09 FEBRUARY 2004.
Mayo cleans up in stair racing

By David Ogilvie
Two weeks ago Neil Mayo spent three hours cleaning the Durie Hill steps.
Why? Not because he had been a naughty boy.

Simply, he was concerned about the footing for his dash up and down the steps in the ACC-sponsored New Zealand Masters Games stairs run yesterday.

" I filled up a porridge bag with glass," course record-holder Mayo said yesterday after dashing to a win in 5min 54sec, some 12sec outside the record he set in 1994.

" The kids break the glass and leave it, and if we step on it with the pressure of coming down the stairs, anything could happen."

What  did happen, with the clean course, was that Wanganui’s Mayo dominated the event – as expected.

And he never expected to challenge his record.

After all, he’s 11 years older than when he recorded his fastest time, and his training as a distance runner these days is not suited to the quick-flex movement needed to get down the 355 steps in a hurry.

" I haven’t been doing any speed work or repetitions – that sort of thing," Mayo said. "That helps you build the thighs up for the power. The heat and the age are factors as well – but the training is the biggest thing."

Nonetheless, Mayo did better than he expected. In four training efforts up and down the stairs in recent weeks he didn’t manage to get much under 6min 30sec.

" I was hoping to go close to six, but I didn’t think I would sneak under it."

Mayo was chased by Palmerston North’s Paul Deruitz, who finished in 6min 17sec, and Wanganui’s Tom Bowater (6.51). First woman home in the 50-strong field was Wanganui’s Wendy Baker, in 8min 3sec, followed by Hunterville’s Christine Voelkerling.

There were a couple of oddities in the race – Wanganui’s Colleen Sloan and Auckland’s Antonia Bloem deadheated for the 60-plus women, and Wanganui’s Stewart Hilton apparently has to cook a big meal for brother-in-law Stephen Paynter after losing a bet on who would win. He lost by 20sec – so it’s into the kitchen.