And the Winner is………Orange Running Festival
Congratulations to the Orange Runners’ Club on winning the best community event in Orange for 2010. Jane Fairgrieve, who is the club secretary and was CEO of the committee that organised the festival last year, went up to accept the award on behalf of the runners’ club, at Cook Park, on Australia Day. Many club members came along to witness this great achievement.
We met at Gosling Creek Dam last Sunday. Everybody was just ready for the timekeeper to start the run when Rod Draper came running up towards the start line. Instead of joining in on the mass start, Rod kept on running and running and running- reminiscent of Forest Gump! He was not seen again that morning. Rod was doing a long training run in preparation for the Orange Half Marathon.
Results for Gosling Creek Dam 4.6K Men: 1st Jim Rich (21.29), 2nd Connor Whiteley (23.49), 3rd Gary Taylor (24.56); 4.6k Women: 1st Sue Dean (23.54), 2nd Jane Fairgrieve (26.11), 3rd Sophie Gordon (28.00). 9.6k Men: 1st Tom Gleeson (36.03), 2nd Neil Williams (37.26), 3rd Mike Aplin (37.51); 9.6k Women: 1st Mel Watson (41.32), 2nd Karen Neal (44.20), 3rd Liz Simpson (49.29). Neil Williams was the handicap winner out of 65 people.
Surprisingly last Wednesday 42 joggers met at Elephant Park on a very hot Australia Day public holiday. Not surprising though, no personal best times were recorded. Handicap winner was Ian Crafter, who also ran a quick 12.46 over 3k.
Well done again to Mitch, Carrie and Nicole Williamson for achieving great results up at Newcastle, last weekend, in the NSW Country Athletic Championships. Mitch won the 5000m (15.56) and came 4th in the 1500m (a pb of 4.03), Carrie won her age group (30-39) and came 4th overall in the 3000m (13.05) and despite having a knee injury, Nicole came 5th in the 200m (28 sec) and 7th in the 100m (14 sec). With all the travel the Williamsons have been doing recently they must be eating a lot of fast food!
Just a reminder that there is only 5 weeks to go before the award winning Orange Colour City Running Festival. Apart from entering a chosen distance (5k, 10k or 21k), you are in the draw for many great prizes. Just remember to place your bib in the barrel after you complete the event and just wait for the presentation, as you have to be there to collect a prize. The main lucky draw prize is a trip for 2 to Sydney, courtesy of Rex Airlines. The weekend also includes accommodation for the night and 2 tickets to climb the Harbour Bridge.
We run at Elephant Park this Sunday. At 8.30 we are having a test run at setting up our new marque and a group photo will be taken of us, looking fresh, before we start the run at 9. So please wear your club singlets. We also meet at Elephant Park (for 3k) next Wednesday at 5pm.
Tom Gleeson