Shreeve's marathon effort

LINE IN SIGHT: Auckland's Andrew Shreeve heading for the finishing chute on Somme Parade to win the 3 Bridges Marathon on Saturday. PHOTOS/BEVAN CONLEY 131214WCBRCMAR0

A contingent from over 14 New Zealand towns and four other countries competed in the Wanganui 3 Bridges Marathon on Saturday morning.

While the 628 entries was not a record and slightly down on last year's turnout, there was still a very strong walkup on the day, with the 10km race and its 9.30am start proving the most popular.

Runners came from both ends of New Zealand, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Switzerland and Britain.

Having navigated the course which took them over the Dublin St, City and Cobham Bridges, a number of racers had tunnel vision when they returned to the Somme Parade finishing area - needing loud reminders from the race marshalls that they had to keep going to the official finish line chute.

First home were the 5km runners just after 10am, the quickest having completed their single lap in around 20 minutes.

After 2h 50m of hard slog, which began at 7.30am, Auckland's Andrew Shreeve emerged to win the Marathon, having passed ex-pat Wanganui man Gerry Hogg in the last 2km.

Shreeve had come down with a handful of competitive runners from the Auckland YMCA club.

"Definitely happy [with that time]. It was a good run today, the guy that came second was pushing it. That's my last for the year."

Somerset resident Hogg was running back in Wanganui for the first time in 30 years.

"That was great tactics, well done," he said to Shreeve at the finishline.

Hogg said it was "surreal" running around the township and seeing how much it has changed over the decades, and although he had a good lead he knew Shreeve was coming.

"He was just too quick, too fast.

"I was aware he was not too far behind, the last turnaround I knew he'd caught me, then it was just hanging on."

Hogg was still delighted with runnerup and his finishing time.

"Anything at 2h 55m I'll take at my age."

Arriving about four minutes behind them was Feilding's Nicole Goldsmid to be third overall and the first woman home.

"I've only ever done one marathon prior to this, and that was a 3h 03m [finish], so I'm rapt.

"I was just trying to hang on."

Goldsmid first heard of the Wanganui Harriers Club's annual event last year and entered the half marathon distance, enjoying it enough to step up to the main race.

"I loved it. It gets you out of the same old training runs."

The three-quarter marathon was won by Palmerston North's Rachael Monro, with Levin's Simon Chamberlain the first man home.

Palmerston North's David Morton won the half marathon, with Paraparaumu's Renae Creser the leading woman.

There were also winners in the 10km, 5km, and walk events.