KEY POINTS:
Ady Ngawati successfully defended her women's Auckland marathon title, racing in over two minutes faster than last year in 2h 46m 47s and over two minutes clear of Lara Phillips. Melissa Norris improved over four minutes on her fourth placing last year to claim third in 2h 56m
26s.
Ngawati and Phillips matched strides from the start in Devonport and across the harbour bridge, before Ngawati edged ahead coming off the bridge and at the start of the run out along Tamaki Drive.
Ngawati said that she felt great and the wind on the return journey back didn't worry her.
"I just ran with the wind, it was hard work though.
"I had in my mind that Romanian runner who went out into the lead in the Beijing Olympic marathon and I thought just go and what happens, happens," said a delighted Ngawati at the finish.
The 31-year-old Northland sport and recreation tutor said she would like to have a crack at the national marathon title next year.
Phillips was so grateful the weather had turned out better than had been expected.
"Ady is a rock. We had a great chat on the way from the start and she pushed me to a personal best today," said Phillips.
Ruthe was exactly 6min slower than his second placing last year, in winning in 2h 28m 11s.
Steven O'Callaghan of Rotorua, who stuck with Ruthe to the 30km mark, was second in 2h 30m 57s, slicing 16 minutes off his previous best run, in Rotorua five years ago.
Grant McLean of Wellington was over a minute faster than his ninth placing last year, taking third in 2h 35m 56s.
Ruthe was buoyed on the journey by news from his wife, prominent athlete Jessica, that he is to become a father in May.
"Our first baby, I can't wait," said Ruthe.
Ruthe settled into his own pace with O'Callaghan from the start, behind the fast front pace set by half marathoners Dale Warrander and Scott Winton.
"I chose a good rhythm, felt comfortable to half way in 74 minutes and just flowed on from there, keeping the momentum going," he said.
Although he is still getting over the horrors of a disastrous race in London earlier this year where he was trying to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, Ruthe is keen to have a crack at making it to the world championships in Berlin next year.
"I've had a couple of bad marathons so it was nice to have a good one and feel good the whole way."
O'Callaghan, a 26-year-old roofer, had optimistically set himself a target of 2h 25m.
"The placing was more important than the time today," he said.
Gavin Stevens, just two weeks after finishing third in the Toronto marathon where he easily won the 50-54 age group, was fourth in another smart time for his age of 2h 36m 28s.
Warrander used the tough uphill climb of the harbour bridge to break clear of Winton to carry on and win the half marathon in 67m 35s.
Winton came through in 68m 22s, with Lennon Wicks of Australia third in 1h 12m 38s.
Warrander said he was running scared of Winton over the closing stages.
"I put in a few surges before the bridge and then made the break on the hill where my strength is. I was feeling tired heading to the finish, so I was hoping that Scotty was tired too," said Warrander.
Winton said that he tried to hang on to Warrander as long as he could.
"The last 2km I was feeling okay but Dale had gone by then," said Winton.
Sarah Christie of Wellington chalked up her fifth half marathon win in the women's section with a time of 1h 20m 53s, four minutes ahead of Aimee Finlay. The 35-year-old mother of three said that she was running brave for her five- year-old son who had just had his toe reattached.
"My pain was nothing to what he went through," she said.
Christchurch visitors won the quarter marathon, Fiona Crombie in the women, with 36m 56s and Brett Tingay, with 33m 19s.
