Heart-felt advice to doctors

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 6

Heart-felt advice to doctors

Christchurch doctors, and visiting counterparts, are still enthusiastic about the benefits of jogging. But they want more of their fellows to take up the sport. "We hope to see more members of the medical profession setting a good example by taking part in these excellent community ‘fun runs’ now being organised in Christchurch.” said Dr Shailer Weston, after he and the secretary of the scientific committee of the National Heart Foundation (Dr D. R. Hay) had run 5000 metres round Hagley Park on Saturday. They were taking part in a “Run for Health” community run — part of “National Heart Week.”

“It was good to see people of all ages jogging in our group. Next year, we hope to see more taking advantage of our beautiful surroundings for exercise,” said Dr Hay. “I was very encouraged to see that our visiting lecturer for ‘Heart Week,’ Dr W. C. Roberts, did a twohour jog when in Christchurch. He told me that jogging in Hagley Park was one of the most enjoyable parts of his visit.” Saturday’s joggers ranged from the oldest participant, Mr Jack Locke, of the Christchurch Harrier Club, to children of about eight. They jogged in three groups, according to their choice of distances. While the runners were doing their circuits of the park, about 120 cyclists went on a “cycle-for-health” outing. They covered about 12,000 metres, including the route of the proposed Ilam-Riccarton cycleway. The starting point for both groups was near the Armagh Street entrance to North Hagley Park, at 9 a.m.

The occasion was organised by the Canterbury regional committee of the National Heart Foundation, the Christchurch City Council’s parks and recreation department, the Bicycle Planning Committee, and the Christchurch Technical Institute.