Bathurst Edgell Jog 2010

EDGELL JOG: Rowe burns jog rivals on flats

13 Sep, 2010

SYDNEY runner Tim Rowe has sealed what he describes as the highlight of his career after a comfortable all-the-way win in the 35th Edgell Jog yesterday.
Rowe led from the early stages of the race, was never seriously headed and delivered on his pre-race plan to make the most of the downhill and flat sections as he clocked a winning time of 22 minutes, 52 seconds.
Former winners Phillo Saunders and Thomas Crasti gave chase along with Canberra runner Thomas Do Canto after pulling well clear of the rest of the field within the first few kilometres.
Having opened up a gap of around 50 metres into the Esrom Street hill climb, Rowe maintained the buffer he then extended his lead further. He had effectively doubled his advantage as he reached Rocket Street after the half-way mark.
There were a handful of hopeful attempts from the chasing trio to run him down but none of them could make a dent in his lead and the race became a battle for second spot over the closing kilometres.
With the benefit of experience on his side having twice finished second in addition to his victory in 2007, Saunders (23.03) who had looked to be struggling at one stage, kicked clear of Do Canto (23.08) in the run to the line with Crasti (23.23) following for fourth.
The winning time was just under a minute slower than that of race record holder Shaun Creighton who won the eight kilometre event in 1997.
“It was a bit warm, it was my first time on the course and to be honest I wasn’t expecting that hill [Esrom Street] to be so tough, it just seemed to go on forever,” Rowe said afterwards.
“I had thought about trying to pace myself with the leaders and then kick at the end but I decided to go out pretty hard instead and hope I could hold on and fortunately it did.
“I haven’t don’t a lot of hill work lately so all the climbs hurt, even the last one to the finish line. I planned pretty early on to go as hard as I could on the downs and flats and just hang on going up the hills.”
The Sydney runner nominated his previous athletic highlight as a sixth place in the 2008 City 2 Surf, but said this win easily surpassed that.
“This is number one now for sure. It was great to come out here and get a win,” he said.
Saunders said that his track running background helped him fight back in the dying stages to claim second after he looked in trouble mid-way through the race.
“I pretty much held my own going up the hills and then on the way down Thomas Crasti came past and put me under a bit of pressure,” the Canberra runner said.
“My track background holds me in pretty good stead though in terms of running around other people in the late stages of a race.”