Hutt Valley runners brought home three individual and three team medals from the national road race Championships in Hamilton on Saturday.
The three individual medals were all won by men in veterans age groups, with John Wood snaring the best finish with a silver medal in the 60-64 category, clocking 38min 58sec over the 10km undulating circuit in central Hamilton. Runners reported warm, sunny conditions with very little wind. Dave Murgatroyd, the stand-out veteran on the Wellington scene this season, added yet another medal to his burgeoning collection, finishing second veteran overall and third in his 40-44 age group in a fast 32:30. A measure of Murgatroyd's progress this season was given by him being just seven seconds behind silver medallist Paul Herlihy of Tauranga, a former New Zealand marathon representative, who was in turn beaten by 10 seconds by Rotorua's Colin Earwaker.
It was Murgatroyd's second medal at national level this season after a similar result at the New Zealand cross country titles. He has also claimed the Wellington centre cross country and road racing crowns, and a few other bits and pieces besides. His Hamilton time was over half a minute faster than the time he ran to win the Wellington title at Trentham -- surely a PB! Ron Stephens was the third individual medallist, taking bronze in the 55-59 age group in a 41:48 time. Don Brodie was one place behind in fourth.
The teams medals, all bronze, were won by mens teams in under 20 men, senior men and veterans 50-54 age groups. For the seniors, Andrew Brown of Rimutaka club was the highest-placed Valleys runner in 21st overall (32:27), with Jason Fraser, Rob McCrudden, Ali Dennis, Matthew Beldham and Thomas Westgarth contributing. John Wood, Ian Blyth and Ron Stephens combined for the veterans 50-54 age
group bronze, while the under 20 mens team of Sean Butler, Greg Simpson, Craig Matthews and Michael Macklin took the bronze in their age group. Elsewhere, Anna Robertson finished just outside the medals in the veteran women's 35-39 age group, running 19:32 over the 5km course to claim fourth. Jacinta
Swain had a similar result in the under 20 women's 5km event, clocking 20:54. Abie Russ (12th) and Sarah Lynskey (17th) also ran well in the under 20 division, and but for a fourth contributing
runner Valleys would have claimed third in the teams race.