2000 join Park-to-Park run

Press, 9 May 1983, Page 3

2000 join Park-to-Park run

About 2000 people took part in “The Press” Park-to-Park fun run yesterday. The runners started from Sydenham Park at 9.30 a.m. and moved down Colombo Street towards Cashmere (pictured). A choice of three alternative routes was given but virtually all entrants ran the longest course, of 10.4 km, which took them up Hackthorne Road in a loop through Cashmere and back along Colombo Street to the park. Proceeds from an entry fee of $1 for each

runner will go to the Red Cross to buy more books for its home library service for the aged and infirm. Last year, between 2500 and 3000 people took part in the annual event, organised each year by the Rotary Club of South Christchurch. One of the club organisers, Mr F. J. R. Aplin, said it was a nice way to make a donation. The weather was perfect and the route through Cashmere was one of the most scenic fun run courses in the South Island.

“It was one of the best days in the nine years that we have had it,” he said. The ages of runners ranged from about 70 years to babies, trundled along in pushchairs. Most were family groups and some also took their dogs on the run. “There were more fathers and sons this year than I have ever seen,” Mr Aplin said. A busload of Burnside Joggers Club members were the largest contingent. The first home was Mr Kevin Barnes who

crossed the finish line in just over 34 minutes. Everybody who completed one of the courses received a certificate. The run organiser for “The Press,” Mr Rod Rutherford, said about $lOOO was raised from entry fees. Runners who did not pay the entry fee were a problem in any fun run. One possible reason for the lower turnout this year was the number of runners involved in longer distance training for the Adidas City of Christchurch Inter-

national marathon and halfmarathon next month. Others might have been discouraged by the steepness of the route through Cashmere although Mr Rutherford said anyone could make the climb with-' out problems if they took it at their own pace. The services of the Red Cross mobile first-aid team were not needed. However, there was concern when a father declined a lift from officials for his small son who was in apparent distress.