Army's running man trains for ultra race

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 456, 6 October 1992, Page 5

Army's running man trains for ultra race

By

Jan

Savell

Geoff Robinson is Waiouru's Running Man. On 14 November he will be sponsored on his run from Hunterville to Waiouru to raise money for the Weir Tce Kindergarten, but this course is only a short outing for Waiouru's ultra distance enthusiast. Geoff Robinson has been chosen for the New Zealand squad of 10 ultra distance runners from which a team of seven will be chosen to compete at the world championships over 100km in Belgium next year. On Saturday he will compete in an 80km race in Paihiatua from which selection will be made for a six man team to represent New Zealand against Australia in December. It was SSgt Robinson's individual entry in the Ruapehu Round the Mountain Race, along with his previous record of marathon running, that caught the eye of New Zealand Ultra Distance selectors. The 36 year old has been running competitively for the past 24 years, concentrating on

marathons since he underwent knee reconstruction surgery in 1985. He received rehabilitation treatment at the Otara Spinal Unit and gradually learnt to walk again. After six months he was running again, achieving a personal best of 2 hours, 23 minutes (fourth place) in a combined services team competing at the Fourth Sydney International Marathon in 1986. The marathon is the longest distance he has raced over. The commitments he has made to representative ultra distance have meant he has had to withdraw his individual Round the Mountain entry. He will still participate, running the first leg for a combined services team. He also intends running the last two legs as a training run. SSgt Robinson runs about 200km a week. The weather rules his training programme but he continues in all conditions. "I trained through the snow, running the graded roads. It's good out in the training area but that is subject to weather too. If it's too windy I can't go on the Desert Road or any other open areas." Waiouru to Ohakune or Taihape retum are regular weekly runs. He never runs the same road two consecutive days and believes motivation is a key component for long distance running. "I find it quite relaxing. I don't really switch off, just cairn down a bit. I often think about work and remember things. It is like a bring-up system. I get back to the office and start telling people what needs to be done." SSgt Robinson was posted to his position of Orderly Room Sergeant for the Army Training Group Support Unit in August. This gave him the opportunity to run competitively again. "I run from Ilam to lpm. In Waiouru it gets

cold very quickly in the afternoon so this is the . best time to be out training. The ATGSU have been flexible about my

hours. In turn I always , wear clothing that can be identified as Army at all the civilian races I enter. It's give and take."