ATHLETICS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19523, 24 June 1933, Page 16

ATHLETICS

MARATHON RACE The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association has declined to institute a New Zealand marathon championship until it is shown that the event can be successfully conducted by the centres, says “Mercury” in the Wellington “Post.” It is to be hoped that this will not be taken to mean that each centre should every year conduct a marathon championship. In the writer’s opinion that would definitely result in far too much marathon running. The centres might, however, take it in turns to stage a marathon race, inviting participants from all centres. The difficulty in that case would probably be that unless the event were officially recognised as a New Zealand championship. runners from other centres would not be induced to compete in adequate numbers, and the race would each year in practice be restricted to runners from one centre only In this connection it must not be forgotten that a marathon race requires a very long preparation, many exponents advocating at least six months’ special training. Those who are at present running up to ten miles are reminded that that is not training for a marathon, though, no doubt, a shorter preparation would be necessary in their case.