Yesterday the Figtree resident won the Mudgee marathon in convincing fashion, posting a solid time of two hours, 57 minutes and one second. 

His 40th birthday was 10 days ago.

“This is probably my fourth marathon I think and it's been a long time since my last one. I just turned 40 and this is a present to myself. I picked something around my birthday and this is it,” Giles said.

“Forty-year-olds can still run. Generally I just try to keep fit and didn't really target doing a marathon until about three months ago. I entered this one on the last day before its cut off. A late decision but it has been in my mind for a while. 

“A mate of mine came out here and ran it a few years ago so I always wanted to do it.

“That was the goal for me – to go under three hours. Anything below three hours is a bonus. 

“At about 30-kilometres I started feeling a few niggles and things which knocked me back a little bit but I nursed myself home.

“It was quite tough with a few hills and the dirt roads but otherwise it's a beautiful, scenic course.

“There was a little bit of wind there at the end. It wasn't too difficult but it didn't help either. The people and volunteers here are all unreal.”

Giles started alongside 59 marathoners and 153 half-marathon runners.  

“I was in about eighth. When the halves turned around I realised I was in second,” he said.

“I just plodded along at my own pace and at about the 10km mark I took the lead and from there on I tried to hold it together. 

“I've never been in that position before so it was different territory for me,” he said.

Finishing second behind Giles was Bathurst's Nicholas Zamadski in 3:17.57. Third was first female home, Newcastle's Kirby Clarke in 3:25.48.

“It was really enjoyable but hard,” Clarke said.

“I did it last year and bettered my time by about 20 minutes so I'm happy with that. 

“This was my 10th marathon for this year – well, seventh plus three ultras – so I quite enjoy it. Some are serious, some are just training runs. 

“I didn't really target or taper for this. When I was 20km in and coming second I thought I had to stay strong and it looked like the girl in front was not going to be caught, she was a long way in front.

“But I also thought you never know. When I was 7km out she was within my sight, and for someone who has worn glasses since pre-school and doesn't run with them, and for her to be in my sight she had to be pretty close.       

“At that point I usually slow down and enjoy the race for the last 10km or so but I couldn't today.

“It's a tough course. It felt like I was running uphill all day.”

Finishing second to Clarke in the females was Maggie Jones in 3:29.52 and third was Diane Green in 3:33.31.

Mudgee's Michael Bourke was the first local home in 3:36.34. He placed 10th overall.

“It was hot in the last half. There were a lot of nice runners out there, we had lovely chats and then all of a sudden the talk stopped, the clouds came over but it seemed to get hotter,” Bourke said.

“It was all great fun. There was loads [of preparation] but it can never be perfect. There were a lot of runners out there and a lot of support but no one offered me a pair of roller skates mind you.

“I think this is about number six or seven for Mudgee. I usually finish with this time or thereabouts.”