Six Do 100 Miles In 24-Hour Run

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31660, 22 April 1968, Page 9

Six Do 100 Miles In 24-Hour Run

(From Our Own Reporter) AUCKLAND. Six runners reached 100 miles in a large-scale 24-hour timed run held at the Alexandra Park trotting course on Saturday. Organised by the Marathon Runner’s Club, to raise funds for charity, it was the largest of its kind held in New Zealand. About 300 took part and they were sponsored for charity on the number of miles they ran. They raised several thousand dollars and covered an aggregate of about 10,000 miles. The international marathon runner, W. D. Baillie, was handicapped with stomach upsets and cramp by cold winds and driving rain, and was forced to withdraw at 100 miles. He reached 70 miles in 11 hours and had to walk the rest of the way. He covered the 100 miles in 19 hours. The Governor-General (Sir Arthur Porritt) started the run at 7 p.m. on Friday when a rocket was released. The weather deteriorated after midnight, and by early morning only about 20 were left on the circuit of five-eighths of a mile. Many left the circuit to return at intervals throughout Saturday to add mileage and boost their sponsored contribution to the charity fund. Runners to reach 100 miles included W. Baillie, I. Keats, W. Henwood, R. Weatherley, and M. Oliver (a brother of the New Zealand heavy-weight weight-lifting champion). Henwood and Oliver, both trained by Baillie, took 21 hours 47 minutes for 100 miles. One of the most remarkable performances was that of R. Pilkington, who exceeded 100 miles as a walker. His son, aged 15. who paced him part of the way, walked 50 miles. L. Barker, aged 65. walked 62 miles in 22 hours and then i continued strongly.

Six runners over the age of 50 average about 60 miles and two women athletes, Mrs M. Sampson and Miss C. Larsen, ran more than 50 miles. Some of New Zealand’s leading athletes took part, including P. G. Snell, E. Maguire, R. A. Maddaford, M. G. Halberg, A. B. Magee, and I. Keats. The oldest runner, A. Steadman, aged 81, jogged 10 laps. One of the largest contributors to the charity fund was an Auckland traffic officer R. Williams, who ran more than 60 miles at the age of 56, and earned about 360 dollars. R. Singer and A. Surteis, both aged 54, both ran more than 70 miles. A team of Air Force runners, led by the former Canterbury marathon champion, D. Puckett, covered an aggregate of 390 miles. They pitched camp in front of the stand and brought their own bedding, food, and refreshments. Teams representing the Navy, the Watersiders. and the Technical Athletic Club also scored big mileages and made substantial sponsored contributions. Runners said the trial was successful socially as well as financially, and they considered another such trial would prove an efficient way of raising funds for the New Zealand Olympic teams to travel to Mexico.