Athletics: Early start mars marathon

Phil Costley decided to enter the marathon just three weeks ago, but that didn't stop him putting in a winning performance. Picture / Dean Purcell

In a race that began with drama, Phil Costley of Christchurch made it victory number four from four starts in the Auckland marathon yesterday.

The maths teacher calculated his final run to perfection, winning in 2h 22m 7s, heading into the finishing chute in Fanshawe St just 25s ahead of Southland farmer Chris Dagg.

Costley, 35, Dagg, Craig Kirkwood and Mark Hutchinson shared the pace from the start and over the Auckland Harbour Bridge. At halfway Costley made a move in the adidas-sponsored event, broke clear and led the chase up and down Tamaki Drive.

"I came off the bridge and got mixed up with the 10km runners, which inspired me and gave me an energy boost," said Costley.

"I only decided three weeks ago that I would run, so I am pretty rapt with that," he added.

Dagg, 38, said that he had Costley in his sights over the final 5km.

"I could see him, but it was more a matter of making sure I finished," said Dagg.

Hutchinson, twice previous winner, was third in 2h 23m 54s.

The marathon and half-marathon start in Devonport created bad feeling among a number of runners, as the field was sent on its way 6 1/2 minutes before the advertised start time of 6.30am. One runner affected in the women's field was Melanie Burke of Waiheke Island, who was having a pit stop when the starting horn sounded.

Burke was on catch-up for the whole race and came through in second in 2h 55m 26s. Her net time for the marathon distance run was 2h 52m 53s.

While it was disappointment for Burke it was elation for Sharon Fitzgerald of Auckland, who scored a win in only her second marathon.

The 34-year-old mother of a 16-month-old, was delighted to go under three hours with her winning time of 2h 53m 42s.

"That is awesome. It was great all the way, a really fabulous run," she said.

Fitzgerald has been back in Auckland for 18 months, after spending eight years in Britain.

"I have a coach in the UK and he has continued coaching me by correspondence."

Johanna Ottosson from Rotorua was third, in a personal best time by 2m, in 2h 57m 2s.

The icon of New Zealand women's marathon running, Bernie Portenski, 55, of Wellington, went under the three-hour barrier with her time of 2h 59m 23s for fourth place.

Dale Warrander is looking good for a fast marathon in Fukuoka on December 4, after a record-breaking run of 1h 2m 51s in the associated half marathon.

Warrander blasted away from the start and was a lonely figure over the harbour bridge. Joe Piggin was a distant second, finishing nearly six minutes after Warrander.

"That has smashed my personal best, by some minute and a half," said Warrander.

"I didn't wear a watch today, so I didn't know how I was going. I felt good the whole way, got into a rhythm and ticked off the kilometres.

"The conditions were absolutely brilliant, and that time is good for the rolling hills course.

"I am going to knuckle down for the next three weeks and then taper off in the last two weeks before Fukuoka," he added.

The women's half marathon was a disaster for four-times previous winner Sarah Christie of Wellington, who missed the early start completely.

She was bundled into a car and taken to the start of the 10km race, which she duly won in 35m 56s.

It was no consolation, however, for Christie, who was wanting to gauge her fitness in the half marathon, before deciding whether to compete in the Las Vegas marathon in early December.

"I wanted to prove myself and get another title," said a bitterly disappointed Christie after finishing the 10km race.

Shireen Crumpton of Dunedin won the half marathon in a personal best and race record of 1h 12m 58s.

Crumpton had a see-saw battle with Melissa Moon before easing ahead with 2km remaining.

Moon recorded 1h 13m 19s, two minutes faster than her second placing to Christie last year.

Race director Gary Upson was unaware, at the time, that the race was starting early. "We can only go by the timing services for the event and there was misinformation provided to me at the start," he said.

Nearly 10,000 entries were received for the various races.