58 turned up for the first race in the Sprig & Fern Six O’Clock Summer Series on Tuesday night and it was a “mirror image” of previous years. Simon Mardon tunes his body clock at this time every year for the 3km stretch from Waahi Takaro Golf Course down to Branford Park.
9.09 and 9.02 in 2009, 9.04 in 2010 but then he missed firing a cog or two last year “only” stopping the watch at 9.14. 2012 is another year in his consistent running career and he was back in business recording 9.09 even though he “went to sleep” focus wise in the mid point down the valley.
Next week , with no watches allowed it will be interesting if he can eclipse 9 minutes. Behind him Adam Gausel ran strongly for his 9.23 with visitor Katzu Abe the other to eclipse ten minutes.
Almost half the field were women. Klaartje Van Schie in front with four others under 4 minute kilometre pace, Renee Hires, Nicola Mercer, Katie Fitzgerald and Robin Deane while Toni Mockler has the potential to join them,
Ross Mitchell and Roger Denton were alongside each other for walkers honours with Mitchell making his move for glory as he sighted the finish shute. Lyn Smith was third ahead of a closing Cec Lineham.
Many will be back in action on Sunday in the NBS Nelson Striders Half Marathon & 10km. Over 100 are already signed on attempting to secure The Trevor Ruffell Tusk Trophy.. aka The Boar’s Jaw and stop Stu Cottam going into the annals of Nelson Athletics as a three time winner of the regions prestigious booty that Ruffell so modestly assisted in creating.
Surprisingly he was not recognised back in the 1994 Queen’s Honours list…..but he will always be remembered by the band of Striders he saved when single handedly stopping the wild beast from causing serious body injury to the “Forest Gumps” stranded on the gravel road steering down the menacing jaws
