Runner’s aim 53 miles a day

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33878, 25 June 1975, Page 1

Runner’s aim 53 miles a day

i Captain Graham Mc- [ Murdo will score a longdistance running “first” if he achieves a coast-to-coast run from Greymouth to Christchurch in four days. The Salvation Army officer lleft home in Greymouth at: J noon yesterday and planned ! i to stay at Reefton last night, iand at Maruia Springs toI night. ‘ He hopes to reach Amberley on Friday night and Ito complete the final 30

miles of his run to Christchurch on Saturday. His 210-mile run over the Lewis Pass will raise funds for a Salvation Army service van for the West Coast. He is already substantially i sponsored. i The attempt will prove a >big test for Captain Mc- [ Murdo, who is 36. He will have to run about 53 miles a day to keep to his plan to reach Christchurch before 2 p.m. on Saturday. If he succeeds, he will have performed a feat surpassed by onh one Canterbury long-

distance runner, Don Cameron, who ran about 53 miles a day for 23 successive days to establish a veteran (over 40) record for the 1300 miles from Bluff to Cape Reinga last October. He will be accompanied throughout the journey by ,a car driven by his wife, Lorna. She will supply refreshments at intervals of about five miles.

“I will eat mainly Sustagen and oranges. My stomach does not seem able to handle other food on the run, and I will have my main meal at

night,” said Captain McMurdo speaking from Greymouth by telephone yesterday. He intends to start his run each day about 7 a.m. so to be off the road before the cold of the late afternoon.

He took up jogging to keep fit after he retired from playing on the wing in senior Rugby about four years ago. He is now a Rugby referee. He has reduced his weight about 1| stone during his running “retirement.” For the last four months he has

'been running up to 20 miles; a day in preparation for this week’s attempt. Captain McMurdo is strongly built, weighs about 12 stone, and is sft lOin. Although he has no runners to accompany him on the journey, he expects to have help' over the final stages from two Christchurch relatives, Brent and Glen Gordon. Brent Gordon is also a referee and Glen is a member of the Presbyterian Harrier Club.