Marathon title stays local, charities benefit
Thousands lined the marathon course with hand-painted signs, disco dancers in bright red bedazzled jumpsuits upped the energy, and people in pyjamas on street side couches with cups of tea in hand cheered everyone on.
That was the view runners pounding the pavements of the CBD witnessed while tackling the Christchurch Marathon yesterday.
As a full-time running coach, the newest marathon winner has earned some street cred among the athletes he trains. Local man Andy Good was the fastest male to cross the finish line after running four laps of the central city 10km loop in 2:21:38, while Wellington’s Ingrid Cree was the fastest woman with a time of 2:46:43.
They were among more than 5200 elite runners, weekend warriors and charity do-gooders running either the full (42.2km) or half marathon, 10km or Kids Marafun options – the most entrants the event has had in more than a decade.
Good said the victory “means a lot because it's a hometown race”. It was his third attempt at the Christchurch Marathon and a personal best time.
About 20 of the athletes he coaches also completed the course.
“I did actually pass a couple [of them] and they gave me a bit of a rev up which was cool, it’s usually the other way around,” he said.
Good aimed to run “a wee bit faster” than he did, but having to overtake slower runners at the back of the pack on the second half of the course proved a challenge. “Because we ran four laps, on laps three and four we ran through a lot of traffic so I just had to try my best [but] I’m happy with that time, it's a decent time.”
It was Cree’s first time running a fourlap course. She particularly enjoyed being among the half and 10km runners because “everyone was so supportive” and “people were constantly cheering”.
The flock of orange T-shirts, tutus and fairy wings were friends, staff and supporters of Rānui House, the event’s charity partner.
The Run for Rānui House fundraiser surpassed $63,000 for the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust, which runs the home away from home for patients.
A pair of lifelong friends from their university days, Andy Bryant from Ashburton and Conal Beban from Nelson ran for the cause. Beban stayed at Rānui House for 29 nights while recovering from a kidney transplant in 2022 at Christchurch Hospital, which Bryant donated.
They raised more than $8000 themselves. Bryant ran the half and Beban the 10km.
“They gave me this amazing service and I felt like I should pay them back,” Beban said.
He started running after the transplant, which progressed from not being able to walk the length of his driveway, to running 5km at the World Transplant Games in Perth this time last year.
“I still see the kidney as being Andy’s kidney and I'm just taking care of it, so that’s why I decided to run and make lifestyle changes and just be healthier,” Beban said.
Bryant was quick to deny he was a regular runner, but said the “positive” mood around the place was infectious and he “couldn't think of many better causes” to be running for.
The trust’s chief executive, Mandy Kennedy, completed the 10km and said the course had an “incredible vibe”. Her team was delighted, humbled and grateful for the event’s support.
“I can’t tell you how many people around that course today were yelling ‘Go Ranui’, it was amazing.”
With 2459 entrants, the largest event was the half-marathon, which doubled as the New Zealand Half Marathon Championships.
Rotorua runner Michael Voss and Auckland runner Anneke Grogan took out the titles, with times of 1:04:30 and 1:13:09 respectively.
Event director and organiser Chris Cox was thrilled entrants were officially 30% up from last year’s event.
“This year’s success is a real nod to the central city’s resurgence,” he said.
“The course celebrates the best the city has to offer and, judging by the turnout of both runners and supporters today, people love it.”