Friedrich rediscovers love for running and takes 10km win
DENIED the chance to defend his Guernsey Marathon title last month, Richard Friedrich gave everyone a further reminder of his lasting quality by winning yesterday’s Easter 10k road race.
Pushed all the way by James Priest, who set a big personal best, Friedrich posted an unofficial 32min. 01sec. to win by 10sec.
The top two were in a class of their own after Will Bodkin put the brakes on in the early stages, troubled by a calf issue which, as he soon found out, had not gone away.
Eventually, he trundled home just behind the fifth-placed woman, Mel Nicolle.
It is some years since Friedrich, a former winner of the Berlin Marathon, posted a 10k best of 30min. flat on the road, 29-55 on the track.
Here he used his marathon strength and character to fight off Priest in the closing stages, the latter having enjoyed a small lead at one stage.
By Bordeaux the duo were shoulder-to-shoulder and out of sight of the chasers in another 200-plus field.
That chasing group of Isaac Bate, Sam Lesley, Sammy Galpin and Thierry Le Cheminant were a quarter-of-a-mile adrift at the picturesque harbour, while in the chase for the women’s honours, Rosie Williams had a good advantage on Friday’s 5k winner, Megan Chapple.
By the finish Chapple had cut Williams’ lead to around 50 yards and was well clear of Nix Petit who herself had a good margin on Liz Dudin and Mel Nicolle.
In the men’s standings, Galpin came through strongly to post his own personal best of 33-54, 12sec. ahead of Bate.
Friedrich said he felt the early stages were fairly slow (3.20k pace).
‘I didn’t expect it to be that slow with Bodkin at the front, but it felt like hard work all the way today.
‘It felt a bit too hard,’ added a man who is relishing his running at present as he approaches his 40th birthday this December.
‘[Enjoying it] more than any time in the last four or five years. The form is coming back and mainly inspired that there are more guys around that do decent running and also friends from my age group at home in Germany have rediscovered their love for running and we have constant exchange talking about it.’
Priest said he was ‘very happy’ to get a big PB of more than a minute on the road and 20sec., on his track PB as he capitalised on the helpful northerly breeze.
‘The conditions were really good today. There was a little bit [of wind] around the Bridge when you were running into it, but didn’t feel it much at all. The complete opposite to Friday.’
