First Up Hugo Jones Wins Awards Agency 10,000m New Zealander Garth Barfoot Oldest in NYC Marathon Twilight Track Series WHAC Hoodies For Sale Otairi Station Mountain Bike and Trail Run Junior Interclub Entries Upcoming Events
First Up
On Saturday night, Newtown Park track hosts the Agency 10,000m Festival. It’s always a great atmosphere at this series of races, with food trucks, music and lots of cheering. You can expect some fast times in the elite races, and legendary masters runner Sally Gibbs will be aiming for another world record. Four years ago at the Agency event, Sally set the W55-59 world record with a time of 36:46. This year, she has moved up to the 60s age category and will be gunning to go under Japanese runner Mariko Yugeta’s mark of 37:57. Before Yugeta, the record was held by another Kiwi, Wellington’s Bernie Portenski, so it would be a nice mark to win back. For other runners, the opportunity to run in a pack or with pacers provides a great opportunity to post a fast time. Fully 40% of runners manage a new PB, according to the organisers. Although plenty of others — me included — have found the races tough going in the heat and inevitable Wellington wind. Don’t forget that on Sunday morning, WHAC hosts the November edition of the Honest 10K, starting at the Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg pool at 8:30 a.m. sharp. If you can help out with marshaling or pacing, please contact Paul Hewitson kiwiquaker@xtra.co.nz or Dave Carrigan taxingefox@gmail.com. Congratulations to Dan Clendon, who won the Remutaka Rail Trail Half Marathon by more than four minutes, in a time of 1:18:10. That’s a great time on a course that has a tough hill leading up to the halfway point. Full results here This week is the last week to get your orders in for WHAC hoodies, so send an email to Bertram if you want to be included. There is more information on that below. And let’s see if we can help make WHAC junior Scarlett Anderson’s movie fundraiser a big success. She is raising money to go on an Outward Bound trip and needs to sell nine more tickets to the movie Napoleon, which is screening at Brooklyn’s Penthouse theatre on Sunday, Nov. 26. More details are in the flyer below. For future newsletter items or suggestions, please email Nick Perry: nickgbperry@gmail.com
Hugo Jones Wins Awards
A massive congratulations to Hugo Jones, who won the College Sport Wellington award for Athlete of the Year in athletics for his outstanding high jump performances. You can see the full list of winners here Hugo also won this month’s Athletics Wellington award for the Senior Athlete of the Month. Athletics Wellington says in its citation: Hugo has made another promising start to his season, jumping 1.85m in his first meet
Agency 10,000m
From Wellington Scottish
When: Nov. 18
Where: Newtown Park track
The Wellington 10,000m Festival is the most popular set of 10,000m races in New Zealand. For the last five years, this has been a night of PBs for athletes of all speeds — 40 percent of athletes finished with a new best time.
As always, we will host a number of 10,000m races, and all will have packs of many different speeds to drag you to your new PB. Races are open to men and women of all age grades.
Schedule:
5:30 p.m. Mixed Community 10,000m B Race
6:45 p.m. Mixed Community 10,000m A Race
7:30 p.m. Women’s U20 5,000m
8:00 p.m. Elite Men’s 10,000m (NZ Championship) proudly sponsored by Te Ahumairangi Investment Management
New Zealander Garth Barfoot Oldest in NYC Marathon
The New York Times wrote a story about New Zealander Garth Barfoot, the oldest man to run this year’s New York City marathon:
Garth Barfoot’s training regimen has been fairly straightforward: daily runs to his favorite coffee shop and back home.
“It’s a decent distance from the retirement home,” Barfoot said.
The 87-year-old New Zealander, who lives in a suburb of Auckland, is the oldest participant at this year’s marathon. About 60 other registered runners are at least 80 years old, according to the New York Road Runners Club.
At just under 3 hours, he was nearing Mile 8 with an average pace of 22 minutes 27 seconds per mile. This won’t be Barfoot’s first marathon — he says he has run dozens of others, including last year’s London Marathon, which he finished in 8 hours 17 minutes and 19 seconds — but it is his first New York marathon.
“I’m getting decrepit by the hour,” he said in an interview, noting a series of health issues, in recent years, including a heart valve transplant and three hip replacements. “So I’ve got to sort of hurry up and do this race before it’s too late.”
Barfoot didn’t really get into running until his 50s, inspired by his wife, Judy.
These days, though, she doesn’t always support his exercise regimen, he says.
“‘Must you run every day, Garth?’” Barfoot said his wife says, adding, “‘You don’t have to do that — this is a retirement home.’”
From Wellington Scottish Dates: 15 November to 28 February Location: Newtown Park track Get involved in a series of fun, friendly, informal midweek track meetings at Newtown Park, run by Wellington Scottish and Athletics Wellington. These races are open to anyone who is a registered Athletics Wellington member. It’s a supportive environment and newcomers to track are really welcome. There will be four or five events per meet – a couple of sprints (100m,200m), one or two middle distance (600m to 1500m) and a 3000m or 5000m. The first event is 6:30 p.m. (finished by 7:30 p.m.).
We’re are always looking for volunteers to help with entries, starting duties and post event pack down.
Entry Information
$8 entry fee per meet
Entries close at midday on the day of the event – no late entries permitted.
We are planning to place another order for hoodies. Prices are confirmed as quoted below:
Children’s sizes: 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 – $60 each (add an additional $10 if you want your name printed on the back). Please note that the children’s sizes do not have a draw cord (it’s a health and safety thing).
Adults’ sizes: Small, Medium, Large, XLarge, 2XL, 3XL – $64 each (add an additional $10 if you want your name printed at the back). Note that they are a large fit so consider getting a size smaller if you prefer it fitting, or if unsure, try one of the many that are walking around! Also see the sizing chart below. If interested, please email your details to Bertram Manz: membership@whac.org.nz
Otairi Station Mountain Bike and Trail Run
From the organisers
Race Day: Saturday 3rd February, 2024
Otairi Station is a hill country sheep and beef farm in the Turakina Valley, Hunterville. The Station has been owned and run by generations of the Duncan family since its purchase from local Iwi and subsequent development from bush over 150 years ago. Today the farm is home to a team of farmers, working hard to produce quality beef, lamb and manuka honey. \ The 19km distance from the front gate to the back paddock with formed tracks encompassing the property make it the ideal location to host such an event on a private property. Race Options:
40km Trail Run
40km E-Bike
40km MTB
20km Trail Run/Walk
20km E-Bike
20km MTB
5km Trail Run/Walk
For more information, go to the Facebook page here
Junior Interclub Entries
Entries are open for the Junior Interclub competition. Please note that for the 2023/24 season there is a new entry system and fee. This fee is $20 for the full season of six meets, reducing to $14 for entry after Christmas (we have only two Junior Interclub in the New Year). To register in the interclub competition please click on the link below: (Note YOU MUST be a financial member of an athletics club to register). Click here
Season Calendar below. Please note there is a separate entry for the Colgate Games and Wellington Junior Athletic Champs
Interclub 3: Sunday 3rd December, Newtown Park Interclub 4: Sunday 17th December, Newtown Park North Island Colgate Games: Friday 5th to Sunday 7th January at Mt Smart Stadium Auckland, South Island Colgate Games: Friday 12th to Sunday 14th January at the historic Caledonian Sports Ground Dunedin. Lower Hut Medal Day: Monday 22nd January – Hutt Rec Ground Ribbon Day: 6th February, Aorangi Domain, Paraparaumu Interclub 5: Sunday 11th February, Newtown Park Interclub 6: Sunday 25th February, Newtown Park Wellington Junior Champs: Day 1 Sunday 3rd March Newtown Park Wellington Junior Champs: Day 2 Sunday 10th March Newtown Park Sunday 25th March Reserve day for Wellington Junior Champs
Upcoming Events
NOVEMBER
18th Agency 10,000 Festival, Newtown Park 19th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool
DECEMBER
3rd (Sun) Junior Interclub 3, Newtown Park 17th (Sun) Honest 10K, Whale Tail sculpture near Freyberg Pool 17th (Sun) Junior Interclub 4, Newtown Park
WHAC Board Information
If you have ideas for the club or any questions, please contact a board member or the secretary, Richard Swan (secretary@whac.org.nz). Your board members are: John Barrance, Richard Swan, Frank Evett, Paul Hewitson, Julie Richards, Gordon Clarke, Georgina Wedge, Bertram Manz, Vickie Humphries, Seth Campbell, Todd Krieble, Nathan Tse, Callum Stewart, and Graeme Morrison.
