Women runners planning exploits fast and slow

Press, 11 October 1978, Page 12

Women runners planning exploits fast and slow

A correspodent, Martin O’Connor, has gallantly championed the cause of certain women runners, fellow athletes in the University club, whom he feels have been underrated by the news media. “You recently implied in a report that younger women run better over shorter distances and older women (and also men veterans) perform more creditably over longer distances,” he said. “While it may be true that most younger women runners do not compete with distinction over distances of many miles, a number do — and with considerable distinction. I cite to you the performances of Mary O’Connor, both this year and last year, in the Takahe Akaroa road relay and of Ann-Marie Keown in the same event this year.”

Mary O’Connor and Ann-Marie Keown ran 4000 metres for first and second placings in the recent Canterbury women’s championship well enough

RUNNERS’ DIARY

By I — I

John Drew

to indicate that when they run for Canterbury in the New Zealand champion* ship at Auckland on Saturday they stand a fair chance of being selected to run for New Zealand in the next women’s crosscountry world championship. The relatively short distance will suit them: the women’s world cross-coun-try distance is the same. They go to Auckland on Saturday with Canterbury’s best wishes. But their good runs in the Takahe-Akaroa were still over relatively short distances — about a fifth of the marathon distance: but all sound training for their impending 4000 m race.

Their equally charming University club mates, Alison Tait and Penny Kissock, I have already praised for their runs in the June Sedley Wells marathon. Their times were only moderate by some New Zealand women’s standards but both girls showed that they have the necessary ability and courage to be leading marathon runners if later they turn to specialised marathon training. It is one of the basics of training that “miles make the runner.” For Alison Tait and Penny Kissock the Sedley Wells marathon could prove a valuable, extended training run — their speed over shorter distances might eventually show the benefit of this long outing. Mary O’Connor is of similar compact build to Miki Gorman, of tthe United States who made Penny Kissock’s time of 3hr Imin 3s<ec look rather modest when she recently ran a marathon in 2hr 42min —at the age of 42.

Mary O’Connor because of her natural basic speed over shorter distances, could expect eventually to run fast marathons — if she wants to.

The factor of why a woman wants to run a marathon has recently been surveyed in the United States.

While many men mara» thon stars rated the will to excel as their main motivation, many women, when asked why they started running, variously replied “for fun” or “to get into shape” or "to lose weight.”

But once involved in racing, many of the women became as achie-vemment-orientated as the men. Their explanations of the character factor which made for their success ineluded “competitive nature,” “mental desire,” “determination,” “stubbornness,” “mental toughness,” “self-confidence” and “willingness to put up with the pain.” Doris Brown Heritage, one of the top United, States women marathon runners said: “I believe I would have been a good one if it (the marathon) had been available earlier. I always ran what was longest and available (800 m in the 1968 Olympics and 1500 m in the 1972 Olympics)” —a good example of a speed specialist going on to longer distances.

A former woman record-holder for the marathon, Jacqueline Hansen, said: “To race long distances was an inner desire: thus I became a marathoner.” It is all the more surprising that overseas women distance runners continue to shatter time barriers when they are still banned from official competition in many countries as well as in in the Olympic Games. There are many enthusiasts who conclude that equal records will only come with equal opportunity, and recognition. Meanwhile, Martin O’Connor makes it clear he thinks some top women runners _ do not get the credit in some reports which their exploits deserve and that too much is made of older, slower, less gifted performers. While “The Press” has always given due credit to the prowess of the top performers, the paper, by its sponsorship of the popular “Park to Park” event, has shown continuing concern to encourage running among the rank and file of the community. This constant encouragement to women and veteran runners — there were about as many veterans as senior men in the Canterbury road champio-

ships — is helping to make running Canterbury’s biggest sport. An estimated 10,000 and 15,000 people are now running in the province — and the number is still growing.

One of the strongest supporters of such a policy is Rod Dixon, regarded by many as the most versatile athlete New Zealand has. He said before he left for the Commonwealth Games at Edmonton: “As soon as I get this Olympic bee out of my bonnet I want to come back here to help foster running for everyone.” In the meantime, the

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continued increase of Christchurch women who are running is good news for those whose aim is to encourage this community sport here: especially since many of them are narried, with children, and are helping to bring their children and husbands into the sport as well.

Two such Canterbury mothers of families seem set to establish a world first next month. Gwyn Heseltine, of the Olympic club, and Audrey Smythe, of the United Club, both of whom are over 40 and have four children each, are training for the Symon and Lowther 100 km event.