20-year pact sees veteran lace-up running shoes

Bruce Smith, a local electrician, is doing the 50th Rotorua Marathon. He previously ran the 21st and 30th editions.

Bruce Smith is an occasion runner - he's brought his running gear out of retirement for this year's Rotorua Marathon after a pact with his rugby mates 20 years ago.

Mr Smith, 54, has previously run two other Rotorua Marathons - the 21st and the 30th editions - and it's because of the jubilee year he is lacing up his shoes once more.

Today marks 50 days until the 50th marathon.

"After the 21st we always said we'd run the 30th, so we did," Mr Smith said. "After that we said we'd run the 50th, so 20 years later here we are running it. But there's only me and Kevin Symes, he's living in Tauranga now. He's not stopped running since 20 years ago but I did. I got on my mountain bike."

Mr Smith, who owns JB's Electrical, is one of the more than 100 runners training with the Lake City Athletic Club Marathon Clinic. He ran the Copthorne Hotel Offroad Half Marathon on Sunday and finished in 1h 46m.

"I signed up to the clinic to get me though, I don't think I'd be running as good as I am now without them. I've always had bike fitness but running is completely different."

For the 21st marathon, which he ran with Marist St Michael's clubmates, he ran it in just under three-and-a-half hours. He ran the 30th in just under four hours.

"But we didn't do heaps of training back then. If I could do under four I would be absolutely rapt. I was really happy with my half marathon time on Sunday. I really enjoyed it. It's harder now because I'm older, I don't know if I'm running any faster but it's harder on the knees and the recovery takes longer."

He said he can remember the crowds supporting runners at his previous events and there were more than 5000 runners on each occasion.