It might well be a busy fortnight. Adrian is organising a training session this coming Sunday, February 1st. It’s the first live race of this year at Simister on February 7th and your Virtual 5 km time needs to be submitted by midnight this Saturday, January 31st.
Adrian, Sailash, Nigel and Roy enjoying the Sunday training session
Adrian Edwards will be organising the next Club Training Day on Sunday, February 1st at the Stockport Woodbank Park track from 12 noon until 5pm. New faces very welcome.
Six years ago, a great photo of John Crahan and Joe Hardy in fierce combat approaching the finish
Everything is in place for the much awaited first club race of 2026, the Sam Shoebottom 10 kilometres on Saturday, February 7th. As usual it will take place from the Lady Wilton Hall, Simister, Manchester M25 2SB, starting at 1.00 p.m. As always it will be helpful if you can let Dave know if you are able to attend and in what capacity at dave.evans08@hotmail.co.uk.
As is now our custom the first event in the 2026 calendar will be the Virtual 5 kilometres. Clockings should be with Tony at tonymtaylor@gmail.com by midnight [UK time], Saturday, January 31st, 2026. Over the past few years you have all been brilliant, sending anecdotes and photos to add interest to the overall result. Please continue the tradition.
Back in 2023 everyone was very generous in celebrating my 70th year in race walking. And Greg Smith is catching up. As of this January 2026 Greg marked his 60th year in the sport by race walking the Ormskirk Park/run. His debut six decades ago took place on January 1st in the Essex Beagles Open Boys 1 and 7/8 miles staged at the then famous Chigwell Row. Why not 2 miles!!?? At the very least, I hope Greg’s achievement is recognised at our first ‘live’ race, the Sam Shoebottom 10k at Simister on February 7th.
John Webb, an inspiration to young ‘uns such as Greg down in Essex made his breakthrough in 1966
I hope Greg’s example inspires everyone to hit the tarmac and submit their best 5k times by midnight, Saturday, January 31st to me at tonymtaylor@gmail.com. Supporting stories and photos will be gratefully received.
I am pretty sure that I first met Frank in June 1980 as I passed him a sponge as he competed in the Blackpool of that year. I had no recollection of his smiling face from earlier years, which made his presence in a One Hour race result from 1968 perplexing. After some detective work we are pretty sure that the Frank in the 1968 is Frank Dawson from Preston and not the Frank Dolan of this tribute, who hailed from Carlisle. A case of mistaken identity.
In the flesh, by all accounts, it would have been impossible to mistake Frank for anyone else. He possessed a warm and witty personality, which made him very popular as attested by Richard and Sandra Brown.
Very sad news. We remember Frank well from happy years at the Roubaix 28h with Phil Hastings, Charlie Weston, our current Centurions Captain Roger Michell and others. Our condolences to Family and friends at Lancs WC. Best wishes, Sandra and Richard C735, C 760.
In fact his formidable achievements on the road in the longer distances have been perhaps overlooked, even in our own ranks. Frank is our most prolific 100 miler, having completed four, one more than the marvellous Hazel Fairhurst. In addition he finished two further Hundreds on the continent – see below. This information was found by Roy Gunnett in the programme for the London Vidarians 1996 ‘Colchester 100’, which Frank didn’t finish or perhaps didn’t start.
Frank’s accession to the status of Centurion came in the much talked about Surrey WC 1979 Ewhurst 100 Miles where a record UK 100 Miles field of 107 started – 78 finished (37 were new Centurions). Frank clocked 21:33.14 to be presented with Badge No.656. His fastest time of 20:26:25 came in 1986 at Woodford, which itself was only one minute faster than his 1985 Colchester clocking – a model of consistency.
Frank’s first Manchester- Blackpool saw him on the road in 1980, when he was first counter for our club, just ahead of Eric Crompton.
These are his performances in the years following:
1982. 18th. 9:43:33. Walked for York Postal RWC
This was the year in which Mike Holmes after a long gap because of his diabetes went under eight hours and Tony Malone walked a fine race to finish 3rd.
1983. 13th 9:30:45. Walked for Carlisle AC
Frank came in behind those redoubtable women, Sandra Brown 11th and Anne Sayer 12th.
1984. 18th. 9:50:32. Walked for Lancashire WC
Held in early August, Mike Holmes won again in just over 8 hours on a course slightly lengthened because of road works.
1987. 17th. 9:42:17. Walked for Lancashire WC
The acclaimed winner was the irrepressible Dave Turner of the Yorkshire RWC.
1988. 9th. 9:23:22. Walked for LancashireW WC
The victor of the last race to be held on the point-to-point Manchester – Blackpool course was Alan King of the Leicester WC, who had always been staunch supporters of the event.
How very sad, as we reflect again on the great days of British Long Distance Walking. May he Rest on Peace. Sincere condolences, Bill and Kath Sutherland
1979 Ewhurst 100 Miles – Incredible Centurion numbers. I remember Frank in the Manchester to Blackpool walks, the Centurions Honorary Treasurer Richard Cole.
Frank was a great guy and an asset to York Postal RWC, Graham Jackson
Unfortunately we only heard recently of Frank’s death and the date of his funeral, which took place on January 2nd. Belatedly we are sending our sincere condolences to his family and friends in Carlisle.
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The New Year begins with sad news. Frank Dolan, a club stalwart in the 1980s and Ken Harding, an outstanding race walker across the second half of the 20th century both died recently. Frank raced in the famous 1979 Ewhurst 100 Miles, where a record UK 100 Miles field of 107 started, of which 78 finished, 37 being new Centurions. He clocked 21:33.14 to be presented with badge No. 656. Ken, at the age of 96, passed away on Christmas Day. He won the inaugural AAA Junior One Mile track championship in 1947. Almost 30 years later, representing Great Britain in a French Invitation 100 kilometres race he was an exceptional third, clocking 9:43:40 for the distance. Fuller tributes to follow.
Quite some time ago Ron Wallwork put together the following results of the races held under the banner of the Stretford Track and Field League from 1967-1974. I wanted to provide some context to this revealing data and at first I was confident I would track down the history of this significant initiative. Alas, this has not been the case. Even the website of the Trafford Athletic Club, successor to the original 1964 Stretford AC, in its historical section, mentions the League only in passing. Although it does recognise the innovative contribution of Roger Colson, who was working as civil engineer for Stretford Borough Council and running for Manchester AC as one of their top middle-distance runners.
In 1964 Roger was approached by Alderman Armitage of Stretford Borough Council for support in setting up an athletics club based at the newly-built Longford Park Stadium. Roger became the club secretary, initially sharing the role with another local runner, Ken Owen.
Roger displayed an insatiable appetite for new ideas, which far outlasted his Stretford AC years. It is perhaps significant that he seemed to value innovative projects in their own right rather than just as devices for raising funds for the club or its public profile. At various times he instigated the Club press cuttings files (assiduously maintained for over 15 years), paarlauf sessions at Longford Park, the Stretford Track and Field League (which eventually became a role model for promoters, with Roger writing a “how-to” guide on the subject), the Club Newsletter (which Roger wrote and printed at home on an old duplicator in his outhouse), sales of affordable athletics kit at the track (for which he set up his own sports goods business).
A track race at the Longford Stadium in the 1980s – Thanks to Trafford AC
My scratchy memory is that the League took place on Tuesday evenings during the summer, roughly 4-6 times. The first event was the walk, starting around 6.30 p.m. according to the distance. The final event, a 3 miles or 5,000 metres race took place at the latest by 9.00 p.m. The League did attract high quality fields, especially in the middle distances with the British Milers Club of the time to the fore.
Ron comments: I found the research into the Stretford League so interesting as its span; 1967 to 1973 was a period of a thriving club; Healthy turnouts, performing at a good standard (albeit without the complication of the A rule) national senior and junior success and new talent, the likes of Tony Malone, Eric Crompton and Chris Harvey.
I hope the results attached bring back memories which for the most part are of great times.
The elephant in the room is that 1973 saw a group of us, Ron, myself, Julian Hopkins, Chris and Warren Bolton, together with Fred Pearce and Guy Goodair join Blackburn Harriers. In retrospect it was a huge mistake. However the principal reason for our departure, our desire to emphasise race walking as a discrete discipline within athletics as a whole was not without its merit. Given this post is focused on the Stretford AC Track and Field League the reader might well wonder why we didn’t consider a move to Stretford rather than Blackburn. As it was, within only a few years all of us had returned to Lancashire’s colours, apart from Ron, who had embarked on a new career, moving to Leicestershire and East Anglia. One of these days I will offer a fuller account of this short-lived dramatic interlude in our club’s history.
Returning to our subject, the Stretford League, it continued for a good few years and drawing on Tony Malone’s diaries I will provide further evidence of its impact on our club’s members.
To close, on an indulgent note, one of my specific memories from May, 1974 is of going under thirteen minutes for 3,000 metres at around 7.00 p.m and being challenged at 9.00 to run the final 3 miles race under fifteen minutes. I didn’t manage it, failing by 10 seconds but gave it a crack. Looking back it is sobering to reflect that I thought I was motoring, doing around 75 second laps!!!
Thanks to Davy Crockett at the brilliant ultrarunninghistory.com
My sincere thanks to Chris Bolton and Dave Ainsworth for sending this link to both an article and a podcast celebrating the amazing achievements of Sandra and Richard Brown.
Sandra was the very first person in the world who finished 100 100-milers and the first to reach 200. By the end of July 2021, Sandra Brown, age 72, of England had accomplished a world-best, 208 100-milers, walking and running on tracks, roads, and trails in various event formats. About 160 of her 208 100-milers were accomplished in less than 24 hours, also a world best.
The World’s Greatest
Sandra Brown is the world’s greatest woman ultra-distance walker ever, but she was also a world-class ultrarunner and still is for her age-group. In 2018 she was 69 years old and completed eleven 100-milers that year, including some sub-24-hour 100-milers.
Her 208 100-milers came in several different types of walking and running events on tracks, roads, and trails. These types of events will be described in this article. She is the holder of current world records and it is time that the ultrarunning community learn about Sandra and her amazing accomplishments.
Also on the100x100 list is Sandra’s husband, world-class runner and walker Richard Brown, who delights in being overshadowed at times by Sandra’s accomplishments. They are inseparable and have been married for nearly 50 years. Richard has finished about 140 100+ mile events.
Following this intro Davy delves fascinatingly into Sandra and Richard’s career. In painting the backcloth he is at pains to explore the history of pedestrianism, the definition of race walking and the significance of the Race Walking Association, the Centurions1911 and the Long Distance Walking Association.
To whet your appetite here is the tale of their first foray in 1982.
They quickly entered their first 100-miler later that year, the LDWA Pilgrims Hundred from Guildford to Canterbury along the route taken by many pilgrims to the shrine of the murdered Thomas A’Becket. The event started around noon. They carried haversacks (day packs) and walked and ran in boots.
By the next morning, they reached a breakfast stop at about mile 65. Richard took his time there and said he “slumped down and looked at corn flakes for about two hours which was the maximum amount you were allowed to stay at a checkpoint. Sandra meanwhile was kind of bounding around, ‘well I’ll see you at the finish’ and got up and charged off to the finish. I staggered out with about one minute to go.” He slowly made his way to Canterbury.
By the time Richard got to the finish, Sandra had showered, changed and had been sight-seeing around the famed cathedral. They headed home on the train. Getting off the train at Victoria station was a problem because it was so painful stepping down getting off to the platform. They walked so slowly that they were “overtaken by old grannies pulling their suitcases.” That was their first 100-mile finish. Little did they know what they had unleashed.
From thence their amazing exploits are revealed in many an anecdote. The final one is to be found below,
200th 100-miler
On March 30, 2019, Sandra accomplished her 200th 100-miler finishing Dublin to Belfast 107-miler. Two days later she turned 70 years old. Sandra reported about her 200th. “The journey along the old roads between the two cities takes you through historic towns and villages, past castles and crofts, megaliths and monuments, along the coast and through the lovely rural landscape of the Mountains of Mourne. It’s quite a tough event, far from flat, and [for those like us without a support crew] you need to carry a pack with all necessary gear including clothing, torches, food and enough drink etc. for some longish distances. The time limit was 36h and Richard and I walked all the way in about 27h50m”
By the end of July, 2021, Sandra had accumulated 208 100+ finishes. The pandemic had paused her continued 100 quest. Here 208 list comprised of 87 fixed-distance events of 100+ miles or greater, 105 events of 24/28-hour events, and 16 multi-day events.
Enormous thanks and respect to Davy Crocket for putting together this tribute. I would urge you to explore further the incredible tales to be found on his ultra running website.
Davy’s article is complemented by the 2020 piece we posted on the occasion of Sandra and Richard’s Golden Wedding anniversary, where you will find more engaging stories, particularly about the Blackpool Walk and some striking photos plus links to Tim Erickson’s bios.
Double victors, Manchester to Blackpool, in 1993 with the Mayoress on the promenade
The always highly impressive Sandra Brown, now aged 76 and capable of bettering athletes half her age – and younger – set a new Over 75 world record when winning the UltraBujassot 48 Hours’ race in Spain, covering 248.8 kilometres in so doing. What next you ask? – as these wonderful reports just keep on coming. Our congratulation to Sandra (Surrey Walking Club & Centurions). Please see film clip of her positive strides towards the finish.
Above -the amazing Richard and Sandra Brown after completing the Flower of Suffolk 100.
This is Richard’s 150th 100 mile (or more!) event and Sandra’s 220th 100 mile (or more!) event. Both started their LDWA 100 career in 1982 and Sandra has completed 23 LDWA 100s and Richard slightly fewer than 20. It’s fair to say, that’s a lot of walking.
On the walk, Sandra said “it was a brilliant event, the route description was excellent, the checkpoints were uniformly wonderful and it was a lovely walk”, with Richard adding that “we didn’t know the area, it’s lovely to be here”.
SEASON’S GREETINGS TO ALL OUR MEMBERS AND FOLLOWERS
THE SAYING, PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWILL TO ALL MEN, HAS NEVER BEEN MORE PERTINENTAND YET SEEMINGLY SO FAR AWAY
Marilyn Taylor’s painting of a snowy scene at Christmas in Greece
As is now our custom the first event in the 2026 calendar will be the Virtual 5 kilometres. Clockings should be with me by midnight [UK time], Saturday, January 31st, 2026. Over the past few years you have all been brilliant, sending anecdotes and photos to add interest to the overall result. Please continue the tradition. Can anyone match the story-telling talents of Steven Wilde?
Do you recall his witty story from last year?
Virtual 5k Time 38’14”, Bolton Road (A6), Chorley on Saturday 25th January, 2025
Weather:- cool but sunny
This was an undulating out and back route, which occasioned me to pass the Yarrow Bridge public house twice, which proved to be problematic.
On the first approach to the pub it became obvious that a large number of young adults were in attendance at, as I was later to discover, a 21st birthday party.
Many of the attendees had spilled outside into the beer garden and to use the parlance of our time, things were ‘kicking off’.
At this juncture I was subjected to a degree of verbal abuse as I walked past the pub, with no shortage of industrial language and rude words of Anglo-Saxon origin, enough to give swearing a bad name.
Some twenty minutes later, on the return leg, the fracas, or melee, had escalated, with party food now being hurled, or chucked, every which way, as I became an easy target in the crossfire.
Walking the gauntlet, I was struck with chicken legs(extra tasty), whist pies, vol-au-vents and sausage rolls, as well as a range of vegetarian options.
A dollop of jelly and custard was aimed with precision into my left ear-hole , which temporarily rendered me a trifle deaf.
Understandably, this experience knocked me off my stride, and I suspect my finishing time might have been quicker had I not received such a buffeting.
With kind regards and much poetic licence
Steven- none the worse for wear after the New Year culinary assault
Our Xmas race honours annually the terrific contribution made to our club by Dick Maxwell. However, while researching into our Centurion legacy, I alighted upon the result of the 1977 Bristol 100 miles event, which featured another Maxwell, namely Bill. Such a delightful character he was a product of the Leyland tradition, which deserves more attention in a future post. See the Bristol result below and note, of course, that Eric Crompton is another proud Leyland lad.
Correction from Jonathan Hobbs, gratefully received, as I am misinterpreting the Bristol result below. I blame the village red. Bill Maxwell had actually qualified as a Centurion in 1973, hence the Centurion number 509 after his name. This means that both Vic Murray and Dave Breen were becoming Centurions on that day – C612 and C617 respectively.
Bill Cowley racing with a smile on his faceAtmospheric photo of Eric leading this trio in the Manchester-Blackpool
Added note from Steven Wilde, for which much thanks.
The ‘atmospheric’ photograph of Eric Crompton looked familiar to me as a Chorleian, and for what it’s worth, I am able to identify the precise location. The 3 walkers are passing the main entrance to Astley Park, in Park Road, Chorley. The dominant buildings on the left, now demolished, include the Odeon Cinema and Royal Oak Hotel. The cyclist behind the walkers has just passed a building which was the birthplace of Sir Henry Tate who did well for himself in the sugar trade (Tate & Lyle) before establishing art galleries. There is now a Wetherspoons pub in the town named after him.
Dave Evans reports:
Not even the likely presence of driving rain and blustery winds prevented the Dick Maxwell Christmas walk from going ahead so 9 brave souls toed the starting line ready to face the elements. Injury and holiday commitments reduced the field somewhat.
Roy clearly pleased and on form
Roy Gunnett continues in very good form but it was the following entourage that made the other places more unpredictable particularly with Dan Maskell joining us from Brighton.
Great to see Dan up north
At halfway in the 10k Roy was on course for a potential 70 minutes or less with Steve Wilde less than 100 metres in arrear. 46 seconds covered places 3 to 7 at the 5k turnaround so anything could happen.
Joe looking a trifle astonished
Steve, Pat and Andrea concluded their race at this point leaving Dan, Glyn, Greg and Joe to complete the second part of the challenge.
Steven with his heroes
Dan has recovered his form leading in Roy’s pursuers with an almost perfect split over the 10k distance. Phil McCullagh almost did the same while Glyn walked well giving years to his fellow walkers.
Phil chuffed with the first Xmas card of the year
SCRATCH 10 Kilometres
Roy Gunnett 71:35(35:02/36:33)
Dan Maskell 74:00(36:59/37:01)
Phil McCullagh 74:11(36:59/37:12)
Glyn Jones 75:23(37:14/38:09)
Joe Hardy 75:56(38:25/37:31)
Greg Smith 78:12(37:39/40:33)
SCRATCH 5 Kilometres
Steven Wilde 35:29
Pat Evans 37:45
Andrea Lennon 45:38
Glyn continuing to defy his age
HANDICAP 10 Kilometres
Dan Maskell 60:20
Roy Gunnett 65:00
Phil McCullagh 65:51
Glyn Jones 66:03
Joe Hardy 66:11
Greg Smith 68:42
AGE-GRADED
Glyn Jones 82.83%
Joe Hardy 80.84%
Roy Gunnett 80.35%
Andrea Lennon 79.77%
Pat Evans 79.51%
Dan Maskell 77.73%
Steven Wilde 71.49%
Greg Smith 68.44%
Phil McCullagh 67.72%
The opening highlight of the Christmas meeting was the awarding of Life Membership to Bill Cowley, Centurion number 319, now 93 years of age, who achieved this great feat in 1961. He is still mobile and we understand he is currently the second lowest centurion number holder . To make his appearance today he was brought to Simister by Chris Bolton, Centurion number 332, who is number 4 on the list of surviving centurions.
Wonderful to see Chris and Bill, proud to be Centurions and amongst the oldest still on earth!
Our other special guest was Eric Crompton who has continued to give great service to Lancashire WC and he too was awarded Life Membership. Eric performed at a high level and was probably unlucky not have been awarded an international vest. We will detail the performances of both our new Life Members on the club website in due course.
Eric receives his very well-deserved Life Membership
As well as helping to officiate today we must thank Chris Harvey for his generosity providing six prizes for the race and Chris Bolton for not only helping with recording but also giving every attendee a large gold medal encompassing chocolate and wrapped in a pouch endorsed with the club logo. Many thanks to both for their generous support . Thanks also to Pat Evans for supervising the catering arrangements and Greg Smith for adding to the food pile !
Thanks as ever to Greg for the photos.
THE BRISTOL 100 MILES – 1977
Result sheet of the 1977 Bristol 100 where Bill Maxwell became Centurion 509 . Together with Vic Murray and Dave Breen he made up the LWC team.
Details re the January Virtual 5 kilometres to follow.
Everything is in place for a successful end to our year’s fixtures on Saturday, December 6th in Simister. The village hall will be open from 11.30 a.m. and the race proper will commence at 1.00 p.m. As is usual it would be really helpful to let Dave Evans know if you are able to attend and in what capacity – see dave.evans08@hotmail.co.uk.
The turn in Heaton Park is now around the triangular island with its striking tree
Hopefully in the next month, ahead of Christmas, I’ll post a number of partly historical pieces, which you will find of interest.
1. Ron Wallwork has pulled together all the LWC results achieved in the highly thought of Stretford Track and Field League from 1967-1974. Fascinating.
2. Following on from Tom Bosworth’s revival of the One Mile track walk, we will look back at the history of this ‘Blue Riband’ sprint event and its significance for young, up and coming athletes. There was an Amateur Athletics Association Junior One Mile championships, in which Ron Wallwork finished third in 1959 and was the champion in 1960.
3. We’ll also dig out more results from Xmas races across the years. I tripped over this one from 1968, where I lost out to Dave Vickers in a dip-finish – fifty-six years ago!
Dave Vickers is on the far left with Shaun Lightman [153], Jake Warhurst and George Chaplin [44] in the leading groupAnother glimpse of Dave [19] in the colours of Bolton UH starting in the Parbold Hill race
It is with great pleasure and with his permission that we reproduce this revealing and affectionate article by five-time Olympian, Chris Maddocks about the mad and fabulous legendary Ed Shillabeer.
Chris begins:
I’ve known Edmund Shillabeer for the best part of 50 years. He was a positive influence throughout my 20-year Olympic racing career. I am proud to call him a close friend. Respected by all who know him; people smile and are most likely to use all manner of superlatives when describing him…legend, superman, mad but fabulous. His positive attitude is infectious, his longevity, his consistency, his achievements, ‘Edbanger’ is a doer blessed with innate determination. From dawn to dusk and beyond he spins so many plates.
Sixty years a veterinary surgeon, he finally retired in 2024. Throughout his life he has been a member of many organisations, patron of this, President of that, even a staunch political supporter. A family man with three grown up children, a son and two daughters who, whilst being immensely proud, may sometimes have cringed at their dad’s attire and wonderfully eccentric personality. Proudly British, any opportunity to wear red, white and blue and he will carry it off with a certain panache. He is synonymous for wearing union jack shorts whilst racing and undertaking numerous fundraising challenges. Three years ago, he thought nothing of travelling on his own to London, queue for 11 hours, pay brief respects to our late Queen lying in State, back to Plymouth ready for surgery work in his veterinary practice the next day.
Ed has dedicated much of his life to helping people and animals often with the kind of physical challenges few other people would even contemplate. Taking all necessary precautions, at the height of the COVID pandemic and lock-down, he kept his practice open where others closed. Personal difficulties did not stop him thinking of those less fortunate. In March 2022 Rotary club activities included helping to organise a consignment of essentials delivered to the Devon Rotary hub for onward travel to a major warehouse in Poland from where the distribution to Ukraine was made. He continues to help facilitate mercy missions to the war-torn areas, instrumental in this is Maksym Litvinov, son of the late Ukrainian athletics coach, Nicolai who Edmund had known for decades during his competition travels. Maksym, his wife and teenage son now live with the Shillabeer family in Plymouth and credits Edmund with helping to save their lives. Undeterred, the brave young man has driven back several times to his homeland with donated food and medical supplies.
Ed dressed for the Plymouth marathons
This charitable humanitarian effort is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Edmund’s desire to help others. He’s completed more Plymouth marathons than any other and, at the last count, he has completed 26 London marathons, each time raising funds for worthy causes, often in amusing fancy dress costume. London 1997 was so nearly different. The M5 road traffic accident could’ve been fatal. From their swerving motor-home vehicle Edmund was vigorously jolted out of his rear passenger seat through an open side window and tumbled 100 metres down the motorway. He was rescued and airlifted by helicopter to Bristol infirmary. Miraculously he toed the London marathon start line a few weeks later determined to fulfil a promise to raise funds for the Cats Protection League – Edmund attributes the full bodied black & white catsuit to helping protect serious skin graft wounds to his arm and legs from that years’ scorching sun.
Ed doffs his cap in the 2017 London Marathon
In race walking he is a proud Centurion C590. I have fond memories of being one of his attendants during his 100-mile 1989 national win at Hendon clocking 18 hours 11 minutes. Other regular helpers have included wife Barbara who he met as a Bristol university student and, Richard Pannell and his son Greg. A few years earlier in 1985 the UK national 24-hour track race at Colchester incorporated the 100km championships. Edmund set a track record of 9 hours 41 minutes 50 seconds, a mark that still stands today. With his 250 laps done, I recall him entering a large trackside marque and proceeding to dance to the music being played over the tannoy while Richard and I slumped to our knees exhausted. Edmund notoriously required a lot of attention to get his best ultra-distance results. The 1991 Bazencourt 200km / 24-hour road race saw him become the oldest British athletics debutant at 51 years. Whilst nighttime temperatures plummeted to -7C Ed wanted more sugar added to his porridge. It was around 2am and his preferred race fuel was already sweet. A few kilometres later and at the third time of asking I finally got it right, I was tired and agitated so shovelled an excess of sugar into the bowl of stodgy cereal. It was snatched from my grasp, our man, strode on proclaiming at the top of his voice, ‘Perfect…that’s perfect!” It was disgusting, it was ghastly sweet, but it seemed to help and, after 23 hours 50 minutes, he became one of 13 walkers from 52 starters to reach the 200km distance.
Chris in support of Ed in appalling weather condition, Hendon 1989
Edmund has since climbed on the podium of many European and World Masters race walking events, sometimes the top tier with medals won at numerous distances from 3kms to 30kms. He and his dad, Eric Shillabeer were instrumental in helping to form Dawlish & South Devon racing club in the mid 1970’s which would later evolve into Plymouth City Walkers, their key events being the annual Plymouth to Dawlish 42-mile road race with the extra inducement of a delicious free cream tea at the finish, with Ed tasting victory in 1983. When traffic became potentially hazardous, that popular point – point race switched to the picturesque 5.8km Burrator reservoir circuit up until the late 1990’s, where distances varied from 10kms – 100kms. During the new millennium he joined Ilford AC for the next chapter of his racing life.
Before that…
Q1. Chris: How did it all begin: Ed: “As a City Of Plymouth Athletic Club member, I was competing in as many events as possible to get points. Most efforts were one point for last, but when I came third out of nine in the 3km walk it got me thinking.”
Q2. Chris: Who were the people in race walking that helped you develop as an athlete whilst acknowledging in the mid 1960’s you were a newly qualified veterinary surgeon? Ed: “Jim Hurley RIP saw me win in the next fixture and join me up into the London Vidarians walking club. The club captain none other than that race walking colossus, Dave Ainsworth made sure that we were entered and arrived at start lines in time for the races. My dad ERIC, organiser extraordinaire, was my biggest supporter and motivator. Then, as I moved into veteran athletics, Colin Young RIP who gave me valuable advice.”
Q3. Chris: Had you tried race walking earlier in your sports career what more might you have achieved? Ed: “Speculation is difficult but if my peak had been my late 20s instead of late 40s, I am sure that I could have been operating at a higher level.” Understandably modest. In my opinion…without doubt, an Olympian.
Q4. Chris: Who were your racing rivals through the decades? Ed: “Rivals were legion! In the mid-70s it was briefly Chris Maddocks but he was soon out of sight! In the 80s and 90s, British rivals included: Bob Dobson, Denis Jones, Geoff Tranter, Peter Worth, John Eddershaw, Derek Harrison, Allan Callow, other Manxmen, Colin Bradley, Dave Stevens, Bob Gardner, Bob Care, Martyn Jones, Mike Smith, Daz Thorn, Alan King, Dave Ratcliffe, Dave Rowland, Steve Johnson, Chris Berwick, Adrian James, Martin Bell, Tony Geal, Graham Morris, Paul Nunn, Steve Till, Arthur Eddleston. In international racing, Dieter Zschiesche, Bernard Caudron, Romolo Pelicella, Ad Leermakers, Claudio Sterpin, the Gouveneaux twins (in the same race!) Zdenek Simon, Ferenc Danovsky, Harold van Beek. I’ve graced the start line with Alexander Potashov, Zoltan Czukor, Mrazek, Blazek, and beaten the Mexico Olympics 50km gold medallist, Christoph Hohne.”
Q5. Chris: How did you balance all your various interest and commitments? Ed: “With intensity and high tempo in every activity coupled with a strict routine. Training before breakfast. Sacrosanct hour for family tea, otherwise veterinary practice 9am to 7:30/8:00pm Monday to Friday, Saturday 9:00-1:00pm except when a locum covered it for race days etc. Sunday morning a longer training before a roast dinner and family time.”
Q6. Chris: What top 5 race results gave you the most satisfaction?
Ed: “In no particular order:
1. National 35km 1986. 7th in a class field in 2:58:04 and Dawlish and South Devon RWC (with a certain Chris Maddocks leading the way!) won bronze for third club to close in four with teammates, Andy Bainborough and Gareth Davies excelling themselves as well.
2. European Masters 30km champion (20k in 2:22:22) in Portugal, beating the German Mexico Olympics 50km champion Christoph Hohne.
5. Roubaix 28 hours’ bronze (furthest distance of any British athlete ever).
6. GB 100km track record aided by Chris! Six? Edmund can’t count!
Q7. Chris: How have you overcome some significant health problems? Ed: “Positive mental attitude aided by leaning on the Lord; superb skills of the NHS medical teams; comprehensive supplementation, unstinting support of family, friends, and Mary, my Practice nurse/manager.”
Q8. Chris: What were your peak years and how did a typical training week pan out? Ed: “Definitely the mid-eighties. All walking training was maximum intensity Monday through Saturday. Sunday varied; when Steve Hollier joined me, we would do a tough hilly big effort on the moorland lanes, sometimes an easier recovery outing. When Mad Max and I used the tough one-mile Central Park triangle around Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park stadium it was eyeballs out in opposite directions – 5 laps to my 3!! Sneaking an hour off before teatime to use the local gym or have a second session blast was the icing on the cake! The Sacramento success (6th in 5km track, 3rd in 10km, 1st in 20km) owe a lot to the extra sharpness of daily track workouts, a 15-minute walk from son, Andrew’s home with about an hour of 400m flat out, 200m at recovery pace, straight into the next rep. Happy days!”
Q9. Chris: Tell us your 3 favourite music choices? Your 3 favourite TV and 3 best film choices? Ed: “Music: Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe’s ‘Barcelona’ duet with the fountains and lights show on Montjuic hill in 1992. Andrea Bocelli ‘Con te Partira’ at the Birmingham NEC; and ‘Elizabethan Serenade attributed to King Henry VIII. TV favourites: Fawlty Towers. Morecambe and Wise. Strictly Come Dancing, when Bruce Forsyth compered it. Film favourites: Lawrence of Arabia. The Ladykillers. Dunkirk.
Q10. Chris: Tell readers something most people won’t know about you. Ed: “I’ve become a sweet wine drinker with specific likes: Blandy’s Madeira.Hungarian Tokaji (a name given to one of my past lurches) Cyprus Commandaria. Italian Occho di Perenice. Hungarian Feher Arany. Ice crystal, Mundana, Murdei. I also keep the ashes of only ‘the special one,’ Tippy the Jack Russell, of the many pets who have been close to my heart, in a wooden casket in my study.”
That’s two things; confirmation Ed can’t count.I can testify however, that Tippy had amazing football skills as seen on the pitch by thousands at half-time during an Argyle league match. Now, at 86 years young, Edbanger Shillabeer recently competed in Madeira at the European masters. It seems wearing red, white and blue is still in his plans.
Ed and another legend, Nat Lofthouse, 2023 Masters, Bolton
CHRIS MADDOCKS
Chris back in 1984, the year he set a British 50km track record
STOP PRESS – POST-SCRIPT
News from Dave Ainsworth that Ilford AC and Centurion 590 Ed Shillabeer’s operation went well .
This is confirmed by this message from the great man himself – sent yesterday evening, November 26th!!!
Subject: Procedure
Recovery with nice supper.
New aortic valve inserted between 1pm and 2:15pm.
Great cardiac team did an amazing job with modern technology. DV home tomorrow.
Stella is the last of many who have tended to me. She’s Greek from Cyprus and hubby also works here in Wellington hospital. Next to Lords cricket ground!
All looks good!
Best Wishes and huge respect to Ed from all at Lancashire Walking Club.
A Seven Miles in the Hour medal – thanks to Mike Entwistle
Following our latest One Hour track race some of us found ourselves reminiscing about the past significance of the One Hour mark in the history of our sport. This emphasis is captured in the track races held specifically to see what distances competitors could complete within the 60 minutes. In addition young and old newcomers to race walking were challenged to attain their 6 or 7 miles in the hour Race Walking Association medals. These could be earned on the road, hence the plethora of 6 and 7 miles Opens, such as the Leicester Seven, a favourite destination for our members, courtesy of a club charabanc from Manchester. Indeed LWC itself organised an annual 6 miles in the Hour badge race, which I mentioned in an earlier post paying tribute to Frank O’Neill, the meticulous club secretary of that era.
By the early 1960’s Frank was undoubtedly a key figure, particularly as his wonderful Edwardian terraced house in Worsley was a second club headquarters, the enormous bay-windowed front room on the third floor being our changing facility. Every year the club’s 6 miles in the Hour Badge event was held from the house on an out and back course, followed by tea and luscious scones baked by Mary, Frank’s gentle wife. More significantly, especially across the winter, a Tuesday evening training session was held in the dark[!] on the very same roads. Today the halfway point on the way there and back is a frantic roundabout access to and exit from a spaghetti junction of motorways. Nowadays you could be stuck there for longer than it took to complete the 6 miles race!
In addition the club organised in the late 1960s a Six Miles Novice race to attract new blood – see this 1968 result. Dave Vickers, a steeplechase and cross-country runner burst on to the scene, winning the classic Dick Hudson’s Open at Bradford in the very next year. Tony Malone in 13th place was to become a Junior International and a leading British walker through into the 1980s. And I love the thought of the Leyland Congregationalists taking the Youth Club trophy.
More recently, in this century, our fixture list has featured the One Hour ‘Joe Lambert’ event on the Bury track. Here we see the start of this year’s race.
On the broader and historical front, the One Hour track challenge is synonymous with the Highgate Harriers, who organised the very first in 1942 in aid of the Red Cross. In 1945 the beneficiary became the blind veterans’ charity, St Dunstans. From the outset of the series competitors were split into sections according to their likely performances. As you can see the first race witnessed an A and a B section. When I raced in 1963 at the age of sixteen I was placed in the D section, where the principal challenge was to cover 6 miles in the hour
85 started in the two sections A and B, 80 finished
Over the years it was less than easy to compete in the Highgate Hour race, given the long journey, the expense and its proximity to other major races, such as the aforementioned Leicester 7. However here is a list in alphabetical order of those, who ventured forth and South with a report from 1961.
Chris Bolton 11,566 metres 1972
Gordon Brown 9,900 metres, 1969 and 9,690 metres, 1970
John Burns 5 miles 1715 yards, 1958 representing Leyland Motors AC
Eric Crompton 12,531 metres, 1973 and 12,356 metres, 1974 representing Leyland Motors AC
Steve Crow 11,869 metres, 1969
Tom Dunn 6m 104y, 1959
Guy Goodair 7m 825y, 1964 in Wakefield colours
Harold Harwood 7m 535y, 1951
Roy Higgins 11,315 metres, 1971
Julian Hopkins 12,206 metres, 1969
George Lamb 10,510 metres, 1974 representing Leyland Motors AC
Charles Lamb 10,310 metres, 1974 representing Leyland Motors AC
Vic Murray 6m 038y, 1954 and 6m 1159y, 1955
Fred Pearce Jnr 10,475 metres, 1972
Jack Sankey 7m 385y, 1961
Dick Smith 7m 076y, 1954
Greg Smith 6m 1747y, 1968
Tony Taylor 6m133y, 1963
Ron Wallwork 7m 1297y, 1961
Steve Uttley 12,039 metres 1980
In addition Ron Wallwork, Ian Garmston and Steve Uttley competed in the Hour event when it was taken over by the Woodford AC in the early 1980s – Ron 11,922 metres, 1983 and 11,262 metres. 1985; Ian 11,515, 1985; and Steve 12,376 1985.
All competitors received a certificate as shown in Guy Goodair’s case
Sadly the historic Highgate tradition came to a close in 1989. The One Hour meeting was organised by Highgate Harriers until 1981.Thereafter it was advertised in Race Walking Record as under Woodford Green’s wing. However perusing Records it looks to have struggled or gone out of fashion during the 80s with Highgate promoting the 1988 edition, the Essex League doing so in 1989 and Loughton AC in 1990. Ron can find no record of the event in the 1990’s. He seems to recall that Cambridge Harriers possibly under the banner of the Southern RWA promoted a couple in the 2000’s but no results have been found. Ron opines that the Record in the early 2000’s was more glossy, if and when it came out, than informative.
Lancashire Best Performances
a] All of the following have been members of the Lancashire Walking Club. Because of the internal trials and tribulations of the 1970s, which split LWC for a short time, some performances were achieved wearing the colours of other local clubs e.g. Tony Taylor [Blackburn Harriers], Tony Malone [Stockport AC], Eric Crompton [Leyland Motors AC]. Missing at the moment is a 13km + performance by Chris Harvey from 1980 in Bourgos, France, for which we are still searching. As it is, thanks to Tony Malone, we’ve unearthed a 1978 Stretford performance of 13,185 metres – see below.
b] It would be revealing to identify the age of each of the athletes as an alternative means of comparison and we’ll pursue that further. Some dates of birth might be difficult to trace. As a personal example I was just twenty seven years old when I broke the 13,000 metres barrier. Forty two years later at the celebration of Ron Wallwork’s 2 Hours UK record, aged sixty nine, we can estimate I covered around 10,350 metres. How do these efforts stack up against one another? Enter the age-grading formula – for another day!
c] Obviously I have converted for ease the imperial distances to the metric equivalent. I should now do it the other way round. Indeed converting the kilometres and metres to miles and yards gives the data a historical context, especially as managing 6, 7 or 8 miles in the hour were the yardsticks of progress and achievement. Ron’s 1965 Leeds performance converted below was measured at 8 miles 240 yards. Two years later at Leverhulme Park, Bolton he recorded 8 miles 235 yards!
The very same year 1967 sees Ron in Bolton on his way to winning the National Ten, flanked by Eric Taylor to the left, Paul Nihill and Mal Tolley to the right
Chris Harvey 13,185 metres, Stretford 1978
Ron Wallwork 13,093 metres, Leeds 1965
Tony Taylor 13,060 metres, Marly, France 1974
Tony Malone 12,799 metres, Stretford 1979
Eric Crompton 12,531 metres, Highgate 1973
Steve Uttley 12,376 metres, Woodford 1985
Julian Hopkins 12,206 metres, Highgate 1969
Mike Hatton 12,189 metres, Blackburn 1968
Guy Goodair 12,121 metres, Bolton 1967
Steve Crow 11,869 metres, Highgate 1969
Harold Harwood 11,754 metres, Highgate 1951
Jack Sankey 11,617 metres, Highgate 1961
Chris Bolton 11,566 metres, Highgate 1972
Ian Garmston 11,515 metres, Woodford 1985
Dave Vickers 11,466 metres, Blackburn 1968
Mike Entwistle 11,381 metres, Blackburn 1968
Maurice Ireland 11,349 metres, Stretford 1979
Dick Smith 11,334 metres, Highgate 1954
Roy Higgins 11,315 metres, Highgate 1971
Greg Smith 11,253 metres, Highgate 1968
John Todd 11,174 metres, Bolton 1967
Ian McVitie 11,053 metres, Stretford 1979
Ron Marsden 10,950 metres, Sretford 1979
Fred Pearce jnr 10,803 metres, Bolton 1967
Roy Gunnett 10,775 metres, Ilford 1974
Alan Hardman 10,730 metres, Bolton 1967
Alan Hudson 10,715 metres, Blackburn 1968
Vic Murray 10,715 metres, Highgate 1955
George Lamb 10,510 metres, Highgate 1974
Adrian Edwards 10,344 metres, Bury 2017
Charles Lamb 10,310 metres, Highgate 1974
Dave Grindley 10,159 metres, Bolton 1967
Gordon Brown 9,900 metres, Highgate 1969
Frank Dolan 9,768 metres, Blackburn 1968
Tom Dunn 9,744 metres, Highgate 1959
Tony Bell 9,618 metres, Bury 2016
Peter Crahan 9,235 metres, Bury 2016
Dave Crompton 9,127 metres, Bury 2017
John Crahan 9,101 metres, Bury 2016
Roy Gunnett 9,040 metres, Bury 2016
Nigel Shaw 9,033 metres, Bury 2024
Joe Hardy 8,836 metres, Bury 2017
Ian Hilditch 8,686 metres, Bury 2017
Martin Payne 8,676 metres, Bury 2025
Sailash Shah 8,663 metres, Bury 2016
Jan McCue [W] 8,446 metres, Bury 2017
Alf Short 8,301 metres, Bury 2016
Phil McCullagh 8,271 metres, Bury 2016
Steven Wilde 8,172 metres, Bury 2024
Pat Evans [W] 8,155 metres, Bury 2021
John Payn 7,803 metres, Bury 2016
Andrea Lennon [W] 7,621 metres, Bury 2017
Jane Pouncy [W] 7,200 metres, Bury 2017
John Pouncy 7,114 metres, Bury 2016
Steve Uttley displaying the classic triangle of yesteryear in the 2021 One Hour race
A 1967 One Hour anecdote from my dad, Alf Taylor, which appeared in the club magazine, ‘CONTACT’.
Alf Taylor competing in the Leigh Harriers One Mile Championships with the St John’s Ambulance on hand
Thanks are due to Ron Wallwork for much of the delving. There are likely to be mistakes and omissions, notice of which will be very much welcomed – send to tonymtaylor@gmail.com
Lancashire Walking Club : Health The First Wealth 