BATHURST HALF MARATHON
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By MARK RAYNER
Six weeks ago Jane Fardell was working her way past the Coliseum as she contested the Rome Marathon, but yesterday she was working her way along the streets of Bathurst on her way to being the first female home in the CSU Bathurst Half Marathon.
The Dubbo runner is a hardened marathon competitor who travels around the world to take part on some of the most scenic and historic courses, but she used yesterday's race as an opportunity to keep her fitness up.
She finished in a time of 82 minutes and 21 seconds, more than five minutes ahead of North Avoca runner Ashley Steele (87:55) and Bathurst's Kate Lynch (90.32).
"I just came out here to do a bit of training today and there's no better training than going out to race against some people and pushing yourself. I was just aiming to do a 1:22 and I was spot on with that, so I got what I came here to do," Fardell said.
On March 21 Fardell was one of more than 15,000 people who contested the famous Maratona di Roma and she finished an incredible 115th overall, in a time of two hours, 49 minutes and 47 seconds.
"I just went and did the Rome marathon and did a PB over there. It was near Rome and started and finished at the Coliseum, so it was an awful course," she joked.
"I'm doing the marathons at the moment but this is the first race back after Rome so you never know how your body is going to pull up."
It was her first time running the Bathurst Half Marathon, but Fardell said she heard about it last year and was eager to compete.
"I haven't done this one before. I'd never seen it advertised, I remember watching it on the television and thinking 'I wish I'd known that was on because I would have gone and done it,' so this year I made a point of looking out for it," she said.
She said that she is just starting to prepare for her next marathon, which will be at the end of June. She knows it will be overseas but isn't sure of the location yet.
"I had a couple of weeks taking it easy and now I'm just trying to get the miles in the legs by doing 30 kilometre runs and get some long runs. I would have been doing one today anyway, so I thought why not come out here and push myself and I will go home this afternoon just to run my legs off."
Fardell said she didn't feel like she was doing it easy during the run, but still finished comfortably.
"It's a good little course. I hear they have taken a lot of the hills out of it this year, but it's still a hard course. It's nice and fast and you can see where you are in relation to the other competitors, so it made it easier," she said.
While it is hard for her to know what she will do in 12 months time, Fardell said if she was free she would be back to defend her title.