Honest Perry
Runner relinquishes claim to New Zealand record after admitting he was driven for parts of the route.
WELLINGTON: A long-distance runner has relinquished his claim to have run the length of New Zealand in a record time after admitting he was driven for parts of the route.
When 64-year-old Perry Newburn arrived in the southern town of Bluff two weeks ago, he and his supporters said he’d run the 2,100km journey in 18 days and eight hours, just beating a record set more than 40 years ago.
But in a Facebook post last week, Newburn said that after reflecting on his effort, he didn’t want to claim the record.
“There were parts of the run where road/bridge conditions were totally unsafe to run and therefore I made the call to be driven through these parts – these decisions were my decisions,” he wrote.
Newburn said stormy conditions and sleep deprivation had also added to his problems toward the end of his run.
He said he’d succeeded in his main aim of raising money for an autism charity, and that nearly 200 people had donated over NZ$7,000 (RM20,150). In September, Newburn was the fourth man to finish a six-day endurance run in Adelaide, Australia, clocking up 573km, according to race records.
Not a typical endurance athlete, Newburn ate hash browns and drank chocolate milkshakes during his effort in New Zealand.
People who responded to Newburn’s Facebook post were generally supportive of him, writing that they appreciated his candour and his efforts for charity.
The record for the run was set in 1975 by Siegfried (Siggy) Bauer.