First Light glory to Bousfield

Runners make their way along a track inspired by a stunning ocean view of Tuamotu Island in the First Light Marathon held here on Saturday. It attracted an international and local field of around 300 competitors. Picture by Cody Keepa

A local has won the gruelling but stunningly picturesque First Light Marathon for the second year running, with Simon Bousfield taking the title on Saturday in a time of three hours 44 minutes and 20 seconds.

Real estate agent Bousfield was third overall in the inaugural event in 2023 won by Gisborne’s Doug Moore.

In moving from the bronze to gold podium position, Bousfield took 14 minutes off his 2023 time although admitted that at one stage he thought it was all over for him.

The course is daunting in parts, with 11,000 metres of elevation, and Bousfield said he hit the wall at around the 34-kilometre mark while climbing up Cave Road to the trig.

“My body started to seize up and I thought it might be game over.”

But he took in a salt stick tablet, which seemed to do the trick, and went on to top the 96-strong marathon field.

Bousfield, who was in the 40 to 44 years male age group, said he was impressed with the organisation of the marathon, including the  number of aid stations provided on the course.

“It was a well-oiled machine in terms of the organisation and a great atmosphere at the finish line, with music playing and lots of people cheering at the new Midway surf club.”

Bousfield started doing marathons in 2008 and also competes in multisport events.

His training was sporadic in the lead-up. On average he was doing a couple of decent 20 kilometre runs in a week, he said.

The First Light is one of  nine marathons run worldwide by Albatros Adventure Marathons and attracted an international field who got to enjoy spectacular scenery.

“Last year’s conditions were pretty overcast but this year we got to take in some incredible views of the sun rising.”

Bousfield was followed home by Sam Herringin 3:48.58 and Jotham MacDonald 3:50.59.

The first female to complete the marathon was Greta Porter in 4:10.53, ahead of Ketina Chivasa in 4:47.33 and Charlotte Burgess in 4:51.52.

Results show the last of the official finishers crossed the line eight hours after the start gun.

Gisborne’s Mike Robinson went one better than last year to win the men’s half-marathon in 1:33 — similar to his 2023 time — followed by Timothy Gander in 1:39.25 and Stijn Van Roey in 1:42:16.

The fastest woman in the half-marathon was Kirsten Van Dorp 1:42.46 followed by Suzanne McKeen in 2:07.41 and Lauren Dewey in 2:09.53.

First-time marathon participant Amanda Maclean, of Gisborne, said she was proud that she had completed an incredibly challenging course and stoked to be able to take part in a world-class event right on her doorstep.

“It was fantastic to be able to access some of the land we wouldn’t normally be able to walk on and to complete a full circuit that linked up with some of the tracks I had been on before.”

She also got to talk to people from all around the country on her way and made a point of taking lots of photos and capturing what could be a one-off marathon experience for her.

Albatros Adventure Marathon event director Justin Bell said the race had been a success with runners giving positive feedback about the course.

Runners started the race at 5.30am on Saturday at Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club and headed over Titirangi. From there the course tracked over the Sponge Bay hills to Wainui Beach and continued across farmland behind Makorori.

It then crossed over into Riverside Road and the back of Te Kuri Farm walkway, and came back into town along the river path.