Counts sheep as he walks

Taupo Times, Volume 20, Issue 7, 28 January 1971, Page 10

Counts sheep as he walks

The holder of several world endurance walking records is taking part in the Napier YMCA walkathon from Taupo to Napier. But Mr J. Sinclair is walking both ways. He is sponsored for a considerable sum by the South African Consul and U.E.B. For Mr Sinclair the walk has a two-fold meaning He is raising money for the YMQA building programme and at the same time training for an attempt on the world non-stop endurance walk record. Mr Sinclair already holds the record, which stands at 215 miles 1670 yards, covered over a period of 47 hrs 42 min. It was set in 1969 on an airfield in Britain. He also holds several other walk records of world standing, among them from Pretoria to Capetown, and from Birmingham to London. The Birmingham to London walk was named the ' March of the Century' by the Guiness Book of Records. Mr Sinclair has also done several 1000 mile walks and has been presented with a silver medal, representing a 600 mile walk, and a bronze, for a 400 mile walk. Mr Sinclair, 52, has been walking for 15 years. Before

tdlCCI WI111C 1X1 U11C DlltlMl army and was rewarded for numerous feats of endurance by being made an honorary member of the regiment he belonged to. Af,ter leaving the army he lived in South Africa for several years and furthered his walking career by doing some long distance endurance walks, among them from Pretoria to Capetown and from Pretoria to Johannesburg. Mr Sinclair is a firm believer in physical fitness and does an extensive programme of training. He works as a turner in

Wellington and hopes to take up permanent residence in New Zealand Mr Sinclair started the first leg of his walk, from Napier early on Monday morning and reached Taupo 26V2 hours later He estimated the return journey would take a little longer because of traffic and general conditions. Asked whether he gets tired on his walks he answered, ' Yes, and keep on counting sheep as I Walk, which makes me sleepy.'