Hamilton Marathon Clinic

Newsletter. December 2020.

The last month has felt a bit more real in regards to events. It is amazing how much the post event
socialising and prizegiving is an important part of an event. It gives a chance to chat and wind down. We
have had quite a few of our members competing and for a small club we appear to punch above our weight
with results. Due to a busy couple of weeks I need to get this out prior to the Jago Cup and Half Marathon
so the results for these and championship placings will be in the January Newsletter.

WALKERS

Our sport is quite unique in many ways, as there is so many different levels of competitiveness. There are
a few real athletes who have the realistic chance of winning events so compete for overall, the majority
who run at their own pace but find many of similar pace and use them as their targets and others who just
want to do their own personal thing whether its complete a new distance, get a good time or finish an
event. That is what is so wonderful about our events they cater for everyone’s abilities or otherwise. New
Zealand events are very good in recognising walkers and having a walking section. This has the advantage
of extending the competitiveness of x runners. You see competitors well into their eighties doing big events
with competitive times. While there are people who take up competitive walking at an early age (Olympic
style power walkers) the majority are those whose joints and muscles no longer stand up to the rigours of
running and walking appears generally to be low impact on the body though at same time allows people to
use their competitive streak. Walkers often use runners as targets during an event if there are no other
walkers at around the same pace and it is amazing at how often the walker receives complements on their
speed and also can lead to a bit of event camaraderie. At Hamilton half Marathon 2 years ago, I had three
or 4 runners tag onto me for the last couple of KMs and they pulled back and let me cross the line in front
of them as they said I had done the work and helped them at the end.

There are also people seen walking who will always be towards the end of the field and are never going to
be fast but are out there possibly doing distances and achieving things they never thought possible. To see
some of these people when they finish and get a medal for doing a 5 km walk and how proud they are you
realise they have probably found it harder and taxed themselves more than many of them so in some ways
their achievement is greater. If this leads to them continuing walking and assisting with their health and
wellbeing it is a good start.

Any runners who are struggling with injuries or are doing a slower pace, please come and join us on some
of our club nights, even if you combine a walk and jog, we welcome you

Coming Events December and early New Year.

1/12 Club Night Clubrooms 5.30

5/12 Pauanui Half Marathon Pauanui 5,10, half
5/12 Pirongia Trail Run Pirongia 3, 8, 13.5, 39
6/12 Club run/walk Clubrooms 8.00am
8/12 Peg run, Championship Clubrooms 5.30pm
presentation, BBQ
12/12 Raglan Karioi Trail Raglan 5,10,24
13/12 Club walk/run - Final Sunday TBA 8.00am
15/12 Club night (final) Laser guns set Clubrooms 5.30pm
up to try
18/12 Rotorua Suffer Blue Lake 10, half
9/1 River Trail Summer sizzler Mangakino 6, 11, 22
12/1 Club Tuesday night restart Clubrooms 5.30pm
17/1 Club Sunday walk /run restart Clubrooms 8.00am
23/1 Mount run Mt Maunganui 5, 10, ½ marathon
24/1 Club Walk and Blueberry pick Jarys Road Details next newsletter
30/1 Tussock Traverse Tongariro 6, 12, half, 32, 50
14/2 Blueberry walk/run trial for club Ohaupo 8.00am
helpers
21/2 Blueberry run Ohaupo
28/2 Glenview run
Club Awards Night Tuesday 8th December.
We will meet at club rooms for normal run/walks but tonight will be fun Peg Run event.
This will be followed by a BBQ and award presentation for club championships. The club will provide the
BBQ and salads etc but if anyone wants to bring a salad, desert or other goodies to share you are welcome.
Please bring your own drinks.
For catering purposes, we need names on the list in club rooms by the 6th December.
Members Results.
Please get results to me to include in Newsletters. Also, a couple of sentences about the event. I did get a
couple of comments. ! @#$% Train crossings and one that the Auckland Harbour Bridge is steep when you
have to run up it.
Pink Button run and walk Michael Robinson First finisher
Tauranga City to Surf Half Marathon walk. Ross Murphy 2.27.55 3rd overall 1st Male.
Kirsty Murphy 2.45.29 3rd Female
Auckland Marathon Dennis Jordan 6.18.42
Auckland Half Marathon Paula Leckie 2.18.13 1st Age Group
Taniwha Half marathon walk Dennis Jordan 3.21.00 7th overall
Taniwha 16 km walk (16.27km actual) Keith Flockhart 2.02.00 1st Overall
Waitomo Trail Run half Marathon Luanda Young 4.48.02
Queenstown Half Marathon Walk Keith Flockhart 2.40.08 10th overall 1st 60 -69 age group.
Jago Jup HMC Team 1st – Winner of Jago Cup

University Park Run.

Hamilton Lake Park Run has been going from strength to strength in popularity and with the Lake being
popular for non park runners also, it can become quite congested at times and the Park Run was possibly
running at its upper end in comfortable numbers. This led to the decision to set up a second Hamilton event
and under the guidance of Lex and a few others the University was chosen as a venue. Park Runs are 5km
in length and the course cannot cross any roads. After a few changes and fine tuning the event came into
fruition agreed at the start of November. Many Park Runners like to travel and do no Park Runs and there
were around 200 entrants at the first one, including a few HMC people. Lex, did the honours in cutting the
ribbon prior to the event and also was one of those completing it.
Round the Bridges.

This was the seventy fifth running of this event which has used various courses. I remember back when it
was an elite event for top runners and fields were small. The fun run in those days was the Riverbank Run
which at one time was sponsored by a long-gone Findlay’s Bakery our local bread maker.

With all the six and twelve km distances and children’s events there was over 6,000 entrants and the place
was crowded. There was the normal congestion at start line and this year also coming off the river path
and onto Victoria Street by Fairfield Bridge but otherwise it was smooth going for most of us. We had quite
a few of our members doing the event and thanks to Andrew and Beca we were able to meet at his offices
overlooking Garden Place and Victoria Street. Kirsty slipped getting off the decking and hurt her foot, she
decided to do the 12km she was entered in. She managed very well but needed to go and get it checked
after the event and found there was a broken bone so now in plaster for the next six weeks.

At the finish of the event we returned to the Beca offices where we were able to mix and mingle with
various other people including Achilles athletes and their guides and Beca staff. We were kindly supplied
with a BBQ and refreshments. A fitting and most appreciated end to an enjoyable day. A special thanks to
Andrew, and his work mates at Beca for the kind invitation.

Kirsty, Dennis, and Carol near finish. New medal Holder? Member of the month Jenny with Polly.

Member of the Month. November

This month’s member of the month has been awarded to Jenny Brady. Jenny has been competing for many
years and often seen at our club nights and events running with her partner in crime Polly. Jenny recently
completed her 33rd Rotorua Marathon. Obviously, this is her main marathon event and the distance of those
33 runs gives a total just short of 1,400 km. A great effort. Congratulations from the club.

Jago Cup

This was being run just on the publishing of the newsletter so results and write up will be in next one. If
someone who was there can do a quick write up, it would be appreciated.
 CLUB CHAMPS RESULTS 2020 incl 15k
Men Runners 5km 10km 15km 21km
Time Pl Pts Time Pl Pts Time Pl Pts Time Pl Pts Champs Champs
Total place points
Name Pts
Michael Robinson 19:53 1 10 44.31 2 9 1.05.07 1 10 29 1 20
Joel Collings 19:59 2 9 56.09 6 5 14 2= 14
Andrew Collings 21:51 4 7 50.53 4 7 14 2= 14
Lex Chalmers - 73.45 8 3 1.55.15 2 9 12 4 12
Mike Ward 24:53 6 5 56.11 7 4 9 5 9
Luke McDonald 47.43 3 8 8
Pete Young 51.33 11 1 - 1
Women Runners

Denyse Graham 24:33 1 10 53.35 1 10 1.18.55 1 10 30 1 20

Anna O’Connell 26:04 4 7 53.38 2 9 1.19.04 2 9 25 2 18
Kirsten Collings 24:33 2 9 1.30.02 3 8 17 3 17
Paula Leckie 28:50 5 6 65.36 3 8 1.42.57 4= 7 21 4 15
Anneliese Collings 25:25 3 8 74.53 6= 5 13 5 13
Jenny Brady 31:25 6 5 70.15 5 6 1.42.57 4= 7 19 6= 12
Dina Gibbons - 70.04 4 7 1.45 6 5 12 6= 12
Junior/lesser competitive

Male
Zavier Collings 12:48 1 10 23.04 1 10 19.53 1 10 30 1 20
Female
Kaewruellai Collings 12:48 1 10 23.10 1 10 29.53 1 10 30 1 20
Men Walkers

Ross Murphy 33:00 1 10 67.56 1 10 1.41.30 1 10 30 1 20

Keith Flockhart 34:18 2 9 72.49 2 9 - 18 2 18
Wilf Johnston 36:23 3= 8 76.38 3 8 1.53.39 2 9 16 3 17
Neal Utting 41:37 5 6 84.57 5 6 2.11.34 4 7 12 4 13
Dennis Jordan - 83.40 4 7 1.59.24 3 8 7 5 12
Neil Crocker 36:23 3= 8 - 8
Noel Sandford 48:50 6 5 - 5
Women Walkers

Sarah Campbell 36:22 1 10 74.10 1 10 1.52.09 1 10 30 1 20

Kirsty Murphy 40:03 3 8 77.00 2 9 1.53.39 2 9 26 2 18
Carol Downey 39:07 2 9 80.54 3 8 1.59.21 3 8 25 3 17
Lois Bydder 41:37 4 7 83.40 4 7 2.11.34 4 7 21 4 14
Heather Flay 87.08 5 6 6

With so much uncertainty this year it was decided as a one off that those people who completed three
events but not the half marathon would be awarded club medals, but not be eligible for the overall club
championship placings.
This also covers those who are no longer able to cover the event distances but did turn up and do a walk
at each event (Our three wise men - Evan Bydder, John Daische and Dennis Friedlander.)
We also had three members who did the timing, results or catering (Essential services to enable the events
to be run) and they will also qualify for a club medal this year. Colleen Nolan, Deidre Matson, and Diane
Oldham

STOP PRESS
One of HMC teams won the running section and Jago Cup finishing only 15 seconds outside estimated
time. Michael was in this team with Wilf, Joel and Anna. Michael was also first home at the University park
run the previous day so a busy weekend