Anna Thwaites, Prue Davison, Peter Beacroft and Tom Highnam took out the mixed category, and will be flown to New York as guests of JP Morgan Chase to run in the international challenge, where six countries are scheduled to participate in October next year.

Allens had 52 runners in the 5.6 kilometre race, but the four making up the mixed team were the best performers. Thwaites’ efforts saw her run second in the women’s field with a time of 20 minutes, 18 seconds, behind Suzy Walsham, representing Symantec. Walsham, who will run in next year’s Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, recorded the best women’s time in the six-year history of the Sydney event at 18:39.

Davison placed fourth in the women’s field, and Beacroft, who led for a significant distance, ran fifth in the men’s field.

Thwaites described herself as a “dedicated and enthusiastic” runner, who runs seven days a week and follows a regular training program. She tailors that program according to her upcoming races.

“Allens Arthur Robinson has always encouraged employees to maintain a work life balance and has been very supportive in providing me with the opportunity to compete in the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge,” she said. “It was a privilege to be able to race against Suzy Walsham.”

Team captain, and Allens partner, Highnam said all members of the group were “pretty keen runners anyway”, so would be training regularly for the event.