Olympian inspires young marathon runners

Olympic medalist and former New York City Marathon winner Rod Dixon joined Appleby School students last week for their final lap as they completed their own staggered marathon.

His charity KiDSMARATHON has seen about 1.5 million primary school-aged children complete their own marathon over a school term both in the United States and New Zealand with the goal of inspiring the next generation to participate in sport.

Rod won the iconic race 40 years ago, overtaking the lead runner just several hundred metres from the finish line in the 42.2km race. It was 11 years after he won a bronze medal in the 1,500m at the Munich Olympics. He remembers being inspired by Sir Edmund Hillary speaking at his primary school and now he is doing his part to help inspire young people.

“At marathons, they often ask, ‘when did you start running?’ And they all say they started at school. We know the journey starts there; just getting the kids moving. It’s not about winning.

“It’s like the hare and the tortoise,” he told students. “You want to be the tortoise. Go out slow and steady and you will get across the finish line.”

Getting school children enthused will help keep them active through life, he says, which is the long-term aim. Every child that completes their marathon receives a medal to recognise their achievement and more schools and students are taking part.

“It’s like a snowball and it’s gathering momentum.”

Along with local former Olympic medal winner Lorraine Moller, he helped coach a local team of four runners who competed in this year’s New York City Marathon to raise funds and awareness for the charity including Nelson Mayor Nick Smith who was at Appleby School to run the last lap as well.

Nick says the satisfaction of finishing the race among 50,000 other competitors and receiving a finishers’ medal was huge and that was the why every child that finished their  marathon received a medal.

“To me, it’s more important that these students are finishing than winning.”