Reisch-MacNeill top female
A familiar face captured top female honours at the 2017 Kensington Community Harvest Festival 25-Kilometre
Road Race.
Dr. Helga Reisch-MacNeill of Kensington earned her second
Harvest Festival title, stopping the clock in one hour 51 minutes 49 seconds (1:51:49).
“Basically every year that I wasn’t pregnant I have run this race,” noted Reisch-MacNeill, who finished seventh overall in the 56-runner field. Reisch-MacNeill finished ahead of Jennie Ellen Orr, who had a time of 1:53:07 – good for ninth overall.
The two runners ran together for the first part of the race, before Reisch-MacNeill pulled in front.
“She came in right behind me, so I don’t think there was much of a difference between us,” added Reisch-MacNeill, 45. It was the second Harvest Festival win for Reisch-MacNeill, who shared the 2002 award with her sister, Heidi. They both hit the finish line in an identical time of 2:12:18.
Reish-MacNeill described Saturday morning’s conditions as perfect.
“I was happy the sun didn’t come out, and the wind was at our back,” she said. “It was a lovely day.” Although Reisch-MacNeill was “pleased” with her run, she admitted she still struggles with one aspect on the hilly and challenging course. “You are supposed to take the first 10K slowly, and I’m not very good at that yet,” she added with a smile. When asked how she felt after the race, Reisch-MacNeill offered, “I was very tired and that’s why I thought I went a bit too fast at the beginning, but it was OK.”