Over the hills...

Press, 8 October 1977, Page 12

Over the hills...

Covering 100 km in the Symon and Lowther sponsored run round the Banks Peninsula hills today may not seem far for one of New Zealand’s top distance runners, Dennis Stephenson (left), who not so long ago, set a New Zealand 24 hour record of 142 miles.

Stephenson, a schoolmaster from Turangi, near Taupo, seemed assured of taking the best time by a man over 50 until a late entry was received this week from Tom Bain, of Canterbury. The oldest man in the race at 65, Bain has proved himself one of the fastest men for his years in the world over 50 miles by his many fine performances in the New Brighton “50” event. He seems

certain of giving Stephenson a challenge today in spite of the disparity in age of about 14 years.

While Stephenson and Bain are likely to be among the fairly early arrivals at the finish at Hillmorton High School; it is probable that a substantial number of the 200 or so in the run who want to complete it in one day will be coming home late into the evening. Regardless of how late they arrive, their times will be recognised and recorded to their credit in the results. The options are open for runners to make it a twoday outing, starting tomorrow at the point where they left off today. The runners will leave Cathedral. Square this morning at 6 am.