Outstanding Marathon By Timaru Runner

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31501, 16 October 1967, Page 10

Outstanding Marathon By Timaru Runner

A 22-year-old South Canterbury farmer, P. L. Gray (Timaru), upset all pre-race predictions to win the Marist Amateur Athletic Club’s open marathon of 26 miles 385 yards in the race record time of two hours 25 minutes 56.4 secopds, on Saturday.

This was his first attempt at the marathon distance, yet his time would have been good enough to give him second place in the New Zealand championship at Auckland earlier this year. Gray’s time was only 4min 6.4 sec slower than that of D. C. McKenzie, who won the championship.

The tall South Canterbury runner led from start to finish on Saturday and not even a competitor of the ability of B. Turner (Baptist) could make any impression on him. Turner finished second in 2:31:44 with the fast-finishing J. Power (Timaru) taking third place in 2:32:38. After the race, run over a four-lap course in the Maire-

hau district, Gray was not quite sure of the consequences Ki,, Of his great performance. I only came up to Christchurch for the race because some of the other chaps in the club were coming. My training has never been directed towards a marathon i— i and in the last few weeks I have been doing only about 40 miles a week,” he said. Before the race. Gray had no Intention of specialising in marathon running but the manner of his victory Is forcing him to think again. “It wjis so easy," he said. "I may come to Christchurch to compete in road races more often.” . . The teams’ event was won by the Timaru club (Gray, Power, A. Watson). Baptist was second (Turner, I. Sim, D. Cameron). From the start at Rugby Park, Gray set his own pace. He went through the 10-mile mark in 56min 46sec, about 18sec ahead of another Timaru club runner, L. Hand. Turner was lying third in 57min 26sec !? 2 rd by E Y? ns (Technical), R. Sharpe (St. Martins), Sim and T. Ellis (St Martins >- Two miles later Gray had in-

creased his lead substantially S?na T #lSff r h?? d R« n ?h« e it ru P' nlng together. By the 15-mile mark Sharpe had caught Turner but the pair were running more t ! ian Hmin behind Gray by this f™ r e th d and Hand, “showmg signs of exhaustion, had dropped to fifth. . *J„J? J? 11 ! e - s . rt G I? y .J"’ creased nis lead to more than 3min and experienced observers were saying: “He will never J‘? ep “P "> at ,P .Jf® “ ust ? .‘’Z.J'R.y’S?; • 5t u S , e oS.V\ r - 0w ” h ®® 1 , , A e a ha ' ‘ e " d 8 ?„°f h ? h ?TS®’ „ wh ®J l ®?L dr °.P; P. ed t J? 1 , I r , <l £ a 2“ I° nd rt v b nL. ’ nmlv./.o'JJ and .S' gg fl /,V ni lTs?l ty l„!? ? r>™ <l l .„ l ! t O _H p J?S e . ®t'ual£'h oae h s d ‘hjL .3. Th who had been as low as tenth after 15 miles Hand went through the 20 miles in ninth place and withdrew Jn the last few miles Power. Ragg and Retd came through strongly to take third, fourth and fifth places. Power was catching the leaders at such a ra te at one stage that it seemed possible he would take second Place. But Turner had something in reserve and finished comfortably ahead. It was, apart from Gray, one of the closest marathons run in

Canterbury. Turner, Power, Ragg and Reid were all on the 440 yards track at Rugby Park together at the finish. The first six beat the previous race record, set by W. K. Kennedy fChristchurch), last season. Kennedy’s time was 2hrs 36min 25sec. Although the Canterbury and New Zealand champion, D. McKenzie, was absent, the overall standard was at least as high as in any provincial event held in the South Island. Eighteen competitors finished in less than three hours, a splendid achievement considering few had been specifically preparing for a marathon run at this early stage of the roadrunning season. Results: P. U. Gray (Timaru), 2:25:56.4, 1; B. Turner (Baptist), 2:31.44, 2; J. Power (Timaru), 2:32:38, 3; K. Ragg (University), 2:32:38, 4; N. Reid (Olympic), 2:33:9, 5; R. Sharpe (St Martins), 2:35:33, 6; I. Sim (Baptist), 2:36:47, 7; T. Ellis (St Martins), 2:39:55, 8; A. Evans (Technical), 2:45:7, 9; R. Yardley (Olympic), 2:46:38, 10; A. Watson (Timaru), 2:48:54, 11; D. Cameron (Baptist), 2:49:52, 12.