Ryan heads Canty runner

Press, 23 November 1981, Page 38

Ryan heads Canty runner

PA Auckland Shrugging off the effects of stomach cramps and, later, a nagging hamstring and blisters, Kevin Ryan yesterday cruised to the finish in the Winstone-sponsored People’s Marathon Imin 39s ahead of a gallant rival, Don Greig, in a time of 2h 12min Ils.

By breaking the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard of 2h 15min for the second time in seven weeks, Ryan, formerly of Auckland but now based in the United States, must now be a certainty for the team. But for dropping off the pace in the last of the five laps, he may well have bettered his previous best of 2h Limin 475, set

in the Boston Marathon three years and a half ago. Greig, from the New Brighton Club, in Christchurch, has long promised to break through. His 2h 13min 50s cut 59s from hfs previous best, and he, too, could be in Brisbane for the Games. Only he could match the flying Ryan, and sven by the one-mile mark — passed in ‘4min 35s — this pair was clear of the 1700strong field. They went through skm in 15min 7s and 10km at almost the same pace. J. Dixon, of Nelson, was seventh, in 2h 18min Ils. The first woman home, Christine Munro, of Owai, ran 2h 47min 25s — more than eight minutes ahead of her best time.