While 3:22.30 is not a flash time it should be put in context. This was the first time the now-accepted marathon distance had been run in New Zealand, or the Southern Hemisphere for that matter.
I can still remember the radio station doing live updates on John Campbells run as he neared Invercargill and it became obvious it was going to be a record setting run back in 85. I don't remember the commentator but suspect it may have been to person from Mataura who did the commentating for cycling and wood chopping. Whoever it was he made it sound like it was the greatest ever run in the history of mankind.
In 2009 we had a young gap year student from the UK who thought it would be something to write home about by doing the 100th anniversary one. Two weeks before he started training and his first run was 15 kms to Oreti Beach. Then he was to sore to run for a few days but he decided to give it a go.
We took him to the start at the Riverton Holiday Park and I said get into a pace you think you can hold out. Next time we saw him was with the leading group going past the Riverton racecourse with a big smile on his face. The confidence of youth carried him to Lorneville where he was shattered but he gutzed it out and walked and staggered to Surrey Park with a time of 4 hour and seven minutes.
He got a medal and also got to hold the Ranfurly shield which was on display up there on the day.
I can still remember the radio station doing live updates on John Campbells run as he neared Invercargill and it became obvious it was going to be a record setting run back in 85. I don't remember the commentator but suspect it may have been to person from Mataura who did the commentating for cycling and wood chopping. Whoever it was he made it sound like it was the greatest ever run in the history of mankind.
In 2009 we had a young gap year student from the UK who thought it would be something to write home about by doing the 100th anniversary one. Two weeks before he started training and his first run was 15 kms to Oreti Beach. Then he was to sore to run for a few days but he decided to give it a go.
We took him to the start at the Riverton Holiday Park and I said get into a pace you think you can hold out. Next time we saw him was with the leading group going past the Riverton racecourse with a big smile on his face. The confidence of youth carried him to Lorneville where he was shattered but he gutzed it out and walked and staggered to Surrey Park with a time of 4 hour and seven minutes.
He got a medal and also got to hold the Ranfurly shield which was on display up there on the day.