Squads join forces for marathon relay
TWO of the Far North’s elite running squads are more determined than ever to get their names in the record books after they joined forces to “smash” an official world record marathon time.
More than 80 young athletes from distance running group Pace Project and athletics development squad Aspire Cairns hit the track at Barlow Park on Monday afternoon with a goal of running a sub-two-hour marathon relay.
Pace Project coach Jill Boltz said the group didn’t just achieve their goal – they smashed it, completing the relay in 1:49:30.
“The kids loved it,” she said. “It was lots of excitement and a bit of fun for them.
“It wasn’t really a record, as such, but we set out to beat the world record marathon time.
“We did it as a relay and we beat it by 10 minutes.”
The official world record for the marathon is held by Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, who ran a time of 2:01:39 in 2018.
“Even the little ones got to have a run and they were so excited, jumping up and down thinking they were going to drop the baton, but they didn’t,” she said.
“When they crossed that line, just to be part of it, it was worth more than actually breaking the world record just to see their faces.”
Aspire Cairns junior athlete Grace Campbell, 10, said it was good to be back on track.
“It was so much fun and it good to be able to do it with the other team,” she said.
The two running groups were now seriously considering having a genuine attempt at a world record.
“There’s actually an official world record for a marathon relay,” she said.
“Now that we’ve done this, we’re thinking we might attempt that and try to get the Guinness World Records people up here. There’s variations, so we’re just seeing if there’s another relay one that would be better suited to the kids.
“We’ll make one up if we have to. We’ll do a relay while brushing your teeth at the same time. We’ll get in the book somehow.”
Coach Boltz, nee Hunter, is no stranger to world records.
In 1991, she broke the world record for the 10 mile run in New York.
editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost