Whangarei's Ady Ngawati claimed top honours in one of New Zealand's most challenging running events, the Arthur Lydiard Legend Marathon over Auckland's Waitakere Ranges.
Ngawati won the women's Lydiard Legend 42km race on Saturday in 3h 04m 5s on "a beautiful course that wound up over Lydiard's old training ground".
"This was
the first time I have experienced the Waitakeres course, so I didn't really know what to expect," Ngawati said.
"But it wasn't too bad, as living in Northland there are plenty of hills to train on."
The two-time Auckland marathon winner has spent this year building up for the Xterra Off Road World Championships in Hawaii, followed by the Honolulu Marathon during December and opted to miss the Whangarei Marathon yesterday to run the tougher Legend race.
It was ideal preparation for her upcoming events, she said.
In fine and dry conditions, Ngawati ran a conservative race, taking it very easy until she had climbed the biggest of the hills. Her race began at about 23km, she said.
"I ran hard down the hills over the ridge into the trail, as I knew my buddies were chasing me.
"At about 31km, Debbie [Fillery in second place] caught me and we ran together for a while - I was going through a little low patch," she said.
At the next aid station, Ngawati refuelled on juice, which picked her up, and she was able to grab the lead once again and cross the finish line first.
"I had to run hard as Deb wasn't going to let me out of her sight. It was an exciting race and I thoroughly enjoyed it as I was pushed all the way," she said.
Fillery finished over a minute later in 3:05:58, while Lesley Turner Hall was third in 3:08:02. The men's Lydiard Legend race was won by Sam Wreford in 2:23:11.
The Lydiard Legend was a perfect build up for the off-road world championships but before heading overseas she will contest the Xterra National Off Trail Championships in October, followed by the Auckland Half Marathon during November.
She said she wasn't making any concrete future plans.
"I have to get through the world champs and Honolulu first," she said.
"Then I'm going to have a break over the summer and get back into the off trail running - I'm really enjoying it."
