Blackbridge in the Park

Contributed by Kerry Granger

I took the plunge, and after weeks of saying I must join a running group I finally did this year.   I joined and have not regretted it.   The Auckland Joggers are very friendly and supportive.

The Blackbridge run day came and I had no idea what I was really in for.   I thought the run was for fast runners and I am not a fast runner.   Decided to head along anyway and wondered who would be there that I knew.   Saw some familiar faces from my running pack and thought – yeh!  I should be able to do this.   Before the start of the run I decided I would only do one lap and then head home.   Not familiar with the route, I decided to follow people in front of me, so I had no choice but to keep up and run at a faster pace.   This isn’t a bad thing, as I believe you have to challenge yourself in different areas in life.   Run, sweat and heavy breathing up Deadman’s hill (I am not a hill runner) and starting to think: come on, you know you have in you to finish, so YES I decided to complete the course.   Before I knew it I was running up everyone’s favourite hill (not) Deadman’s and feeling so good and proud of myself that I have accomplished the challenges.   Having support with me while running was great.   Not sure if they knew it or not but they pushed me a little harder than I would normally run so thank you to both or you.   It was really neat when we crossed the finish line together.

For those who want to challenge themselves and give it a go, then do it!   You will be pleased with yourself.

 

 

The ‘S’s on Sundays

Contributed by Julie Carr

We are so proud of our three new ladies on Sundays.

Sarah, Shinaz, and Stella, who have belonged to the club for about a year now.

Elaine also joined at the same time but her name doesn’t start with an ‘S’. Rosa joined later but her name starts with an S.

They all joined as a result of responding to a ‘Community notice’ in the Central Leader Newspaper.

They are friendly and enthusiastic club members.

The three ‘S’s are having a lot of fun not only participating in Sunday club runs and walks, but also entering lots of ‘fun runs’ where they wear their Joggers uniform (and showcase the club).

Sarah just completed her first half marathon.

Keep it up ladies.

We love having you as members.

 

 

Marathon turns 100

Contributed by Dave Hamilton

To all you Marathon runners out there, and lesser mortals, July 24th  marks an important anniversary. This was the day, 100 years ago, that Dorando Pietri staggered round the track to be first across the line in the 1908 London Olympic Marathon; only to be DQ’d soon afterwards for receiving assistance. Of more importance, July 24th 2008 is the 100th Anniversary of the official Marathon distance.

To appreciate the significance of this date, needs a little ‘history’.

What are the origins of the Marathon; and how was its distance established?

The ‘Marathon’ was adopted for the first modern Olympic Games at Athens, in 1896. It was based on the mythical tale of a Greek messenger who, in 490BC, is supposed to have run from Marathon to Athens to bring news of a crucial Greek victory over the invading Persians.  After the battle, in which he may have taken part, he was dispatched to Athens to deliver the news: "Rejoice, we conquer". Whereupon he collapsed and died. This is the legend. It is actually a melding of several stories. (The Marathon messenger was Thersippos and he did not drop dead – but why spoil a good story?!)

The distance was approximately 40 km, the distance from Marathon to Athens by the longer, flatter route.

The length of a Marathon was not fixed at first, since the only important factor was that all athletes competed on the same course. The distance varied depending on the route established for each venue. For the first seven Olympic Games, there were six different marathon distances of approx 40km or 25 miles.

The 1908 Olympic Games were allocated to Rome. Yes, that’s right: ROME!  The Italian authorities were preparing to hold the games when Mount Vesuvius erupted on April 07, 1906, devastating the city of Naples. Funds were diverted to the reconstruction of Naples, so a new venue was required. London was selected, and the games were held in White City.

The White City Stadium, which was built at short notice for the games, (no Resource Consent needed!) held 68,000 and was considered by some a technological marvel.

The Marathon at the 1908 Olympics in London was organised by the Polytechnic Harriers, the premier Harrier Club in London. The event was given a Royal theme, with the course set to start from the East Lawn at Windsor Castle; and to finish in front of the Royal Box at the stadium. This distance was measured as 26 miles 385 yards. (42.195 km).

The specific Marathon distance determined so haphazardly for London was eventually adopted as the official length of a Marathon, but not until many years later.

In 1909, Polytechnic Harriers instituted the annual Polytechnic Marathon over the same distance of 26 miles 385 yards. It was largely due to the prestige of the Polytechnic Marathon that in 1921, the IAAF adopted 42.195km as the official marathon distance just for the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris; but it was never changed after that. (The difference between 42.195 km and 26 miles 385 yards is 12mm)

Interesting to think that but for the quirks of Nature and History, the Marathon distance may well have been set at the more logical 40km. Something to ponder perhaps, the next time you get to 40km and still have 2.2km to go!