2023 race report

It was a long time coming too, but more than 4000 runners and walkers from all ends of New Zealand lined up for the 41st Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon. The 2022 event was cancelled during the tail end of New Zealand’s covid-19 restrictions. But it was worth the wait, because 2023 revealed a new-look event that provided fast racing and the biggest field for five years. Held on a new central city route with the start and finish inside Hagley Park, the Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon became more scenic, safer and faster all at once. No one was happier than race director Chris Cox, who has guided the event through earthquakes, pandemics and sky-rocketing costs. “Much like Christchurch itself, this event has been through some tough times,” says Cox. “But this year we threw everything we had at it, with a new course, new venue and new sponsor in The Frontrunner. And it really paid off”. “But as much as we refused to let the Christchurch Marathon die, when more than 4000 people turn out in support of what you’re trying to achieve you have to say that really it’s a case of Christchurch refused to let its marathon die.”

The winners of the feature full marathon followed suite. Alexandra’s Dan Balchin and Masterton’s Debbie Donald refused to let blustery conditions and tough racing kill their ambitions to score a double for small town New Zealand. The full 42.2k distance also doubled as the national championship and Balchin had little trouble in defending his 2022 title. Aiming at the race record 2hrs 15min 12secs set by Tom Birnie way back in 1985, Balchin went out hard from the start and was on pace at halfway. But with no one to challenge him, the wind eventually robbed the 32-year-old and he happily settled for a second national title in 2hrs 20min 31secs.

Behind Balchin, Auckland’s little-known Jono Wilkins surprised to lead home a tight race for the minor medals as Wilkins, Christchurch’s Vajin Armstrong and Wellingtonians Sam McCutcheon and Ewan Sinclair all finished between 2hrs 31min 15secs and 2hrs 33min 43secs. With Wilkins not being attached to a club, Armstrong and McCutcheon took the silver and bronze national medals. The women’s race provided the closest battle of the day and the biggest surprise as Masterton’s Debbie Donald scored a 10min PB and her first national title. The 36-year-old led a tight race as 2021 runner up Kelly Parlane and Christchurch-based American Sabina Piras both stayed within a minute. Just after halfway Donald experienced some calf cramping and Parlane moved to the front. But Donald fought back to the front once and for all in the final 10k to win by 91secs in 2hrs 44min 21secs. Behind them Wellington’s Mel Brandon picked off Piras and Christchurch’s Olivia Ritchie to nab third in 2hrs 53min 00secs. Donald was overjoyed to be able to fight back for her first national title, saying, “I was pretty worried for a few kilometres. But I managed to get going again and enjoyed the final bit. I loved the new course.”

The men’s half marathon pitched defending champion Oska Baynes as the underdog behind national rep Julian Oakley. But the popular Christchurch runner threw everything at the race, pushing the pace throughout alongside Nelson’s Harry Dixon and fellow Cantab Chris Dryden as they tried to take the sting out of Oakley’s 3:55 mile speed before the final kilometre. But as much as they threw at Oakley, when the finish came into sight Oakley set sail for a 6sec win in 1hr 5min 00secs. Bayne’s was visibly disappointed in second, but Chris Dryden was overjoyed a personal best 1hr 5min 20secs in third. No one, however, was more overjoyed than Wellington’s Sarah Drought. The 35-year-old was a first timer at Christchurch and went out hard from the gun. Annika Pfitzinger and defending champion, Katherine Camp, tried to stay close and after 10k the three were still within one minute. But Drought was the only one of the three able to maintain her furious clip and eventually crossed the line 3min clear of Pfitzinger in a personal best time of 1hr 13min 41secs. “I had two objectives out there today,” Drought later revealed. “I’ve never raced here before, so I wanted to win it. And I felt like I was in shape to break 74min as well. So to check both boxes was great.”

Drought also had personal reasons for a big run in the garden city. The official charity partner of the Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon is the Mental Health Foundation, a cause that Drought has experienced in her family life. As part of her run in Christchurch she was raising money for the Mental Health Foundation and finished the day by donating half of her prize money as well. In other racing, Christchurch runners Tom Moulai and Kiri Atkin claimed the Quarter Marathon, Moulai in 32min 33secs and Atkin in 39min 39secs. Of the 4000-plus people behind the front runners, standouts included Ian Lennie and Marg Hazelwood. Lennie continued his streak of finishing the annual event more than any other person, with 2023 being the 73-year old’s 38th finish. Hazlelwood, from Picton, is also 73 and became the oldest ever female finisher in the feature full marathon distance. She clocked in at 4hrs 16min 33secs to claim an incredible 111th marathon finish, although was possibly a tad miffed to miss her own 2021 70-plus record by 8min.

This year’s new-look course was well-received. Organisers condensed the famously flat, fast and scenic route to create a more central city vibe that replaced the tired redzone with more spectator opportunities while iconic landmarks such as Canterbury Museum, Cambridge Terrace and Oxford Terrace joined the traditional Hagley Park and Avon River sections. The shift from Queens Birthday Weekend to April was also confirmed once again by mild autumn weather making for a party-in-the-park appeal at the new Hagley Park venue. In 2024 the 42 nd Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon will be held on April 14th.