PEDESTRANISM EXTRAORDINARY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 72, 6 September 1879, Page 3

PEDESTRANISM EXTRAORDINARY.

''•■ On Friday evening W. Dehiney, the . champion runner of the colony, commenced \ the arduous task of core/ing 118 m 24 hours j—a feat never previously attempted m tbe 1 colony. This match against time took place ! m, Maysmor's Hall, the course as wUI readilj be imagined being very circumscribed, thus adding, lga^erjaJly to the di%ju% ?£ the .Ever/ precaution had beep, taken fco provide against even the. suspicion of unfairaeis or collusion,, The course was measured by a duly qualified surveyor, by whom it was ascertained to be. 45 yards, thus requiring 39 laps and 5 yards to the, mile. Mr. B. J. Gosling was appointed, iinne-rkeeper, and a committee of gentlemen was also appointed to see that everything was conduced fairly. These relieved eaoh other . at intervals, and all bear testimony to the fact that Delaney did his work well and honorably. The start took place at 9 p.m., asd a.fc 10 o'clock 6 miles had been covered ) at 11 o'clock, 12 miles; and at 2 minutes past midnight 18 miles were scored, The pace slightly fell off then, for the 23rd mile had not been accomplished until 1.5 a.m. Delaney. then put on a good spurt, and as 2.4 a.m, had added another 6 miles to his credit, making 29 miles covered ; and at 3.7 a.m., 35 miles had been accomplished. We have been favored with the time sheet for every mile. It is too long to give m extenso but we make the following extracts from it, the time being that nearest to the hour :-— 4.5 a.m., 41 miles ; 5.5 a.m., 47 miles ; 6.2 a.m., 58 miles ; 7.1 a.m., 59 miles ; 7.571 a.m., 65 miles ; 8.54 a.m., 70 miles ; 9.54 a.m., 75 miles ; 10.53 a.m., 79 miles ; 12.2 p.m., 84 miles; at 12.43 p.m., 87 miles; Delaney retired for twenty -two minutes, starting again at 1.5 p.m. 2.1 p.m., 92 miles ; 3.3 p.m., 98 miles ; and at 3.25 p.m. miles had been covered. Delaney then took a rest of twenty minutes, commencing again at 3.45, and having 5i hours to do the b^4^Bi i miles he took it very quietly. At §,5 p.mJ, n X?i6. miles ; 6.10 p.m., 109 miles ; %.\ p.m., 112 miles ; 7.55 p.m., 115 miles. TJie»V'ip.ile3 are reckoned, for the sake of eas.^ and Iqaroid mistakes, at thirty-nine Jap y s eacbj omitting the extra five yards, but when'tftg iJ^SW^ 0 ,^ 0 a^ )een c °v ere d — at 8.2^ p.m\, D.e|an6T walked 16 laps extra to ix)ake. up what T^ 8 B^i or t startine on his hist ' mile, the 118^h', at; 5.2^6 p.m., and finishing at 8.38, thus having 2^ 'minutes to spare. Delaney was loudly cheered as he finished and, on completing his being observed to stagger' caught^ by some of those present, * n ,4 conveyed to the Denbigh j Hotel, cloße'tb. and attended by his brother and friends." y> -'°" v< ;J > iiiS r " V The 38th, 47>th, and 5Ut miles were bis best timei e 4° D baying been accompUshed m eight minutes. He retired'in'aU' eight times, but the first two at the 24(b? s^nd 58th miles, for only a minute each. At tne 67th he took ten minutes, at the I£jsp five minutes ; at tbe 87th, l;wenty-^wo • ' 4$ $ie 100 th, and 106 th, I^wehty minutes etcb; and at the ll^tb, ten minutes ; making a total of. eighty-nine minutes, during which he was not at work. At the 78th mil,e, be N appeared somewhat stiff, and at' tjbe lOOth showed, symptoms of fatigue. Ob putting on one of. his spurts he tripped 'an.cC Ml, bruising bis shin and hip. Heremainea m bed on Sunday and Monday, suffering from the effect of such tremendous muscular exertion. !% Wheri we take into consideration the fact that Delaney had not been m training for a single hour; the circumscribed' course) and bis having to walk on sawdust laid on a boarded floor, the feat is a marvellous one and^Bpeaks volumes for Delaney' a pluck as well as for his staying powers. " 'We are sorry to add that m a financial point ofj view the enterprise was far from being a success, but it is satisfactory to know \h&t"Vifil&nej'a friends and admirers intend getting iip an entertainmont for his bene^t, before he starts for Sydney. We. cordially wish 'him a bumper house on the occasion. ■•■"***"» --•* =• ■ ■ •