Harry McGill and Paige Davies win 2023 Bathurst Edgell Jog

Nowra's Harry McGill took out Sunday's Edgell Jog in his first race attempt, winning a great three-way battle between training partners Josh Johnson and Connor Whiteley.

The lead changed hands among the trio several times in the race but in the end it was McGill who had the extra pace at the end to win in a time of 23 minutes and 32 seconds.

Johnson (23:40) and Whiteley (23:49) had both passed through the Russell-William Street intersection as McGill crossed the line.

McGill's no stranger to winning at Bathurst, having taken out last year's Mount Panorama punish.

The women's overall race victory went to Paige Davies, who won the jog for the fourth time.

No-one could get close to Davies' time of 26:37, which was not only good enough for seventh overall but put her more than six minutes clear of closest women Maddy Phillips (32:48) and Bathurst runner Jodie Martin (32:59).

A victory in the heart of Bathurst is something that means that little bit more to McGill.

My mum and dad both grew up here, they moved over to the coast in the mid-90s, so funnily enough I go past my dad's childhood street, mum's childhood house and just past my grandfather's house on William Street. So family history was part of it," he said.

"I've always liked how it's a big lap of the town and a challenging course."

McGill had been back to the Mount since his Punish triumph, when he took part in February's golden ticket race to try and gain entry into the World Cross Country Championships main event.

Tactically, McGill had an idea of what to look out for on the Edgell Jog course, both in its layout and from his fellow competitors.

"It's very tough. You enter a bit of false perception at the start when it's all downhill and then you go around to Esrom Street and there's a nice big hill there," he said.

"Dad did it in the 80s and he said watch on Esrom Street because you go up and you think you're done and then there's another big climb. After that I was pretty tired from there, it's tough to get going after that.

"The guys who came second and third, we train together a little bit so I knew they were going to be around me. It was good to have them on the course to help push each other. I think we switched leads about three or four times so it was nice to have a few people around me."

It was a challenge that McGill loved being a part of - especially with the warm conditions across the weekend.

"It was awesome. Beautiful weather, well-run, lots of people out on the course telling us where to go. The cop car in front was nice to follow. It's just good to see so many people out on a Sunday morning enjoying running," he said.

"Back home there isn't really anything like this. it's such a big community event with history so it's nice to come somewhere where there's so many locals running."

One of the most impressive performances on the day came from Canberra's Brayden Noonan, who came home fourth overall at the age of 15.

In his second Edgell Jog attempt Noonan completed the course in 25:44 to beat last year's winner, Mitch Williamson, by 14 seconds.

"I found it really hot after the big hill but I knew I just had to stay tight and keep running. It was pretty tough but I'm happy to come fourth," he said.

"I was very happy with my last 2km kick, I thought I ran well, I just had to finish. It was tough and I didn't feel very comfortable going down the steep hills but once I finished I was happy."

As a runner more accustomed to the slightly longer 10km distance Noonan did well to make the right adjustments for the Bathurst course.

"I knew I had to not slow down because normally in a 10km race I use the 7km mark as a little break, but I had to not slow down and keep to my 3:15 pace," he said.

"I held that pretty well except for the steep hill which I went back down to 4.50 pace but I was happy overall. I ran it last year and I think I came 10th, so it was a big improvement and I'm happy."