Half Marathon - Last Minute Update

26 May 1997

Steve Moneghetti ruefully recalls the day rival runner Pat Carroll steamed past him during the Sydney Morning Herald half marathon. "He left me for dead in '94. I should know, I was behind him, so I had the best view," winced Ballarat's favourite son. Carroll responds with good natured rivalry: "You didn't put that in your book mate."

While most Sydney folk will be snuggling up for a rainy day breakfast, 4,000 runners, including Carroll and Moneghetti, will be pounding along the scenic 21.1 kilometre race route which sets out from Pier One at 7.30am.

Dwarfed by a plush couch in the Observatory Hotel at the Rocks yesterday, Carroll and Moneghetti joined top female runners Heather Turland and Sue Malaxos to discuss tactics and even venture a bet on the winning times. Carroll is predicting a 62 mins 5 secs sprint while Moneghetti - just back from the London marathon - is giving it 62.20. "That means he'll probably beat me by 15 seconds now," he said. Carroll, who holds the half-marathon record of 61.11 seconds, clearly recalls his moment of triumph when he steamed past Moneghetti. "It was a magic day, one of my best," said the wiry, carrot haired 35-year-old who can run a marathon in 2:09.39. "I even turned to the camera crews and said, "Gee I'm running fast, aren't I?'."

For Turland the half-marathon has sentimental value, and she has knocked back offers of more prestigious overseas events to take part. "This race means a lot to me," said the 37-year-old mother of four, a gym instructor from Bowral. "This is the event I came out of nowhere to win in 1994 - it was a big shock to myself and my family."

All the athletes have Olympic aspirations, and for Sue Malaxos, 35, the half-marathon will be a chance to convince officials that she should be allowed to join Turland on the Australian team competing at the World Championships in Athens in August.

But there will be plenty of mere mortals panting along the gruelling two-loop course from Lower Fort Street, past Pier One and Circular Quay, along Macquarie Street to Mrs Macquaries Chair and back down to Hickson Road. Contestants range in age from 12-82, and it will be the sound more than the sight of the run that will inspire Nick Gleeson, 36, a member of the first blind team to take part. "I enjoy the company of other runners, I can't look around, so having a chat passes the time," said Gleeson, who will have his wrist linked to a guide during the race. It's taken a while to master the technique, but Gleeson, who lost his sight in an accident when he was seven, is not easily put off and enjoys running, cricket and even sky diving. Gleeson's guide, runner Cathy Katen, also enjoys her role. "It's the blonde leading the blind," said the fair-haired athlete.

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