New York run for pair

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 314, 21 November 1989, Page 3

New York run for pair

BY

DONNA

MCGRATH

Returned after a long slow battle to finish the prestigious New York marathon, Marty McGrath and Stewart Fowlie feel both relieved to be home and fully rewarded from their achievement in finishing the 26 mile race among 24 New Zealand runners. The race saw 24,000 runners from 77 countries around the world complete, and a Tanzanian break the record to win in two hours, seven minutes and 59 seconds. His prize was a mew Mercedes car, worth $US276,000 and $US26,000 in cash. He received an extra $10,000 for breaking

the race record. Marty and Stewart finished the race in the first half of the field. They experienced a hard first two miles, taking 23 minutes due to the congestion of runners. Both bro-ught home gold medallions and are waiting on certificates and a plaque from New York. The men recall the Venizano Bridge sway-

ing from side to side as the runners crossed over her due to the massive weight of the race. They were overwhelmed by the encouraging public support through the entire race, sighting Jewish, Pakistani, Negro and Puerto Rician communities providing entertainment. The supporters were six layers deep on both sides of the road through the whole course. The sights of New York city will be remembered for the rest of their lives, says Marty and Stewart.