THIS year’s runners and walkers in the annual Dorrigo fun runs had to contend with the warm and muggy conditions.
All participants started in high spirits, tackling the undulating course.
Guest MC Peter Wood can take some credit for relaxing runners pre-race. His interviewing and knowledge of various runners was enlightening.
Evergreen Steel Beveridge, who has 102 marathons to his name, lined up for the 13km race again this year.
Lyn Fulton, an Australian age group champion triathlete, and local Paul Woodhouse, who has many distance races to his name, competed again.
Most runners were local or from the Bellingen, Coffs Harbour areas, with others from Armidale, Tamworth and Grafton.
The runners lined up on the North Dorrigo bitumen for the start of the 13km race at 8.30am, followed at 9am by the 6.5km runners and walkers.
Ahead of them was, as one of the runners later stated, “one brute of a hilly course”.
The overall winner of the 13km run was local pharmacist Will Smith, in a record time of 48 minutes 45 seconds, taking 16 seconds off the previous record held by Wade O’Malley.
Will ran in the last Melbourne Marathon and completed the course in just over 2 hours 37 minutess.
Eddie Harrod from Coffs Harbour was runner-up in 1 hour 1 minute 1 second.
Penny Burgess from Grafton was first female home in 1hr 5mins 41sec. Runner-up was Debra Tarrant.
The 6.5km race was taken out by another local for the second year in a row, Paul Woodhouse, in a time of 24mins 19secs.
Runner-up was Paul Sheringham from Coffs Harbour in 28mins 18secs.
Previous winner Kate Marsden, after a few years absence, returned to be the first female home in 31mins 18secs. Runner-up was local Kellie Cochran in 33mins 47secs.
and it is good to see Kellie back running after so many years off with injury and other commitments.
Category winners, 13km – male: Eddie Harrod, Greg Davis, Ron Woods; female, Debra Tarrant, Lyn Fulton.
6.5km – male: Harry VanDyke, Makor Mallou (sub open), Ned Oxland (junior), Paul Sheringham and Robert Hawkins. Female: Xena Hodgson (sub open), Michelle Randall, Kellie Cochran, Jennifer Hawkins.
The MC, not being backward in coming forward, made an impromptu request to Member for Cowper, Luke Hartsuyker, who was walking past, to present the winners’ prizes.
Robert Miller was the first walker home, defending his title from last year and in the process took 2mins 20secs off his 2008 time to record 47mins 53secs.
Special mention must go to the 8-years and under runners Angus and Matilda Burbridge, Simon Andrews, Jorden Cochran and Rhiannah Neaves, who all ran well.
The fun runs were supported by Dorrigo and Guy Fawkes Agricultural Association, AARVBEE Recycling, Dorrigo Pharmacy , Beaumonts Produce, McDonald’s Coffs Harbour, Fuller’s Bellingen, Australia Post and Dorrigo Post Office.
A special thank you to the Dorrigo SES for their continued support with traffic control and safety, to all the volunteers who gave up their time, Dorrigo Swimming Club, Coffs Tri Club, Rural Press, Dorrigo Gazette and the runners. Without this support, events like this cannot be held.
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