Kindergarten marathons next?

Press, 20 May 1981, Page 24

Kindergarten marathons next?

Dean Forster, aged eight, and weighing about 30kg,

seems set to make history when he becomes the youngest and lightest New Zealander yet to tackle the full regulation ■ marathon of . 42.2 km. This is when he lines up ■ with ’ close to 1000 other starters Tn the Nike City of ? Christchurch International ’"marathon, which starts and ■ finishes at Queen Elizabeth . II stadium on May 31. Nearly -1000 will also take part in the half-marathon to be held in conjunction with the full marathon. \ And Dean is not likely to have his? confidence undermined by uninformed critics who may try to argue the /marathon is too far for an eight-year-old. This is because he has the " T supportive examples of girls as welj as boys who have registered respectable times. for the marathon as young as . the age of five. ; When Jennifer Amyx was five-years-old, she completed;: . a ■ marathon in 56 seconds ? over four hours. Her fellow . American Kevin Strain, ran four hours slower than Jen- * nifer.at the same age. But when he was six, he improved his time by 2h 46min " to register 5h 15min. Dean can also look with / confidence to the example of Mary : Etta Boitano, who. at the age of six, scored a

marathon. time of 4h 27min. And, when' Mary had reached Dean’s age of . eight, she had improved her marathon time to 3:37:15. At the age of 10, she ran the marathon in 3:1:15. Another United States 10-year-old youngster of the mid-19705, Reggie Heywood, ran 2:57:24. About the same time, an American 14-year-old girl, Diane Barrett, ran 2:50:51. In the .last Honolulu marathon, with an entry of some 7000 runners including about 400 New Zealanders, one eight-year-old boy finished easily. He fan with his mother and the pair were loudly cheered when they finished. The boy had a sign on his back saying “She’s my mum.” His mother wore a sign saying “He’s my son.” . Both finished in good shape. . . So, with all this supportive, encouragement to turn to, Dean Forster need have no /misgivings that he can finish i the I 'marathorn On ’ May 31, provided he keeps 5 to ■ the correct pace for his capabili-’ lies. , - And this is where Dean'-is’-’ likely to score for, he has a level-headed attitude to dis-' tance running, which,’like his -physical prowess. is ip advance. of his years. ' D 5V Dean is already known in Canterbury for his capability

to' handle long distances. He is training ’ about ; 80k‘m a week for the Nike marathon; This is quite enough to', get; him round the course, provided ihe choses a pace;, withihlhis abilities. Dean-has': raced 24km in ”2h 33miri. . ? After one such race, his; mother, JudyForStex, recalls Dean went Jo play a game of soccer -in -the - afternoon. > ’ ~ HeJ has. the- double'advan-. tage Of;. a wise head , for; running-' and “ parents who.; have; watchfully avoided influencing him, ( One way or another.' in the decision' to enter the' full marathon? ;

Kay and Judy Forster, who? both - run marathons. fqr the 1 St Mar tins club,? consulted Arthur; Lydiard/wheif? they , realised Dean’s, marathon' intentions. ’ ’

According to Judy, Mr Lydiard repeated what he has said many times before, that young children should be allowed to decide ; their own distance running options, but with the provision that their parents 'Should not put any pressure on them. Running long distances at their own pace can never do , young runners' any harm, said Mr. Rydiard. But hounding them to compete in short track races can not only do them? harm-’physically? but often Turns them off athletics, permanently. ■

Dean.- has' another: -advan:; tage: going for him? because, as exercise; have, frequentlyLppjnted/ut/ a big motorm term’s of heart and liing capability;/, , in proportion to weight; And if, added.to whjeh/he youngister has.- a n'atUraJly, high;. capabili.ty/0 < takej^pmxygen • : from. inspired air r as Dean obviously has; he- has got? it -. made:? again, provided Mie, keeps to his correct pace. ; -Ray Forster plans to 'run' with bis son : to make, sure he; takes plenty ■ of-'-fluid and keeps his* pace to ’a rate, which will enable him ..to finish the race, / ' ' ,

v Mr Forster said: “There is ho 'time; : limit;; Dean is going to ‘run-how he ’ wants to run. He’ is runhihg to finish.” • ’ Dean was laconic when asked for his plans on race day. He had been roller skating all day and was about to go out on a 14km evening . training ' run. He. would be “okay'.” said Dean.

Dean's nine-year-old brother, Shane, acts as his training manager. ■ “Sh'ahe. has a heart condition but plays soccer and keeps full diary notes of bean's training, and accompanies Dean on his training runs' on a bike.,; He is a great help to Dean,” said their father. ' , -