THREE mothers are among five St George and Sutherland Shire women runners who have put themselves in line for selection to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow:
■ Belinda Martin, 39, who won Sydney Running Festival's nine-kilometre bridge run last Sunday;
■ Suzanne Harrington, 37, who fell while leading the marathon and finished second, and
■ New mum Eloise Wellings, 30, the past Commonwealth and Olympic Games entrant in the 5km and 10km events.
Another St George athlete Bridey Delaney, 24, put herself in the picture by returning from injury and illness to win the recent Australian open women's 8km cross country title in Launceston, while Cronulla's Laura James, 27, shocked herself and the field to win the Sydney Half Marathon on Sunday.
Gymea podiatrist Martin this season became the first woman to win the NSW 3km, 5km and 10km track titles in the one year (third time she's won the 3km and 10km).
A serious knee injury forced her to have a break but she returned to again win July's 11km Sutherland to Surf, before on Sunday winning the 9km bridge run, in the process beating home the winner and placegetters from the Sun-Herald City to Surf. "Belinda is some mum..she's nearly 40 and still beating the best," said Ron Gribble, vice president of St George Athletics Club. "To think she started aged four at St George, and more than three decades on has put herself in line for Games selection, also winning three Australian Veterans titles."
In the marathon mother of three Suzanne Harrington was a clear leader with about five kilometres to go when she fell hard on the pavement, cutting her face badly. In shock, she rose to her feet and ran on, only to be passed close to the line.
Harrington has only been back in the sport the past four years after a break of 15 years and three children. "Who knows if I would have won if I didn't fall ... but I do know I can bring my time right down this summer," said the St George club athlete of her Games selection chances.
James, 27 won the 21km half-marathon, crossing the Sydney Opera House finish line in 1 hour 18 minutes and 36 seconds.
"I started slow and I wasn't expecting to win that's for sure," she said after beating Dubbo's Jane Fardell and Japanese runner Ema Harada.
James trains under Jock Campbell, whom Olympian Eloise Wellings has been working with in her comeback after the birth of her first child, India, four months ago.
"I just put in my application for the Comm Games," Wellings said. "Who knows, there might be something in this being a mum and running better afterwards.
"In any case, if you are in good form, the Comm Games is more relaxed than the Olympics. I feel I can qualify once I get back into some harder training and competition."
