TWO OCEANS MARATHON
SCOTLAND'S Trudi Thomson ran an impressive race in blustery conditions to finish third in Saturday's 35-mile Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town.
After lying second for the first half, the Dunfermline mother-of-three caught the early leader, Cape-based Jowaine Parrott, on the two-mile climb to Chapman's Peak (590ft), but Parrott held the pace on the long downhill and continued in front as they passed the 25-mile point.
Again Thomson used the hill and this time passed Parrott. Although she led the field through the 30-mile mark at the top of Constantia in a time of 3-15-43, she was soon overtaken by German Maria Bak, who excelled on the hills.
The German had been content to stay in fourth place for the first half, before unleashing a surge that saw her go through 50k in 3-22-56, which opened 27 seconds on Thomson in less than a mile.
Bak crossed the line in 3hr 45min 16sec and, combined with her husband Kazimierz's time of 3-26-54 in twenty-fourth position, set a new record for a husband and wife team, earning them an additional bonus.
Parrott used the final three miles downhill to recapture second place from Thomson and finish runner-up for the third successive time in 3-47-07. The Scot finished 1min 39sec later.
``I really felt motivated when they played Flower of Scotland at the start and I saw the piper and the flags along the route,'' said Thomson. ``I was right on schedule for most of the race, but I don't remember the downhills being so long when I last ran in 1994.
``Although I ran well on the uphills, my legs were sore and didn't respond when I tried to stay with Jowaine. I am quite disappointed. I came looking for a win.''
Despite this, the record will show that her time would have won every event in 1990, and her times through 30 miles and 50K are likely to be ratified as Scottish and UK road bests.
Zithulele Sinqe, the South African marathon record holder (2-08-04), won the men's race in 3-09-45, six minutes outside Thompson Magawana's course record. Sinqe retired from running shortly after the 1992 Olympics and this is his first run over 56k.
Russian Dmitri Grishine and Sinqe were both in the leading group from 13 miles with the Russian taking the lead on the uphill to Constantia. The pair battled it out over the final eight miles with Sinqe's exceptional downhill skills making the difference. Only five seconds separated them at the finish.
Ratification is being sought for age-group world bests for 40-year-old Denise Dippenaar's 30-mile and 50K times (3-28-31 and 3-36-31) and 60-year-old Bob Haselum's 50K time of 3-33-59. Results:
Men: 1, Z Sinqe 3hr 09min 45sec; 2, D Grishine (Russia) 3-09-50; 3, P Tsotetsi 3-13-46. Women: M Bak (Germany) 3-45-16; 2, J Parrott 3-47-07; 3, T Thomson (Scotland) 3-48-46.
Norman's Law Five Miles/700ft Hill Race at Luthrie Fife - 1, N Martin (Lomond Hillrunners) 27.51 (course record); 2, T Mitchell (Fife) 27.59; 3, B Marshall (HELP) 29.10. Veteran - A Cassidy 29.30. Super veteran - J Holden 32.03. Junior - S Cassidy 35.37 (all Fife AC). Women - 1, L Harrison (EAC) 36.33 (Course record); 2, P Lemoncello (Fife, veteran) 39.10; 3, H Ayres (Penicuik) 39.20.
27th Manx Mountain Marathon, Isle of Man. Men - 1, D Blackhurst (Rossendale H) 4.55.23. Women - 1, B Walker (Isle of Man) 5.41.35. Scots - 3, A Mudge (Carnethy HRC) 5.58.06.
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