Event runs on
The decision to go ahead with an annual Timaru fundraiser paid off yesterday.
Timaru’s annual Hadlow to Harbour fun run went ahead on Sunday morning, just hours after the move back to Covid-19 alert level 1.
Hadlow to Harbour co-ordinator Noel Crawford said the event went ‘‘very well indeed’’ with 870 people taking part.
The Rotary Club of Timaru, which runs the event, made a decision last week to gamble on the alert level dropping before yesterday so they could hold the event – a gamble that paid off as the country, expect for Auckland, moved out of level 2 restrictions at 6am, just three and a half hours before the start of the run.
Crawford said he thought the fact other events for the weekend had been postponed swelled the number of attendees.
‘‘I think there might have been a few people who felt like getting out and doing something. Other events had been put off and this was something everyone could go to; there was a good turnout.
‘‘The whole club is very pleased with how it went. There was a really good atmosphere there today.’’
Crawford said he had seen people come back to the event year after year.
‘‘There’s one friend of ours, she came the first year pushing one child, and then a few years later there was two, and now there was three this morning.’’
Despite forecast rain, Sunday morning was sunny and warm.
‘‘The weather was very nice, in fact it got a bit hot. People generally didn’t push themselves too hard; they came over the line quite comfortably.’’
The run includes a 10 kilometre option, from Hadlow, and a 3km option from Church St.
Dogs are also regular participants in the run, with Timaru’s St Mary’s Church, where the event goes past, holding a water station for thirsty runners and their furry companions.
Spokesperson Ray Bennett said six volunteers manned the drinks, passing them to runners as they went by, while some dogs stopped and put their paws in water.
‘‘There were all sorts of dogs and many were as thirsty as anything,’’ Bennett said.
He counted 25 dogs all up.
‘‘We went through 400 glasses and the first runner from Hadlow came past at seven minutes past 10.’’
He said it had been an ‘‘excellent’’ day and thought it was obvious people were happy to be back at alert level 1, and able to do the race.
‘‘I think the heavens shone on us.’’ The event was helped out by sponsors Alpine Energy, who provided a gazebo at the finish line barbecuing sausages, Fulton Hogan, who made and implemented the traffic plan, putting cones out on intersections, and Ritchies Bus Service, who took people from Caroline Bay to the start line.
A prize-giving held at the end of the race for the best costumes, as well as special efforts.
Crawford said as it was not a race, no prize was given out for coming first.
The fun run benefits South Canterbury charities Hospice, Heart Foundation, Stroke Club, and Life Education Trust, as well as Rotary North projects.
‘‘Other events had been put off and this was something everyone could go to; there was a good turnout.’’
Noel Crawford
Event co-ordinator