Manager Wins 50-mile Walk

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30171, 1 July 1963, Page 10

Manager Wins 50-mile Walk

(N.Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 30. H. Wilson, a 41-year-old company manager from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who has been in New Zealand only two months, was the first to complete the 50-mile walk staged around the Alexandra Park raceway during the weekend. His time of lOhr 50min 30sec was also the fastest.

Extremely fond of walking for pleasure and recreation, Mr Wilson is accustomed to covering 100 miles weekly and bed a five-mile stroll on Saturday morning to loosen up for the 50-mile effort. M. G. Halbwg. founder of the Murray -Halberg Truss for Crippled Children which will benefit by about £332 from the walk, started the

first teams at 8 pjn. on Saturday. Teams and individuals started at staggered times and by midnight there were 100 walkers circling the track.

A good cross-section of the community was represented, including harriers, Bible classes, scouts and 14 girls and women, five of the girls being 14 and 15. A bitterly cold head wind in the back straight and nearly 220 yards of darkness between the floodlights became depressing for many. The number began to dwindle and fell to 54 at 2.30 a.m. today and to 42 at 3.30 a.m. Fresh teams started from 4 a m., building the strength again. Nearly a thousand cups of hot soup were given out free during the night and early morning and the circuit was littered with empty paper cups

The chilly night air caused tired muscles to cramp and ftl-fittieg footwear caused many blisters. The ambulance staff treated 29 cases before 8 a.m., the heaviest casualties being between 2

a.m. and 4 a.m. With daylight, the first began to finish and by midday. 12 had completed the journey. including the oldest competitor, Mr R A. Halberg, who recorded the excellent time of llhr 36min 20sec. two policemen and two of the Otahnhu housewives Mrs M. Meehan, mother of two children, took 15hr 38min Usee and Mrs M Gorman, a mother of four, took 15hr 36min 20sec, which gave them the honour of becoming the first women in Auckland to manage the feat. Mrs Gorman walked the last 14 miles in her husband’s socks, wearing out two pairs in the process. By 1.15 p.m., four more had finished, including a third housewife. Mrs J BushKing. a mother of two boys Her time was 17hr 2min. A pre-release hostel team marched down the ast 100 yards to the finishing line, in the time of 16hr 58min. the only team jto finish. Thus thev won the event. The youngest competitor to finish was 13-year-old Peter Blick. of Waterview scouts. He took 16hr 33min.