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Page 50 Wynnum High and Intermediate School
THE MARATHON-W.H.I.S. EDITION
Yes, that bane of the schoolboy’s life—the annual cross-country race
—had come around again. It was a hot Wednesday afternoon in
September when a record field of four-hundred odd unfortunates
assembled outside the Army Drill Hall.
The second formers, who were competing for the first time, and the
sub-juniors were inexperienced in this form of torture. While waiting
for the start the older boys regaled them with gruesome stories of boys
becoming lost for days in the terrible Lota swamps.
Finally they lined up and Mr. Perry gallantly fired a fearsome-
looking weapon. That great horde of athletes surged forward as one
body. To avoid being trampled, Mr. Perry was forced to take cover
behind a nearby telephone pole.
With a thunderous noise they charged down the the first hill, hoping
no doubt that their inertia would carry them up Peel Street. Preston
Road negotiated, they galloped down Whites Hill which those already
tired praised as a heaven-sent gift.
The hills of dusty Randall Road assumed Everest proportion to most
of the flagging throng, and sorted out the winners from the rest. The
bush-tracks afforded some very welcome shade but all too soon the road
was once more reached. All too soon for most that is; for the story
goes that a certain pair of fifth formers got lost while trying to find a
short cut. Crime does not pay !
After carefully negotiating the larger boulders on the Lota "horror
stretches" the panting horde saw the bitumen looming up ahead. The
bus depot was passed with many longing glances at those machines
which provide a somewhat easier mode of transportation than Shanks’
pony.
The road alongside the railway line was a bit of a grind for the
chuffing leaders, but it was an experience right out of this world for
the tail-enders.
Manly School left behind, the leaders ran up the Goat Track and
Ernest Street, while the rest of the herd staggered up behind them.
They coasted down Stradbroke Street and, those that could manage it,
sprinted to the finishing line on the new oval, urged on by female
admirers.
The race resulted in one of the closest finishes in recent years, with
Stewie Robinson of Wentworth beating Robin Christophers of Lilley by
three or four yards. Stewie’s time of 21 mins. 10 secs., was only four
seconds outside the record set up by Ralph Railings last year. John
Webb, who came third, deserves mention as he is the first runner from
Griffith House to gain a major place for quite a few years.
In this year’s race the international system of points scoring was
adopted for the first time. The first twenty runners in from each
House collected points, the points corresponding to their place. Naturally
the House with the lowest total won. Lilley, who were the underdogs
of the athletics carnival, surprised some people by emerging the
winners with 474 points. Griffith was fairly close with 519 points, while
Wentworth trailed the field with 979 points.
And so those fine athletes limped away, hoping that the next cross
country would take a long time in coming, and that the chemist would
have plenty of liniment.
PHEIDIPPIDES