Sunday mornings are often a challenge for students indulging in a life of Hemingwayesque hedonism; even more so if you’ve got a 42.2km run lined up in less than an hour. This was the exact predicament a number of students found themselves in as the first marathon to be held in Ōtepoti since 2019 got underway on Sunday 11 September.
An astounding 1,646 Dunedinites participated in the day’s events, with 10% of them (165 intrepid individuals) going for the full send in the full-length marathon. What made this event particularly spectacular was the fact that it remained completely unremarkable and went ahead almost entirely as planned – notwithstanding a last-ditch Facebook appeal for extra volunteers the night before. After three Covid-disrupted years, this was as much as Ōtepoti’s running community could have asked for.
A lot of runners’ usually (annoyingly) infectious energy and cheer seems to have been sapped by gusty conditions, including a potent headwind down Portsmouth Drive. The blustery day claimed many scalps, including ultra-marathon runner Glenn Sutton, who was knocked over several times while running dressed as a giant can of Emerson’s Super Quench pilsner. The mood seems to have been summed up by a runner who, struggling into the gale, looked up at Critic Te Ārohi on the sidelines with pleading eyes and simply shouted: “Windddddddd!”
The tough battle made the finish sweeter, though, with jubilant scenes playing out at the finish line. Amongst tears brought forth by joy and lactic acid-infused muscles, Critic Te Ārohi yarned with two students recovering from their endeavours. Giles, high off a 6th place finish, enthused that it was “a marvellous day for a 10k”, suggesting it was the “lovely company” he had which made it such a special moment. Another student, Narayan, finished the marathon with a PB of 3:48, but lamented the cost that this tremendous result came at: “I ended up losing the energy to smile at people, which was a bit sad.”
A remarkable showing from many, the Dunedin marathon could be regarded as one of the greatest testaments to the calibre of students on Otago’s campus. If anything, it shows that students are always game for a challenge, even if it involves sacrificing unholy amounts of time, money and pleasure – whether your challenge is a 42.2km run, or just doing a degree.