Running legend Rod Dixon visits Taupō

Rod Dixon meets with fans at the Taupō Shoe Clinic.

Rod Dixon - Former middle distance world champion and Olympic medallist and Aimee Elliott from Elliott Coaching visited Hilltop School, Taupō Intermediate School, and Mountview Primary School to introduce the Dixon’s KiDSMARATHON programme which starts in mid-May.

The programme will run for 8-10 weeks, and is for year 2-8 students in Taupō. 

Dixon has worked within America and in the Auckland and Nelson/Tasman areas with thousands of students who have taken part in the successful running and fitness programme. 

During this time the students will get to run the equivalent of a 42km marathon, running their final 2km at the TotalSport Taupō Marathon on August 3rd. 

This will be the first pilot year of the Central Plateau KiDSMARATHON programme in Taupō with plans to make it an annual event. 

Taupō Mayor David Trewavas, Sarah Shepherd, and other Rod Dixon fans got the opportunity to meet and chat with Rod at the Taupō Shoe Clinic on February 13.

A highlight for Rod was signing a framed photo of himself at the New York Marathon, that a Taupō Athletics and Hilltop student had asked for as a Christmas present from his parents. 

If anyone in the community would like to learn more about the KiDSMARATHON programme they can contact Aimee at elliottcoachingnz@gmail.com.