Relieved of the burden of expectation after shattering her record in the Front Street Mile, a much more relaxed Ashley Couper grabbed local female honours in Saturday's 10K road race.

Couper, who stormed to victory on Friday night in a new time of 4:57.36, came in fifth out of the women and 22nd overall in 37.19 - and more importantly ahead of Anna Eatherley (31st in 39:25) and Victoria Fiddick (44th in 41:27).

The local men's race belonged to Terrance Armstrong who fought off the challenge of close friend Jay Donawa to cross the line seventh overall in a time of 32.57.

Couper said she had been glad to get Friday night out of the way.

“There was a lot of pressure - a lot of hype in the media,” she said with a chuckle. “I just felt like there was a lot of expectation that I had to uphold.

“Today, I just came wanting to have a good time. I am pretty happy with it, I would have been psyched if it was under 37 (minutes) but my legs were a little tired from last night.”

Eatherley's small frame was a distinct disadvantage given the windy conditions the runners faced on Saturday morning.

“I knew it was going to be windy,” she said. “I live on North Shore and I thought ‘Oh, well'.

“My time was really slow. I am not a really strong runner so the wind really knocks me around. You need to be bit heavier and a bit stronger for windy conditions.”

Eatherley said she never even contemplated making a race of it with Couper.

“I didn't see her,” she said. “I went through the first mile in 5.37 and she was way ahead of me.”

Fiddick was happy if not ecstatic with her performance.

“It was tough because of the wind and I was kind of tired from yesterday,” she said. “But I tried my best. I didn't break 40 (minutes) but that's alright because it was a tough course.”

Armstrong, meanwhile, said good fortune had played its part in his beating of Donawa.

The US-based runner said he had gone out too quickly, completing the first mile in 4.40, before backing down to 5.20 for the next.

“Some people came along and I started working with them, averaging 5.15 for the next two miles,” he said. “For runners like Jay or anyone else who was out there by themselves it was tough.

“I lucked out by having runners to run with along North Shore. I just tucked in behind them.

“Every so often when it felt slow I'd pick up and they'd get back in front of me, so I really didn't have to do any work along there which was pretty lucky.”

Armstrong said he was glad of the distance that he managed to put between himself and Donawa by the latter stages of the race.

“Towards the end I knew I was dying,” he said. “I was just waiting for him.

“We keep in touch and we are very good friends. I knew he was in really good shape and a lot stronger than me right now so I figured the best way was just to get out.

“Towards the end I just took a sneak over my shoulder just to see where he was because I was really beginning to feel it over the last two miles.”

Armstrong said he did not take any great joy from seeing off his compatriot.

“We have a competitiveness when we get on the track or when we race but we are very good friends so there is no question of throwing it in your face, no rivalry at all,” he said. “I take defeat just as good as the next person and I'm sure that Jay does. I would love to lose to Jay just to know that I lost to him.”

Donawa said his time - 33.16 - was one of his slowest over the distance but said circumstances were beyond his control.

“What made it difficult for me was that I ran pretty much the last three miles all by myself,” he said. “I was looking ahead and I could see a pack of three that included Terrance and I am sure that made it a lot easier for all of them, the fact they were able to feed off each other.

“At times the wind was just blowing me away but I just dug deep and tried to keep Terrance in my sights.”

Donawa said he entertained thoughts of overtaking his friend until the final stretch.

“I always had hope, I never gave up,” he said. “All along people were telling me he was tiring out. I saw him look back on top of Commissioner's Hill and I knew he was getting fatigued, but I was running the hill as well and was feeling just as bad as he was.

“Overall, I am pleased with the effort I put in. I know that it's early, it's only January, but this type of effort is going to go along way. I could have easily conceded and said it was a bad day but I just dug deep.”