Marathon prospect 'We will see what a bit of training can do"

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32119, 15 October 1969, Page 13

Marathon prospect 'We will see what a bit of training can do"

rpHE first attempt by Doug x Dixey (Methodist) at the full marathon distance last Saturday was a remarkable success considering he had not previously competed in a race of more than 15 miles. Although he started as the favourite for die Marist open marathon, few expected him to lope effortlessly across the finishing line in Rugby Park in the outstanding time of 2hr 24 min 57sec. After completing his final lap of the perk, Dixey looked physically sound enough for another 20 miles. And he had plenty of breath left to talk to officials and well wishers. “I’ll have all the refreshments I didn’t have along the way,” he said with a smile as he turned towards the changing rooms. Dixey made the run with only a winter background of harriers. He had made no attempt to change his training schedule to suit long distance running and had viewed the race more as an experiment than anything else. Yet only a slight increase in pace would have put his performance on the brink of world class. Dixey is now 30 and one can only wonder what he would have accomplished had he started running marathons seriously five years ago. However, it is the firm opinion at W. D. Baillie that long distance runners reach their peak in their mid-thirties and so Dixey appears to have an exceptionally bright future. This summer, Dixey intended to run on the track but this will now be secondary to his preparation for the road. He wants to find out what his potential is in the marathon and has set

his sights on the Canterbury championship. “We will see what a bit of training can do,” he said after his run on Saturday. “I might get worse," he laughed. But he has high hopes that with proper preparation he will be able to run the 26 miles 385 yards even faster. Interested spectators during Dixey's run on Saturday were N. Reid and C. Frethey, winner and runner-up in the Canterbury marathon

championship last season. It must have shaken the confidence of both these fine athletes when they realised that Dixey had completed the distance in a time faster than either of them had achieved in the championship—and without proper preparation. D. C. McKenzie would have impressed too. However, it is impossible to judge an athlete completely on the result of one race and Dixey has to prove that this was no isolated effort Nevertheless, there is

every indication that the battle for this season’s marathon championship will be more than a two-way affair. Dixey’s progress times during the race were:— 10 miles, 55min 27sec; 15 miles, Ihr 22min 30sec; 20 miles, Ihr 49min 36sec; 26 miles 385 yards, 2hr 24min 57sec. Only A. Bayard (Olympic) was faster at the 10-mile mark. He recorded 55min 12sec and retired shortly afterwards. Dixey led the rest of the way. Veterans’ Record Veteran runners (more than 40 years old) competing in the Marist marathon set a record for the greatest number of veteran-age athletes to complete the distance of 26 miles 385 yards in New Zealand. Of the 11 men having an average age of about 50 who started in the marathon, nine completed the course. Of these, five registered their personal best times. Foremost of these, T. H. Bain (Christchurch), ran the race in 2hr 58min, a pace at which most men of his age would find difficulty in running 50 yards. L C. Brownie (Christchurch) also ran an outstanding time. Competing in bis first marathon at the age of 40, he was only lOsec behind Bain and with thorough preparation should be capable of considerably improved performances over this distance. The chairman of the Sports Medicine Association (Dr T. R. Anderson) who has examined a number of

the veteran runners in the race said: “Regular prolonged exersion as in training for marathon running is the best method of preventing heart attacks and the veterans who took part in Saturday’s marathon have set a good example on how to do it The progress shown by veteran runners in New Zealand and the increased numbers taking part in long distance running by men of more than 40 is revolutionising medical thinking about the role of exercise in preventing coronary degeneration. There is no record in medical history of a fit long distance runner having a heart attack.” Those who completed the race in the veteran category were Bain, aged 56, Brownie, F. Sharpe (Marist aged 46), E. Pearce (Christchurch, 46), C. Baxter (Methodist 45), L. Fox (Olympic, 56), L. Steel (Marist 40), R. C. Davies (Christchurch, 44), J. Richards (St Martins, 61). One of the most remarkable runs was that of Steel, a Christchurch solicitor who was running his fifth marathon. Each year he has improved on his marathon time after running regularly in cross-country' during each winter. He had to break training during a visit to Auckland on business a week before the race but he still managed to attain his objective of bettering last year’s time, although it was by the rather slender margin of 4sec. He ran the race in 3hr 29min-