Marathon event sponsors get ready to race

Blenheim New World supermarket owners Mark Elkington and Andrea Boock have not only secured naming rights for the inaugural Marlborough Marathon event on Saturday, December 4, but they are also taking part in it.

Elkington, a former Marlborough Red Devils and Harlequins rugby forward, who has completed three half marathons in the last 18 months, has caught the running bug and has his sights set on the 21.1km Marlborough half.

Boock has not competed in a marathon or half marathon before and, with four children under six years of age and a supermarket to run, training time will be at a premium. But she is attempting one of the shorter walking options and getting the staff to join in.

"We are encouraging a team from our staff to do it and we'll pay for them to enter. We aim to get 50 of us.

"It's a good team-building exercise and we challenge other workplaces to do the same.

"It's all about fitting in training, but I did the Saint Clair event last year and loved it. I'm going to run the 10km."

Elkington said the event was a good fit with their business.

"We see the Top of the South Events company track record. They have created iconic events and we believe this will be the same. It's something Marlburians can really get behind and we see it as a logical and exciting partnership for us.

"It's exciting to be naming sponsors. It's all about a healthy lifestyle and promoting our community and it brings people from outside to Marlborough."

More than five months before the New World Marlborough Marathon, and even though there has been little publicity to date, Top of the South Events spokesman Pete Halligan said more than 100 people had entered various categories.

He is confident their goal of 1000 competitors will be reached for an event which caters for all abilities over a full 42.2km marathon, as well as a 21.1km half, 10km and 5km run-walks, all of which start and finish at Market Place in Central Blenheim, taking in courses along the Taylor River walkway cycle system past Burleigh up through the Ben Morven, Fairhall, and Brancott areas.

To enter the event, go to marlboroughmarathon.co.nz or email Pete Halligan, info@tose.co.nz

- The Marlborough Express