A thousand runners

Press, 3 June 1982, Page 22

A thousand runners

The Nike City of Christchurch marathon will start from Queen Elizabeth II Park stadium at 10 a m. this Sunday.

More than 1000 runners will compete in the marathon, of which about 650 are from Christchurch. 336 from other South Island centres, 138 from the North Island and 30 from overseas, including Australia, the United States. Singapore, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The field comprises 429 • senior men and 84 veteran men, with 61 senior women and 40 veteran women. About 240 will be running their first marathon.

Fifteen have completed a marathon in under 2hr 30min, and 92 have gone under the magic 3hr mark. Many of the 114 who have run a marathon in under 3:30 will be trying to break 3hr this year.

The course (see diagram) has two minor changes from last year. Instead of. returning from Christchurch Airport along the same side, of Memorial Avenue as the route out, runners will return on the other side of the median strip. There is also a minor, change at Basset Street junction. The new course has been remeasured to ensure that it is accurate.

It is a fast, flat course with a smooth surface, some slight camber in sections of the road following the Avon River and with few tight corners.

There may be some congestion as runners leave the stadium through a double gate. The half marathon, which has also attracted more than 1000 entries, will start at 10.10 a.m. and the leading runners are expected to complete the distance in about 67 minutes. The slower halfmarathon runners may still be on the road when the leading marathon runners enter the stadium.