After a two-year break due to COVID cancellations, 900 runners took to the pristine roads of Albert Park on Sunday morning for the Lakeside:10.
In cool, but still conditions, with the road surface damp from earlier rain, the two lap out-and-back course provided the perfect place for performance, personal bests and participation across the field. 
At the pointy end of the field, Richard Colman led home the wheelchair athletes in a time of 27:00, with Jacqueline Godfrey winning the women’s event in 27:30. 
The runners in the field started a minute behind, with an enthralling race in three at the front of the field. Recently crowned Victorian cross country champion Seth O’Donnell forced the early pace in an attempt to break Box Hill’s Andre Waring and 2016 Olympic 5000m representative, Sam McEntee. However, in the final kilometres it was McEntee who was too strong, crossing the line nine seconds ahead of Waring in a solid winning time of 29:12.
O’Donnell held on for third in 29:44, two seconds ahead of Collingwood Harriers’ Dale Carroll, with the top seven men breaking 30 minutes. The depth behind was substantial, with 32 runners breaking 31 minutes and 60 runners under 32 minutes. 
The first woman across the line was Box Hill’s Georgia Hansen in 33 minutes, 41 seconds. Hansen held a comfortable margin throughout the race from minor placegetters Rachel McGuinness (34:28) and Michelle Pearson (34:42). 
The first junior athletes across the line were Joshua Bail (31:50) and Amelie Alleva (36:27), while Steve Dineen (30:56) and Anna Ellis (37:54) were the first over 40 athletes.
The flat course, good weather and plenty of running partners saw a total of 167 runners complete the course in under 35 minutes, and 438 under 40 minutes. Full results are available via Athletics Victoria.
Photo Gallery
A small collection of over 400 photos from the day.
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