QUICK INITIATION FOR ACTOR’S SON

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29860, 28 June 1962, Page 12

QUICK INITIATION FOR ACTOR’S SON

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 27. Jonathan Peck, the film actor's son, had been in Auckland only five hours before he was initiated in the hard school of New Zealand distance running. With M. G Halberg and the coach A. L. Lydiard, he ran for five miles in pitch blackness on an Auckland golf course. If he had remained for his six-weeks summer holiday in Los Angeles he would have been lying on a beach with his friends. He spent the last two holidays in the south of France. "I get tired of lying about," said Peck. “I get itchy feet.” Would his friends be amazed if they could see him

ploughing through the darkness ? “I was amazed to see myself,” said Peck. He ran for 35 minutes tonight, the longest he had ever run previously was 22 minutes. “I had Intended to spend a holiday at Percy Cerutty’s camp at Portsea in Australia," he said. “When I saw Snell win at Rome I started to change my ideas. “The coaches at home all talk about Mr Lydiard. Some rave, some aren’t sure and some say his methods are impossible. But Snell keeps coming over and beating everyone.

“So I decided to experiment, although I’ve been a bit scary about this long running.” Peck will start his sixweek vacation by staying with Halberg's parents, Mr and Mrs R. G. Halberg. He may later accompany Lydiard to the South Island.