Top Female Runners to Compete for the 2022 Titles

The Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon has assembled an experienced elite women’s field for the 2022 event, with numerous marathons wins among those racing.

Wellington’s Ingrid Cree will be making her Auckland Marathon debut this weekend. The 39-year-old has had an up and down year, winning the Hawke’s Bay Marathon in May before her training suffered a setback after she caught COVID.

“I’m feeling excited, nervous, I’ve been looking forward to doing this event for a while. It feels like it’s a bucket list event for every New Zealand marathoner,” said Cree.

“This season has been challenging, juggling family, a small business, training, and the uncertainty of events, especially in the first half of the year. I’m pleased with my training despite all this, and it was so good to squeeze in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay Marathon before getting knocked out with COVID myself,” she said.

Cree knows what it takes to win a marathon having also claimed the Rotorua Marathon title last year and is excited to test herself over a new course.

“I’m hoping to pace it wisely through the first half, so my legs aren’t too heavy to finish well. I would love to PB which will be a big challenge on this undulating course,” said Cree. “This will be an exciting new course for me. Anything can happen in a marathon, I’m just going to give it my best shot and hope that’s enough for a podium spot, but I think there’ll be some tough competition.

“I’m looking forward to the scenic course, the crowds, and the atmosphere of a large marathon,” she said. “Winning would be amazing, an honour, and a dream come true, but I’ll just take it one step at a time.”

Another Wellingtonian, Mel Brandon comes into this weekend’s race off the back of her win in last month’s Rotorua Marathon, though her expectations of victory in Auckland have been dampened after recently suffering cracked ribs from two separate incidents.

“It was a real honour and surprise to win Rotorua. I have no expectation of a win at Auckland, I'm expecting a bigger field of elite athletes and my training has been rather haphazard as I've focused on a new job and my kids. However, I'll always give it my best shot on the day,” said Brandon.

“Given some recent challenges – cracked ribs from two separate incidents on the same area making even breathing painful right now – success will be getting to the start line in one piece. But seriously, a successful race would be getting my pacing right so I can finish strong and enjoy the race, with an age group placing a nice bonus,” she said.

Despite the challenges leading into the event, Brandon said she is excited to race at the Auckland Marathon again and will hope to build on the fifth place finish she achieved in 2020.

“I loved the experience of running the Auckland Marathon in 2020, it has that big race feel, and the course is interesting and varied, starting at lovely Devonport, through the suburbs, over the bridge where the views are magic, around the bays and then back to the city. And I don't mind the hills,” said Brandon.

Celebrating her birthday the day after the Auckland Marathon, Brandon is determined to enjoy her race and make the most of her weekend in the city.

“I’m excited and appreciative to be running a great event like this. I haven't done the usual 14-week training plan for various reasons, so it's feeling a bit experimental, but I think I have maintained a relatively good base fitness,” she said. “I've entered as a general celebration of life, visiting dear friends in Auckland that weekend and my 45th birthday is the day after the race, so I may have earned myself a glass or two of champagne.”

Carrying the hopes of a local winner on her shoulders is Karen Donaldson-Barron. The Aucklander was third earlier this year in the 2021 Auckland Half Marathon and finished in the same position a few months later at the Hawke’s Bay Marathon.

“I've had a great year so far. Starting with the Auckland half marathon, in which I ran a PB for this course and then another PB and podium finish at the Hawke’s Bay Marathon. I joined a club for the first time in over 10 years to help build some more strength and speed racing cross country, which I absolutely loved and that has paid off with a 5km PB. The social side of running for the Whippets has made returning to club running fun with a highlight being the New Zealand Road Relay champs,” said Donaldson-Barron.

Donaldson-Barron will be making her debut over the 42.2km course at the Auckland Marathon but is confident that if she sticks to what she knows, she will perform well.

“I have run the half many times so I think it will be an advantage knowing the course and appreciating how important it is to stay relaxed, get comfortable and stick to my race plan and paces early on,” she said. “I would love to achieve a PB on Sunday. I'm also hoping for a top five finish.

“Since this is my local marathon, I love getting to run with so many friends and teammates. It makes this event really special, being able to share the experience with everyone.

“I would never have imagined that I would be in a position to compete for the win at the Auckland Marathon when I got back into the running less than five years ago. I'm hugely appreciative of all the support I get from my family and friends so if I get to share the experience with them on the day it would feel absolutely surreal,” said Donaldson-Barron.

Several additional contenders to take out the women's Auckland Marathon title include Hannah Olroyd, 2017 Auckland Marathon winner, Mel Aitken, 2019 runner up, Sabina Paris, second at the 2019 Hawke's Bay Marathon, Genevieve Coffey, winner of this year's Hawke's Bay Half Marathon, and Australian Rosie Weber, who placed seventh at the 2021 Melbourne Marathon.

Tokyo 2020 Olympian Camille Buscomb will make her return to racing at this year’s Auckland Half Marathon, almost five months on from giving birth to her first baby, Sienna.

Buscomb has won the event four times before, most recently in 2020, but says she’s not sure what to expect this year with less training than usual under her belt.

“I’ve raced the Auckland half so many times, and always aim for a top finish. This year I’m not quite sure what to expect. I’ve been back training, but not where I was at. I have been increasing my mileage and adding in some tempos. The course is fairly challenging so it will make it extra tough, I think. It will be a nice stepping stone and it gives me a line in the sand, so I know where my fitness is,” said Buscomb.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back out there again and competing. I’ll be out there a little longer this year but excited all the same,” she said.

It is a strong women’s elite field that will line up alongside Buscomb on the Devonport start line, with the 2021 Auckland Half Marathon champion Katrina Andrew (Otago) among the favourites to retain her title.

Wellington’s Esther George will be hoping she can go one better than in January when she finished second behind Andrew, while Tauranga triathlete Hannah Wells will be hoping to put together a solid performance as she builds toward the Nutri-Grain IRONMAN 70.3 New Zealand in December. The 32-year-old is a former winner of the Auckland Marathon and current IRONMAN New Zealand champion.