History of Around the Mountain Relay

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 563, 22 November 1994, Page 8

History of Around the Mountain Relay

In 1 970, Eru Brown was positioned as the senior Physical Training Instructor (PTI) in Waiouru. It was that year that Eru, and his eight PTI staff ran around the mountain for the first time. Eru said there were two main incentives to do this. First, it was to celebrate the selection of one of his PTI's, Buffy Milner into the 1 970 All Black team, and secondly , to raise money for a new swimming pool. (Which has subsequently been built) "I used to look at a huge pine tree right where the pool is now, and under the tree was a copper bath. I always thought, that's where our pool will go." "And when the news came through about Buffy' s selection, I knew a celebration was called for - to run around the mountain. We managed to raise $500."

"We had eight men in the relay team, and ran.two miles at a time, and kept rotating our members. We finished in 12 hours and 40 minutes," said Eru. The PTI's then raised a challenge for any unit to better this time, and also provided the opportunity for more fund raising for the swimming pool. For the next three years it became a regular event for army recruits and Regular Force Cadets to run around the mountain at the end of theirbasic training. They also tried to beat the PTI's record time. During these years they had 40 men in each team. Each man sprinted 300 metres each, and then runners were rotated. A vehicle would travel with the runner at 20 miles per hour, and as the runner tired and his pace decreased, another would start. Needless to say, the record was broken and a new record was set at eight hours. In 1976, Wayne Longley and Jack Haze were involved in the Tussock Stompers runners club. They set specific TURN TO PAGE 9

ATMR History

FROM PAGE 8 rules and regulations for the competition. That is as it is today, ten people run ten miles each once a year. The relay was open to civilians in that year. There were 12 teams in total, ten were Army, and two civilian. The civilian teams were organised by Toots Brown, Eru' s wife and consisted of Waiouru wives and dependants. Toots challenges Gail Todd to enter the team. These were the first two civilian teams to run around the mountain. Each year the number of teams entering grew and grew to become a very popular event. "I feel it's gone away from the original concept. We wanted units to challenge other units to enhance fitness and team work," Eru said.