Children enjoy inaugural fun run

Press, 1 October 1979, Page 25

Children enjoy inaugural fun run

Bv

JOHN DREW

When Sir Ronald Scott, a director and trustee of the ' New Zealand sports Founda- 1 Irion. officated as starter of New Zealand’s first child- I : ren’s fun run in Christchurch on Saturday morning i he recommended that they Ii begin fitness training wh e 'young. p It seemed however that it most of the youngsters had taken Sir Ronald's advice. 1 Out of a field of 350 start- ' ers. in which the age limit|< was 15. more than half were' bovs and girls under the age)of 10. < Sir Ronald told the' l youngsters that it was their f most important aim to complete the course, regardless t of how- fast, or how slow or ' if they ran or w-alked — and r to have fun in doing so. f And everybody, including ' the largest group, a strong I a team from Medbury School.lb got round the 6km course! which circled North Hagleyp Park and the Botanic Gar- f dens. The run director. Mr lanil Worters. who organised the b event for the Long Distanceio Runners' Club of New Zea-ib land, said the success of the run exceeded expectations T and could he bigger next s year. ir It was near the end of thelo field that the run's charm!(.

■ and much of its drama was I revealed. Among them was the youngest boy known to ha\ e completed a 6km fun run in iNew Zealand Jared Brotherston. aged four, completed the course in just under an hour. He [received a little moral supj port from his father and i mother, as the three, holding : hands. strolled Casually over Ithe final stages. H s mother. Mrs Jaii.ce Brotherston said it was a iworiderful outing for the : children. Mrs Brotherston said later Ijared was not tired. “Most of the afternoon he « running round the football field." she said. Sharing honours at the back of the field with Jared, was Chris Campbell. He rode his bicycle from his home in Philpotts Road and was making good time around the park until he blistered his toes. Encouraged by the friendly -upport of Mr Frank Collins, a master at St Andrews College and a Long Distance Club member. who walked w th Chris over the later stages, the boy perked up. The run was sponsored by Hurst and Drake, l td. and started and finished at their new premises on the corner of Peterborough Street and Colombo Street.