A flying start, combined with an emergency dash to get back to Dunedin, set Dougal Thorburn up for victory in record time in the Papatowai Challenge on Saturday.
The 29-year-old Dunedin doctor opted to contest the annual 15.5km off-road challenge in the Catlins despite feeling a little off-colour and his wife, Amy, being due to give birth to their second child.
Thorburn is fashioning a remarkable record in off-road events.
He first contested the Papatowai event in 2002, finishing third in 57min 53sec, before moving to Wellington to study.
Since moving back to Dunedin in 2008, he has stamped his authority around the region, gaining selection for last year's world mountain-running championships in Italy and the Commonwealth championships near England's Lake District.
In winning the Papatowai Challenge last year, he smashed the five-year-old record of Invercargill's Chris Booth by 1min 25sec.
On Saturday, he lowered the mark again, to 53min 3sec.
"It's good to get another record," he said.
"The run along the beach was a little soft, but with 5km to go I was right on record time."
Thorburn used the downhill on the gravel section to best advantage, running 2min 45sec per km, before dropping to 3min per km over the final two kilometres.
Although he was aware he had established a race record for a second consecutive year, Thorburn wasted little time at the finish, opting instead to cool down during the drive back to Dunedin to be with his wife.
Dunedin athletes dominated the podium, Andrew Lonie finishing second in 58min 55sec and Neale McLanaghan third in 59min 7sec.
Whitney Dagg was first in the women's section, in 1hr 14min.
A record field of more than 460 runners entered the event.
