Athletics: Late decision to enter event pays off for Dunroy

Eventual winner Norman Dunroy begins the descent from Swampy Summit during the Three Peaks race...
Eventual winner Norman Dunroy begins the descent from Swampy Summit during the Three Peaks race in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Expecting the unexpected was the key to Norman Dunroy winning his second Three Peaks mountain challenge title yesterday.

Dunroy (45), a house husband who moved to Dunedin from the UK in June 2008, wasted little time in announcing his arrival on the Dunedin endurance scene with an impressive victory in Dunedin's challenging 26.5km mountain race over the city's three summits of Flagstaff, Swampy and Mt Cargill in 2009.

He returned to finish runner-up to international Dougal Thorburn last year. But his return this year has been marred with a niggling ankle injury he carried into last year's Kepler Challenge in which he finished second in 5hr 4min.

"I haven't done much since," he said.

"Mostly biking and kayaking to keep up the fitness."

Dunroy was undecided as to whether he should enter yesterday's race.

Part of his training involves the Grahams Bush track, between Sawyers Bay and Mt Cargill, and Dunroy knew if he could complete his training run in less than a hour he would enter. He decided to do this in his first real training run of the year last Wednesday, completing the track in around 56min.

"That was my training," he said.

"I looked out at the weather yesterday and thought to myself, why do I want to do this?"

But an early morning shower crossing the city was still not enough to deter him and he committed himself with a late entry.

Dunroy wasted no time in making his intentions clear as he shot out to an early lead and built on this throughout, holding a 2min 30sec advantage on Leith Valley Rd leading up to the Mt Cargill section.

His strength on arguably the most demanding stage killed off any challenge to his lead as he crossed the finish on Chingford Park in a remarkable time, given the muddy conditions, of 2hr 4min 47sec.

"I knew the course was going to be slippery and heavy underfoot," he said. "I suppose I just made the most of it."

Dunroy is no stranger to endurance racing and the demands of such races, having competed in adventure races around the world, including the Eco Challenge and New Zealand's own Southern Traverse, which accounted for his move to Dunedin.

Second home was Caversham runner Peter Meffan in 2hr 12min 1sec and international Michael Wakelin was third in 2hr 12min 35sec.

Dunedin's Louisa Andrew overcame water jumps on the Pineapple Track and the bog of Swampy to win the open women's title in 2hr 35min. Whitney Dagg was second in 2hr 44min 16sec and Olivia Faull third in 2hr 54min 32sec.

It has been a golden year for Andrew, who has won the Motutapu Miner Trail and Papatowai challenges and finished runner-up in the Peninsula Challenge and Karetai events.

But it was yesterday's race from which she appeared to have gained the most satisfaction.

"That was awesome," she said.

First home in the two-person team section was the combination of Nathan Baxter and Lyndon Brown who completed the course in 2hr 12min 39sec.

Tim Cockerill was first home in the associated 10km walk, recording 59min 14sec.

 

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