Mandy Smith
In his army days, doing 55 press-ups and sit-ups and a 10km run was child's play for Porangahau School principal Robert Clarke.
But 16 years and 21kg later, he admits it's now a challenge. "When I was with the army, I spent four and a half years running 10km every
day, and wandering around jungle for days," he said.
"But when I left the army, I got the earrings, the long hair and the goatee and my guts started leading."
After hearing about his days in camouflage kit, Mr Clarke's Year 8 class decided to issue him with a challenge.
"They said 'don't just rest on your laurels, get out there and do something about it'."
Never one to wimp out of a dare, Mr Clarke, 38, is now training for the school's annual cross-country event at Porangahau golf course on August 29.
He used to run 2.4km in 8m 5s but recently it took more than 17 minutes to do the course - a D-grade effort in his books. So he bought a "heavy-duty bike" and has cycled the 12km to and from the local beach every day for five weeks.
"It's tough," he said.
"And there are a lot of kids who live along the way. They look out the window and laugh."
But the father of four reckons the end result will be worth it.
Pupils with the best times in the cross-country will enter the CHB schools' cross-country championships on September 14.
