Tyler to race in Half Marathon
Fresh from his stunning seventh place in the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii, current May 24 Derby champion Tyler Butterfield is back in Bermuda and will compete in the Hannover Re BNNA Half-Marathon this weekend.
Butterfield is gearing up for the Ironman Cozumel, in Mexico, on December 1. This Sunday sees the 42nd running of the local half-marathon, which is the second longest established road race in Bermuda.
Butterfield, won the Island’s oldest road race — the May 24 Half-Marathon, which dates back to 1909 — earlier this year.
Last month the double Olympian was in stunning form as he achieved his highest finishing place in the world famous Hawaii Ironman, just 12 minutes adrift of the overall winner on a gruelling course that consisted of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run.
Things will be less hectic on Sunday. The race began life in March, 1972 as the BTFA half-marathon and has moved around the Island’s athletic calendar over the intervening years. It now incorporates a 10K race and an option for early starters to run a full marathon of 26.2 miles.
Competitors will gather on South Road opposite the Botanical Gardens and run towards Hamilton, turning around on East Broadway at the BUEI and heading back along Point Finger Road and returning to South Road where half-marathon athletes will continue eastward, turning onto Paynter’s Road and then returning to the finish line opposite the Botanical Gardens.
Runners in the shorter 10K will follow the same route but will only go as far east as the top of McGall’s Hill before turning around and heading back to the finish.
Last year’s half-marathon overall winner was Sean Trott in one hour, 16 minutes and 53 seconds, while Karen Smith was first woman in 1.34.07.
In the 10K, the winner was Stephen Allen in 33.54, and first woman was Catherine Mello in 46.32. Jon Smith was the fastest in the marathon (3.52.30), while the fastest woman was Natalie Dyrli in 4.45.50.
Spencer Conway is this year’s race director. The deadline for race entries is Thursday.
There will be prizes for the top three in each age division in both races, as well as for the overall winners. Both the half-marathon and 10K will start at 8am, while anyone looking to do the full marathon distance — which involves convering the half-marathon route twice — will start at 6.30am.
Entries can be made online at www.racedayworld.com. Late registration will be available at the race number pick-up desk on race day from 7am.