First timers finish Fletcher

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 485, 11 May 1993, Page 1

First timers finish Fletcher

Seventeen people from their training. Cpl Fowler Waiouru competed in the is sure they'll be back for prestigious Fletcher more.

Marathon in Rotorua last weekend. Most were first time marathon runners and all finished the race. Corporal Marcus Fowler organised the group and then led them home with a time of 2 hours, 52 minutes. "It was awesome," said Cpl Fowler. "2500 people running and awesome support from the people of Rotorua. They would come out with their hoses to squirt you down - some offered handfuls of lollies. It was a heap of fun." The day was almost perfect, sunny with a slight breeze. The Fletcher marathon is one of New Zealand's hardest marathon courses, the only one internationally recognised. Usually only three or four people enter from Waiouru and Cpl Fowler believes 17 may be a record number. Although the runners did most of their training as individuals the group travelled together and supported each other throughout the race. One third were members of the newly-formed Waiouru Multi-Sports Club. Many of the 1 1 first-time runners had started with the Around The Mountain Relay, running two fiirther half rnarathons as part of

"There was a fair bit of hobbling going on afterwards but it wasn't too hard. Everyone seemed very happy!" WOl Dave Giddens won a major spot prize of $500 worth of clothing and Jenny Ives won a mystery weekend. Results: Cpl Marcus Fowler (2:52) Sgt Billy Unsworth (2:58) W02 Blair Corlett (3:37) Maj Phil Gibbons (3:52) WOl Dave Giddens (4:05) Karen Bulman (4:15) Julie Brownlie (4:19) Jenny Ives (4:20) Cindy Dean (4:26) Karen Taotahi (4:26) Eru Brown (4:40) Viviene Goodman (4:44) Margie Dennehy (4:59) Michelle Bateman (5:16) . SSgt Raewyn Ritchie (5:20) W02 Chris Willen (5:39) Ohakune runners Tom Spry, Colin Budge and John Kennedy of Ohakune completed the Fletcher International Marathon, held at Rotorua on 1 May, together with 3,000 other entrants. The 42km race around Lake Rotorua was run in cool conditions, with a very strong head-wind for the last 15km, which made conditions difficult. Turn to page 2

Fletcher runners finish

From page 1 Tom Spry, completing the marathon for the second time was the first of the three finishing in three hours and 25 minutes. Colin Budge and John Kennedy completed their first marathons in three hours 31 minutes and three hours 32 minutes respectively. All three persons were very happy with their times and are now lookihg forward to their next run, possibly the Hastings marathon in August.