Canterbury run pre-eminence

Press, 30 August 1978, Page 19

Canterbury run pre-eminence

RUNNERS’ DIARY

by

John Drew

New Zealands’ present ‘‘running explosion,” which has resulted in running becoming the fastest growing sport is, on a population basis, not far behind the result in the United States, where an estimated 10M adults are runners. And in both countries startled manufacturers are rapidly becoming aware of the growing markets for shoes and other running equipment. The influence of the mass community fun runs can be seen in the continually increasing record entries in every regular, road and cross-country event throughout the country. Now that there are a number of new runs in the pipe line in Canterbury a look at how this running took such a hold here makes an unusual example of one thing leading to another. This is more evident in

Canterbury than anywhere else where increased entries in most organised events have this year been up by as much as 30 per cent. A noted New South Wales sports administrator, Wilbur Wright, innovator of many community running projects in Australia, suggested a huge community run in Christchurch on the lines of the Sydney City-to-surf event. Wright’s idea was that this mass run should be held at the time of the Christchurch Commonwealth Games. He wrote to Arthur Lydiard inviting him to set the ball rolling. Lydiard promptly did so by sending on Wright’s letter to John Drew commending the idea but saying, “it’s more in your territory than mine.” Drew referred Lydiard’s letter to Don Cameron

who formed an organising committee of which he was chairman, Drew deputy chairman, and the veteran United Club runner, George Currie, secretary. Cameron then organised a series of meeting with

Christchurch City Council sub-committees set up to examine the proposal. The council, the Transport Department and the Commonwealth Games organisers favoured the proposal but considered that a _run of this size at the

time of the Games would cause a conflict of endeavour. The idea was revived with outstanding success when Arthur Lydiard visited Christchurch with the suggestion that the City-to-Surf should be held two months after the Commonwealth Games, when public enthusiasm for running would still be high. The first year of the City-to-Surf there were 2400 entries; in second year, 3600; in third year, 4800; and, this year, some 10,000 took part. Meantime more Christchurch organisations are striving to get on the run band waggon. The Hornby Centenary committee has high hopes for Canterbury’s next run, which the committee will hold on Sunday. It rill start in Cathedral square, at 9.30 and finish at the Hornby Mall, a distance of about 10.4 km. The Hornby committee

has for months past been planning its event. It has been in touch with the Long Distance Runners’ Club of New Zealand, which has acted as co-or-dinator so that these runs dates do not conflict with established annual running fixtures.

Meantime the huge annual Honolulu marathon is expected to attract about 7000 in December, and a large contingent from Canterbury has already booked to take part. This run imposes no restriction on runners or finishing times — which range between 2hr 17min up to about eight hours. Coming running events include September 3; Hornby Centennial. September .9: Takahe-to-Akaroa, eight-stage relay. September 16: Kaiapoi-ta-Christchurch handicap. September 23: Rangiora Borough Centenary Ox-ford-to-Rangiora relay. .October 21: Nelson oepn marathon handicap.