Radcliffe’s uphill task

Press, 28 November 1979, Page 40

Radcliffe’s uphill task

By

GLENN HASZARD

Mel Radcliffe (.New Brighton) should run the fastest time in the annual D. B. Great Westland marathon on Saturday, but he would have to run an incredible 2 hours 10 minutes to have any show of catching some of those who have been, handi- - Icapped ahead of him. Radcliffe will be giving I away starts of up to Ihr 35 to the front markers like the • veterans John Drew (Veterans) and Sam McArthur (Nelson), but it is some of ; other runners more tightly ! assessed who are more |likely to be first across the | line. ; Douglas Marquet (St Maritins), for instance, showed by his recent 2hr 16min run in the 30km Gebbies Classic hill race that he is in good

form to tackle the marathon) distance, and earlier this year ran a creditable 7:43:30 in the New Brighton 50 mile race. On both occasions he tied with his club-mate, Roh Meers, yet for this race he has an unbeatable 25-minute start on Meers. If Marquet were to run a 3hr lOmin marathon, which does not seem beyond his capability, Radcliffe would have to run a 2:10:00 marathon to beat Marquet to the finish line. Radcliffe’s best is about nine minutes slower than that, and his time on Saturday is more likely to be in the 2:20 to 2:30 range. With Marquet on the 25minute mark will be Canterbury’s top over-60 marathoner Tom Bain (Christ- j church), who completed the Canterbury marathon championships in tough condi-1

tions in 3:26.19 last month. While Radcliffe is expected to take the fastest time, there will be strong competition for second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. Off 90 minutes behind the front markers are David Gardner (Timaru), Brenton Joyce (St Martins) and Frank Nolan (University). Joyce’s ability at the distance is well-known, and he showed by his recent win in Gebbies Classic race over 30km in record time that he did not suffer unduly from his tear-away tactics in the Canterbury marathon championship, when he faded badly after a big early lead. . Among the 274 entries are many runners: who will be attempting to finish their first marathon. The race will start at Hokitika and finish lat Greymouth.