‘Legend’ inspires runners
‘‘We . . . run half marathons and climb up tall buildings [to keep fit].’’ Canterbury firefighter Philip Hunt
Panting, puffing and wringing with sweat, Darfield firefighter Philip Hunt could barely form a sentence when he staggered over the Run to Remember finish line in full firefighting kit.
Wearing 23 kilograms of gear, including a thermo-insulating suit spiking temperatures inside his jacket to over 40 degrees Celsius, he was one of a handful of emergency service workers to complete the 10-kilometre race though Christchurch’s Port Hills yesterday.
While each of the 1300 runners had their own reason for joining the February 2011 earthquake memorial run, Hunt’s logic was simple: ‘‘We do stupid stuff like this and run half marathons and climb up tall buildings [to keep fit].’’
February was a busy month for the Darfield Volunteer Fire Brigade. After spending a week in Nelson fighting the massive blaze that consumed parts of the Tasman district, Hunt returned to Christchurch for a few much-needed days of relaxation – and plenty of beers and junk food.
This run, with Fire Fit Canterbury, was in honour of firefighting comrades affected by Canterbury’s earthquakes.
‘‘This guy’s an absolute legend, my inspiration . . . he’s the man,’’ one admirer at the finish line said.
Running alongside Hunt were fellow firefighter Aaron Cassie and the Carlton Redcliffs hockey team, each member wearing a red singlet embossed with AH 11.
Jacqui Moorfield said the team – including Julia Chamberlain, Roel Kuyvenhoven, Jenna-Rae McIntyre, Ruby Hauschild, Jane Jenkins and Francesca Williamson – ran together every year in tribute to former team captain and No 11 Amanda Hooper. The number had since been retired.
Hooper represented the NZ Black Sticks, gaining 40 international caps between 2001 and
2003, represented Canterbury for 55 caps and was the mother of two daughters, Aimee and Keily. The
30-year-old was an account manager at Marac Finance and was working on the second floor of the PGC building when it collapsed during the February
2011 earthquake, taking her life.
Moorfield said the run was a great opportunity to bond as a team and remember Hooper.
Pop tunes and high fives from Harold the Giraffe were on hand to lift the mood when light drizzle set in, and bananas and water bottles under the final flags were in keeping with the event’s healthy message.
Sport Canterbury chief executive Julyan Falloon said the turnout was better than expected.
‘‘It looked like it was really going to rain so we’re lucky the weather came right and plenty of people turned up on the day.’’
He said the run was a ‘‘good time to reflect and remember, and as time goes on it becomes even more important to have that catalyst to look back on our city’’.
Finishers like Samantha Seal were greeted with a hug at the finish line, hers from her daughter. ‘‘I’m training for the Queenstown Half Marathon so this was a really good practice run.’’
Luke Dowle, 10, beat his mother and golden retriever to the end, finishing with a big smile and enough energy to do it again.
‘‘[The dog] should be faster than me because he has four legs and I’ve only got two, but I still beat him easy.’’