Millie’s Marathon Effort

Millie’s Marathon Effort

Have you ever said “hello” to someone you see daily or weekly but never taken the time to really get to know the person behind the smile?  I was guilty of such a crime until one day when I crossed paths with “Millie” from Maxwell’s Drycleaners at the top of Victoria Ave.  It was early one Autumn morning before most shops were open and, as she always does, Millie was sweeping leaves and debris from the footpath outside her store.  I was intrigued by how worn down her broom was so I politely asked “why are you using such a worn out broom Millie?”  to which she replied “I’ve been using this broom outside this store for 21 years now and it still does the job”.  I’d known Millie for 9 years but this seemed a drop in the ocean compared to her long period of dedicated service firstly to NZ Drycleaners (18 years) and Maxwells (3 years).  I quietly pondered how many other people in the village could boast such an impressive number of years service to one business.  I decided that Millie deserved a new broom so I bought one from the hardware store and presented it to her in a small ceremony.  She accepted the new broom gracefully but to this day I’m not sure whether she uses it in preference to her old-faithful.  In talking further to Millie I discovered that there was a lot more to her life story.  In 1964 she was the fastest female marathon runner in the world with a time of 3hrs 19mins 33secs.  I was mesmerised as she described how she travelled to England, Spain, Belgium and Scotland throughout the 1960’s to compete in the world cross country championships.  I asked her if she ever went to the Olympics or Commonwealth Games but sadly women’s long distance running wasn’t accepted as an official sport until after she had retired.  Even her record marathon in 1964 was recorded as part of an official men’s race.  Millie finished competing in 1973 but by that time had been crowned Auckland women’s cross country champion from 1963 to 1965, then official NZ champion in 1966, 1968 and 1972.  In between running and travelling the world Millie Sampson was also a member of the Auckland women’s basketball team for 10 years during the 1960’s.  Next time you’re passing the drycleaners in Remuera spare a moment to smile and wave to a dedicated shop assistant who also happens to be a living legend.

 Milestones in the progress of the world’s best marathon times

Men

2h 05min 38s Khalid Khannouchi, US, 2002

2h 09min 36s Derek Clayton, Australia, 1967

2h 12min 11s Abebe Bikila, Ethiopia, 1964

2h 25min 39s Yun Bok Suh, Korea, 1947

2h 38min 16s Harry Green, GB, 1913

2h 46min 52s James Clark, US, 1909

2h 55min 18s John Hayes, US, 1904

Women

2h 15min 25s Paula Radcliffe, GB, 2003

2h 19min 46s Naoko Takahashi, Japan, 2001

2h 25min 28s Grete Waitz, Norway, 1983

2h 34min 47s Christa Vahlensieck, Germany, 1977

2h 49min 40s Cheryl Bridges, US, 1971

2h 55min 22s Elizabeth Bonner, US, 1971

3h 19min 33s Millie Sampson, NZ, 1964

3h 40min 22s Violet Piercy, GB, 1926