Race report by Wendy Harris

I do like a handicap race. For those of us who are normally bringing up the rear and get to normally
experience everyone run into the distance the Hawks events that are handicapped are a level
playing field and give us a real chance to win a trophy. This year Sweeney Cup clashed with the ever-
popular Taupo Marathon series so there were quite a few members away keeping numbers down.
Despite this it was a great event. There was the usual pre-race strategising, figuring out the course,
learning what a handicap race was if you had never done one before, working out your 8km adjusted
time based on your 5km time and deciding whether we would follow that or just make our own start
time up. The thing with a handicap race is you must be careful you don’t give yourself too generous
of a time as there is a danger you could get disqualified if you run too much faster than your chosen
time – and because Graham’s disqualification cutoff times are a highly kept secret you don’t know
how fast is too fast!!

I ran Sweeney Cup last year in the most awful windy weather so was very pleased that despite the
fog that struggled to lift the weather conditions were pretty much perfect. The Sweeney Cup
course is great as you have to do a couple of loops in the middle so you get to see where everyone is
at and if anyone is catching you so you know if you can ease off a little or if you need to push harder.
The first 1km is a lovely downhill so you can get a good start before you settle into an even pace –
the only problem is that this means that the last 1km is a solid uphill made all the worse when you
have other runners breathing down your neck trying to catch you and it is taking everything you
have to just get up the hill let alone trying to give it one last push to the finish line. There was the
added challenge of 5 enormous horses (and their riders) deciding it would be a good time to go for a
ride and that the Sweeney Cup course was the perfect place – not what I was expecting to come
across as I did the last gut busting push up the final hill.

I was the fourth runner to cross the finish line only to later find out the previous 3 runners had been
disqualified for running way faster than their predicted times meaning I had taken out the Sweeney
Cup. Happy days!! Second time with my name on the cup – it’s not just the Vaughan’s you need to
watch out for!!

Special kudos to the following Hawks:

• Paul Ewart who was the closest to finishing to his predicted time – only 3 second’s difference
• Layton Mace (U12) and Thea Mace (U14) who ended up running the full 8km instead of the
  kids 2km and gave us adults a run for our money
• Richard Ellison who had the fastest time of the day – 29:41

And lastly special mention to my fellow Hawkettes running buddies – Mary Rogerson who ended up
being disqualified because she had such a great run and was way faster than she thought and to
Emily Fyfe who always keeps me honest and pushes me beyond what I think I can achieve.

Next week Trophy Day – another handicap race and another opportunity for anyone and everyone
to get their name on a trophy – see you there!