Worthington wins Manawatu marathon
Brendon Worthington’s training run took on a golden glow as he won the Manawatu Striders’ Marathon in Palmerston North on Sunday.
Recovering from a knee injury, the 42-year-old, who finished second last year, was not expecting to challenge the leaders.
But the Palmerston North man ended up finishing 11 minutes clear of the next best runner, Paul Koot, also from Palmerston North.
Worthington finished the 42km race in three hous, five minutes and 10 seconds, bettering the time of last year’s first man Mike van Kampen (three hours, six minutes and six seconds), but behind last year’s overall winner Nicole Goldsmid (two hours, 47 minutes and four seconds).
van Kampen was third this year in three hours 18 minutes and 22 seconds, while Goldsmid did not defend her crown.
Worthington was ecstatic with his time which equalled a personal-best.
‘‘I was intending take it as a training run. I was not feeling on song heading into the whole thing at all. I would have been happy to go under 3 hours 20 minutes,’’ he said.
‘‘The last six to eight months I have been carrying an injury so my training hasn’t been too flash, but I just paced it with the other guys and hit the strategy just right.’’
But it was not all smooth sailing for the NZTA systems support analyst. ‘‘At halfway I was really starting to tighten up. It was one of the most physically and mentally demanding runs that I have done.’’
Worthington sat in second place for much of the race, but took the lead around the 30km-mark.
He said he was trying to make small goals as he ran focusing on catching runners in different categories.
‘‘You just keep looking at the next person and run up to them and then you look to the next one. It makes it a lot easier to shorten the distance. As you run down the river, you can see right down to
the end. If you are looking to the next person, then it shortens the distance and it is a lot easier.’’
Worthington is working towards entering Ironman next year.
Picton’s Natalie Sutton was the first woman across the line in three hours, 39 minutes and 52 seconds, beating Wellington’s Anna Yates, who was second.
Palmerston North’s Will O’connor was the fastest in the half marathon.
He crossed the line in one hour, 16 minutes and 40 seconds, just 20 seconds ahead of Liam Woolford who was second.
Christchurch’s Hannah Oldroyd – one hour, 23 minutes and 53 seconds – was the first women in the half marathon.