Record numbers run at Sydney festival |
It may have been a perfect spring day in Sydney, but the warm weather would have made it tough for many of the 25,300 participants in Sydneys running festival.
The first runners kicked off Australias biggest running festival - which included a marathon, a half-marathon, a 9km bridge run and 4km family walk - at 6.20am (AEST) at Milsons Point.
Record numbers of runners and walkers enjoyed crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on the only day of the year when it is closed to traffic, and finished up by the steps of the Opera House.
The field included more than 960 runners from 41 countries.
Kenyans maintained their strong record in the marathon, with Julius Maritim winning the race for the fourth year in a row in a time of two hours, 19 minutes and 1 second.
His countryman Benson Mbithi finished five minutes behind, with Sydney runner Jeremey Horne finishing third.
Australian Paralympian Richard Nicholson, who arrived home from Beijing on Saturday, won the wheelchair marathon in one hour, 56 minutes and 52 seconds.
Maritim, who said the heat stopped him from beating his personal best of two hours, 14 minutes and 17 seconds, told reporters he felt "fine, not bad"as he easily walked away from the finish line.
He said Sydney was a great city for a marathon.
"It is a perfect city, a beautiful country... the bridge was wonderful."
But he said he had to work hard for the win.
"The last almost seven kilometres took on a hill, but I had to keep on my best."
He said hed be back next year, "with God-given help".
Horne, in third place with a time of two hours, 33 minutes and 17 seconds, said it was his 25th or 26th marathon but described his performance as "pretty slack".
"I had a cold, and I was struggling just to get to the start line this week."
The first woman across the marathon finish line was Coolangatta-based Lisa Flint, who ran a personal best of two hours, 47 minutes and 43 seconds in her fourth marathon.
Beaming, she said the race was "pretty good, but a bit windy and bit hot. But I beat my personal best by two minutes, so absolutely stoked".
"The best parts were running through the city, all the streets closed off, lots of crowds cheering us, nice and cool, too, through there... ah, it was awesome!"
Cricket legend Glenn McGrath took part in the family walk with his children, James and Holly, and mother Beverley.
McGrath, who lost his wife Jane to breast cancer in June, was raising money for the McGrath foundation, which campaigns for better treatment and better research of breast cancer.
The festival raised a record total of $1.3 million for charity.
The 21 degree heat was a challenge for some less experienced runners.
First-time marathon competitor Matt Minarelli from Adelaide said he had struggled in the warm weather.
"It was long and humid as well,"he said. "Were from Adelaide so we've been training in different temperatures. Yeah, it was tough."
Second-time marathon runner Nick Johnson from Melbourne said the Sydney race was a "beautiful experience"despite the heat.
"Weve been training in Melbourne, so we havent had too many days with this weather so it does add to it when your bodys not conditioned,"he said.
"But Im happy ... you get a great tour of the city and its a great place to come and run.
Meanwhile, a record number of participants hit Adelaides streets for the City to Bay Fun Run, with more than 28,000 runners and walkers taking part.
With the main 12km run leaving from the Festival Centre in the city about 8am (CST) to head for the beachside suburb of Glenelg, event manager Darrilyn Wood said the number of participants was about 5,000 up on the previous record.
"It just shows how people want to become active, how people want to have fun and how people are doing a lot for charity,"she said.
She said first across the finish line in a time of just over 34 minutes was Martin Dent, who also won Sydneys City to Surf this year.
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