NAVY RUNNERS BLITZ LAND-LUBBERS

Traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge came to a standstill during the Sydney Running Festival recently which saw 16 members of the Navy Running Association (NRA) go head to head with more than 35,000 competitors.

The Navy runners posted impressive finish times to blitz thousands of land-lubbers in the Festival’s three key race events, which included a marathon, half marathon and a 9km fun run. The 2010 NRA Runners ran for a cause, their personally selected ones, such as The Black Dog Institute, or the team's chosen charity, Alzihmers Australia, while achieving personal goals and promoting Defence.

Such is the calibre of Navy runners that they beat more than three-quarters of the competitors, who started their events by running across the Sydney Harbour Bridge before crossing the Finish Line at the Sydney Opera House. The NRA was particularly successful in the 21.1 km Half Marathon, with LEUT Rowan Walker placing third in a time of 1:07.03, which was only 44 seconds behind the 20-year-old winner and 19 seconds slower than the runner-up.

Some 8,487 runners competed in the half marathon, recording an average time of 2:05.11, which speaks volumes of the strong performances by Navy’s PO Rod Hunter (1:29.44) and Capt Andrew Whitaker (1:34.14). NRA President, Capt Whittaker, will head off to Athens this month (OCTOBER) to run the Athens's marathon celebrating 2500 years since the run by the Greek soldier Phidepiddies in 490BC that motivated the marathon tradition. Navy’s other Half Marathon runners included AB Jodie Marks (1:45:32), Amy Ryan (1:48:22), AB Simon Bartlett (1:58:36), Zola Smith (2:00:20) and SMN Peter Gough (2:16:58).

Navy runners also performed brilliantly in the gruelling 42.2 km Marathon that challenged the 3,169 competitors to fight their way through the pain-barrier despite severe muscle-cramps, blisters and mind-warping fatigue. Navy APS runner, Nelson Lister, clocked 3:00:46, followed by Capt Peter Scott with 3:12:53, Jeff Rayner who posted 3:30:10 and CO Ballarat, CMDR Guy Blackburn, who finished in 4:16:21. CMDR Blackburn seemed to have an obsession with the meaning of life number 42; wanting to run 42km at age 42 and running under 4:20.00

The 9 km Bridge Fun Run involved more than 15,800 competitors, who clocked an average of 00:57.38, which speaks volumes of the success of the times recorded by the Navy runners, including Navy News’ Micool Brooke (00:42.23), SMN Carolyn Johnson (0043:15), Tim McGregor (0046:07), and AB Holly Whitney (0059:38).

The NRA still has several more runs listed on our website, www.NavyRunning.com that are endorsed as Navy and/or Defence events. Remember it is free to join, provides subsided running gear, event early bird entry fees are generally fully recoverable and team support - for details refer to our handbook, also available online.