim Goodwin finishing second in 1:04:47, ahead of Rob Lieffering in 1:09:50 and Richard Blogg in 1:11:41. Without Frizelle in the field, Goodwin had little trouble taking out the 5.1km road section on Saturday afternoon in 19min:14sec, ahead of Lieffering in 19:53 and Steve Trass in 21:44. But Lieffering launched a challenge in Sunday morning's off-road half-marathon. "I was in the lead right to the quarry, I was quite a way ahead of [Goodwin]," Lieffering said. "But Tim passed me at about 17km, right in the water," he added. Goodwin drew on his reserves over the last part of the half-marathon to open up an unassailable lead over the final 4km to take first place in 1hr:34min:03sec, ahead of Lieffering in 1:35:59. "It was pretty tough - I was behind Rob until that big puddle," Goodwin said.
