Sad loss to long distance running

Press, 12 January 1977, Page 9

Sad loss to long distance running

The recent and widely lamented death of the United club athlete, Frank Sharp, has removed one of the talented and certainly one of the most popular veteran runners from the long distance scene in Canterbury. Frank died at 54, considered a relatively early age for long distance runners. He was considered one of the once rare but now increasingly numerous community of distance runners who continued to gain prowess as they grew older. Always sparse of build, he, unlike many other older but less active sportsmen, maintained his lean physique by persistent training. Always a regular participant in all-the-year-round running over the country and on the road, he increased his ability when over 50 in the standard marathon distance of 26 miles 385 yards. He made a big contribution to the community as a pioneer influence in popularising marathon running. He was, until recently, secretary of the newly formed Long Distance Runners’ Club which was responsible for the successful establishment of the first 21 kilometre race for women in New Zealand. He was one of the prime influences in establishing the growing popularity of mass marathons by helping to promote the Mari st Club event later to become the big United club marathon.

This race, more than any other, helped to stimulate and encourage the long

distance sport among men of all ages. And by showing how it is possible to perform well at an older age he stimulated enthusiasm among veteran athletes. None knew better than Frank Sharp how tough the 26 mile race is for runners of all ages. Yet. he always managed to discount the ordeal of the race by the disarming laugh for

which he is so well remembered. Besides being a noted road runner, he was a long distance tramper and a mountaineer. He recently helped to organise and lead one of the more notable crosscountry hikes over the Wharfedale Pass, a distance of about 35 miles. He finished among the leaders in what was described by the New Zealand distance specialist, Don Cameron, as one of the toughest hikes he had tackled. He was one of manv registered athletes to train from the Hereford Street headquarters of the Y.M.C.A. where he gave wise training counselling to any who asked him for it. He was one of the most staunch supporters of the popular summer road events on the Canterbury Road Runners’ Association’s programme. This year’s "Rangiora 20” road race was the only one in 15 years in which, because of illness, he did not take part. He ran in several community jogs with his father, Eric. Now aged 87, Eric is training to keep up the family tradition of long distance running in the forthcoming City to Surf community jog in which Frank ran with him last year. Many of Canterbury’s top distance runners attended the Requiem Mass at which the congregation had the opportunity of contributing their offering to research into cancer, the cause of Frank Sharp’s death.