Can you make a Silk Purse out of a cow’s ear?

Can you make a Silk Purse out of a cow’s ear?

By Mike Adler.

I literally WALKED into running. In the winter of 1975, to fulfil an ambition of many years to walk the Milford Track in South Island of New Zealand, I made a booking to do that hike in early January 1976.
Having no involvement in competitive sport since school days, and even then not having the capacity to “run out of sight on a dark night”, it was logical to attempt to get my 12 stone 7 lbs of flabby flesh into some sort of shape in order to obtain the fullest enjoyment from the trek – it involves 33 miles plus side-track walks to the spectacular Sutherland Falls etc., including the climb over 3,600 ft Mackinnon pass and is completed in 3 days.

I began training with long walks and even attempted to jog one lap of the local school oval [this was an excrutiating experience]. After 3 months of build-up I was able to cope with a ten mile course once each weekend, crossing Canberra’s Mt Majura (600 ft) and jogging the 2mile road downhill from the summit in walking boots. This walk plus a one-mile-a-day jog was my training routine for the final 13 weeks before the trek.

Christmas 1975 was the coldest for 28 years in New Zealand, but by the new year, the weather cleared to crisp, clear, sunny days over Milford – a rarity in a locality with a rainfall of up to an incredible 400 inches a year . The mountain peaks, 6000ft and higher, flanking the track were all snow-capped as a consequence of the cold spell, and snow melting to supplement the myriad waterfalls that abound in that area. This certainly enhanced the aptness of the famed title of “The most beautiful walk in the world”. And with “get fit” preparation standing me in good stead, I thoroughly enjoyed the highlight experience of my life.

On returning, I recalled the agonies of the early days of the “get-fit campaign and decided to continue the weekend jogging. Very soon afterwards the Press announced an 8 km Canberra day Fun Run to be held in March 1976. I was attracted by the fact that there was an “over 50” section, and would reach that mature milepost a month before the race. I stepped-up training to 4 miles twice each weekend. Two miles out, a five minute sit down to recover breath and strength, and then a weary return.

Came the big day and my first race at 50 years of age. I finished 405 th in 39:16 out of some 1200 starters and was thrilled to have beaten two thirds of the field. I wondered, watching the presentation (how naïve) if I was the first “oldie”. Imagine my stupefaction when it was announced that Mr Jack Pennington (some 3 years my senior) took out the honour, finishing 66 th in 31:32.

Thinking about it later, I recalled that the aforementioned J. P. when on the presentation Dais, appeared to be mortal despite what seemed a superhuman performance. Maybe it was possible? I kept jogging every Saturday and Sunday through the winter and when the inaugural Canberra Times Fun Run (10km) was held in September, I managed 224 th of 1600 starters in 40:00. That gave my confidence a great temporary boost, until I discovered that the legendary George McGrath filled 16th position in 31:55, then aged 56.

By the time Canberra Day 1977 arrived, training improved my place in the 8km event to 276 th in 36:30. A gain of 2:46 in the year and a bit closer to J.P. who was 91 st in 32:25. The A.C.T. Cross Country Club handed out a leaflet to the first 400 to finish, inviting participation in their winter programme. It was pointed out that “anyone who trains daily for at least half an hour cannot help but improve” this phrase caught my fancy and encouraged me to put it to the test. And I joined the club.

One of the features of processing results in this club is the computation of each runner’s performance as a percentage of the course record. These are averaged on the ten best performances each season and over a lesser number in the early part of the season. This allows each athlete to “compete against himself” in an endeavour to lift his rating through the season and to compare his performance in the same event year by year. My initial run in a 3.3 km in 13:51 earned a miserable 54.7%, which improved to a 61.5 % average over 6 starts.

Training daily for half an hour, regular Saturday afternoon racing and in company with 3 companions going for a long jog on Sunday mornings [which we built up from 8 miles early in the season to 18 miles on a couple of accasions] helped lift my percentage rating at the end of the first season to 72.8%. I even managed a first across the line in an 8 km handicap leading from near the turn in 32:32, and this was a great encouragement . The second Canberra Times Fun run this September over an amended course of 6 miles saw an improvement in the year of 3:43 to finish 83 rd in36:17 – only 59 seconds behind J.P. [54 th in 35:18]. I’m soon going to breathe down your neck ! JACK. (Dare I hope the day could come when you’ll breathe down mine?). A Veteran’s prize in a Fun Run at Cootamundra, Nowra and Bathurst completed a rewarding first season. The curious point is that my motivation for joining the Cross Country Club was expressly for the purpose of “keeping fit for fun runs” - but even at my age I think I’ve become “ hooked” on chasing “the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” alias the young faster runners out in front.

This is not penned out of vanity for what are really quite moderate performances. Perhaps it is published in the wrong place- preaching to the converted – bit if it helps encourage anyone else without any natural talent or ability, to make that extra effort, then it achieves my object.

I am self employed and consequently work a long day, I don’t have as much time available for training as I would like. But running appeals as a very good investment. You can get out of it every bit as much as you put into it (without the Federal Treasurer taking a slice), whether running against other Veterans or in open company. For the weight conscious, my 12 st 7 lbs is now a more manageable 10 stone 10 lbs and I did think of heading this story “Life begins at 50, or “Chasing THE JACK).

This article was published in “Veteran Athlete” November 1977. Mike was the printer of “Veteran athlete” from early 1977 to early 1979.