Race Walking : Facing the Future

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Tony Taylor

Firstly apologies for not posting a report on the Sutton Macclesfield 20k, but I’ve gone down with a chest infection, which isn’t responding to antibiotics. Anyway, just to keep the ball rolling and to encourage discussion here is a challenging argument from Trevor McDermot, which has just appeared on Facebook and has kicked off a lively debate, including information that Saturdays’s RWA 20k was 440 metres long! Hence Tony Bell, who flew the flag for us, can adjust his time accordingly! Trevor’s original was sent to the Essex Race Walker for inclusion in its pages.

With regards to the regular criticism of RWA in Essex Walker, private conversation and e-mails, may I suggest that our Officers are hardly getting any younger while not being replaced to any greater degree than we are finding new walkers.

The National body comes under consistent fire. But if you stop to think about what that implies, only means criticism of the same band of hardy servants who are out there standing in all weathers every year, purely for the benefit of Race Walking. Do I need to name them ?

Criticism of the RWA website is quite valid. In this day and age its quite shocking that such a crucial issue has not been addressed.

We squeeze in at Hillingdon when the cyclists allow, to have our most important National on a very slow circuit, quite hidden away from the general public. No atmosphere. No public address. The DQ board is a disgrace. Hardly any Midlands or Northern walkers apart from the Manx who were brilliant.

Big mistake not to arrange this with the Olympic Trials in advance of Rome, or on London Marathon weekend with Olympic selections tomorrow.

Tom gives us another training session while our promising youngsters – the ones who really matter most – win National medals to no acclaim at all as most of us are still on duty for the 20km. That’s so wrong !

I’m sure that RWA Officers would be delighted to have new people contributing, and to cut down on days given up for Committee meetings, or – perish the actual thought – be able to have the odd weekend off for their own benefit. We really should applaud or at the very least recognise what we have. It does seem unfair that a body gets continually slated without any consideration of the individuals who are the ones keeping it all going.

It would be far more pertinent to question the real governance of Race Walking in this country. UK Athletics control official development including grading of Judges and have their own Championships.

Do we even need the RWA ?

Why should the UK 2016 Olympic Trials not be mentioned in certain circles, we are also booked for Moulton committee and popular race that weekend ?

Why do we have two National 10km championships, one very well supported, and one that will not ?

I see very committed people on both sides and only hope for cohesive communication with positive action for the advantage of all.

Together, against many odds, we can be so much stronger.

Continually divided like this, we haven’t a chance.

regards

Trevor McDermot

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Bill McFadden and Yorkshire win individual and team titles: Ken Munro Trophy

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Tony Taylor

Ken Munro Memorial Trophy   –   Thornton-le-Clay (nr York)  –  10 Miles Road (Cat B) –  Saturday March 26th  [Thanks to Trevor McDermot for the report]

Kenmunro

9 miles into the race and Tony Bell is pursued by Martin Fisher. They dead-heated for second place

This inaugural Trophy race, organised by the Northern Area RWA as a new Match between Lancashire, Yorkshire and Scotland walkers (M/F) took place on a quiet village one mile out and back circuit with very little traffic, including a hill towards the turn where competitors felt the effects of a strong crosswind.

Scotland’s Bill McFadden took control of the 12-strong field from the start and, walking with his usual tidy action that met with approval from the judges, passed halfway in 47:33 a couple of minutes ahead of the field to come home in just under 96 minutes. Behind him Tony Bell (Lancs) contended with Peter Ryan (Yorks), the latter struggling with lack of training due to planter faciitis troubles. Martin Fisher (Yorks) came through to have a real ding-dong with Bell –  no pun intended !  – over the final lap and neither could be separated by the finish recorders. Ryan held off consistent Dennis Jackson for 4th, followed by Roy Gunnett (Lancs).

Yorkshire on home ground were too strong for the Lancashire threesome, although positions may well be reversed in next year’s event at the other end of the M62 corridor. The Team race would certainly have been a lot closer had Lancashire WC featured one or two of their faster men turning out for the the County, while the prospects of Scotland, similarly likely to be members of a single club, will need to be watched out for in future. Hopefully they will also get their turn to host.

The new format for this event proved a success with better numbers than were seen for recent Northern 10 Miles Champs (now defunct). It is interesting that had there been a Club team race then winners would have been Redcar RWC, over Lancashire WC on 16 points each, by virtue of their 3rd scorer Mark Byrne, and for whom this year’s 100 Miles organiser, Centurion Dave Jones provided back up. At the meeting after the race Mark was appointed as new Northern President.

We were very grateful to those who travelled so far to support this new event, particularly the Fishers, Peter Ryan, RWA Chairman Glyn Jones, and of course Bill McFadden. It does seem fitting that the new silver Trophy should make its first journey to a part of the world where the late Ken enjoyed so much of his final years.

Thanks are also due for the team of officials, including some notable NARWA stalwarts, who all contributed to produce a pleasant and enjoyable event. Guests are most welcome to participate in future.

Individual Result  (also see attached with all lap splits)

1 Bill McFadden Scotia RWC SCOTLAND 95.55
=2 Tony Bell Lancashire WC LANCASHIRE 99.50
=2 Martin Fisher Redcar RWC YORKSHIRE 99.50
4 Peter Ryan Ilford AC YORKSHIRE 101.39
5 Dennis Jackson York CIU YORKSHIRE 109.15
6 Roy Gunnett Lancashire WC LANCASHIRE 108.02
7 Graham Jackson York CIU YORKSHIRE 109.15
8 Trevor Taylor   (Guest) Redcar RWC CLEVELAND 111.50
9 Mark Byrne Redcar RWC YORKSHIRE 115.20
10 Richard Cole York CIU YORKSHIRE 115.54
11 Sailash Shah Lancashire WC LANCASHIRE 116.14
12 Dave Jones       (Guest) Redcar RWC CLEVELAND 126.16

Ken Munro Memorial Trophy  –  Bill McFadden (SCOTLAND)

Team Result 

  1.  YORKSHIRE       (M. Fisher, P.Ryan, D.Jackson)  11 Pts
  2.  LANCASHIRE     (T. Bell, R.Gunnett, S.Shah)       18 Pts
  3.  YORKSHIRE ‘B’  (G.Jackson, M.Byrne, R.Cole)    24 Pts
  4.  CLEVELAND      (T.Taylor, D.Jones)
  5.  SCOTLAND        (B.McFadden)

Officials

Referee  –  John Eddershaw     Chief Judge  –  Russ Jackson     JUDGES  –  Roy Thorpe, Mick Hague, Moira Gallagher     TIMEKEEPER  –  Trevor McDermot     RECORDER  –  Mike Nicholson

CLERK OF COURSE  –  John Grayson     VENUE  –  Roy Thorpe     CATERING  –  Maureen Grayson     PROMOTION  –  Linda McDermot

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Up Hill, Down Dale in Chorley : The Allison Trophy

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Tony Taylor

 

white coppice2

It was a misty, moist afternoon around Heapey and White Coppice as we braved what one competitor described euphemistically as a ‘characterful’ course. Star of the show was a svelte John Crahan, fresh from the gym, who knocked minutes off his best time in winning the Allison Handicap Trophy. Thanks are due to Dave Evans for stepping so expertly into Fred Pearce’s shoes, Dave and Louise for sorting the venue and refreshments, together with John, Jane and Dave for marshalling the troops.

See my personal reflection on the race below.

Allison Trophy 15K @ Chorley 12th March 2016 (Race Permit No:RWA6022-1)

Scratch Race

1 Tony Taylor Lancs WC  M65  83.25
2 Adrian Edwards  Lancs WC  M50  88.57
3 Roy Gunnett  Lancs WC  M65  98.17
4 Greg Smith  Lancs WC  M60  100.27
5 Joe Hardy  Lancs WC  M70  101.20
6 Ian Hilditch  Lancs WC  M70  101.40
7 Pat Evans  Lancs WC  W60  101.48
7 John Crahan  Lancs WC  M65  101.48
9 Sailash Shah  Lancs WC  M50  104.55
10 Phil McCullagh  Lancs WC  M55  106.30
11 Irene Pike  Lancs WC  W60  108.08
12 Claire Goulden  Lancs WC  W50  111.07

10.94K
1 John Payn  Lancs WC  M80  87.19
2 Andrea Lennon  Lancs  WC  W70  95.56

Let me begin by saying I have the fondest memories of the roads on which we raced on Saturday. Back in the late 60’s and 70’s this beautiful part of Lancashire was central to the Sunday morning sessions those of us living in the Bolton area got up early to do. Later when I lived in Horwich one of my sporadic comeback years saw me in White Coppice more than once. However, although the Allison Trophy course may well be character-building, great for getting the hard miles in, I’m not sure it helps us to become better at race walking.

The uphill stretches are often so steep as to make locking the knee very difficult and the downhills so steep as to make contact problematic at any sort of speed. On the first lap I got in a right mess, trying to push it, on a right angle left-hand bend after the flattish section from the former Railway pub. The road fell away quickly, the problem worsened by an awkward camber. Nearly tripping over my own feet I was admonished by a passing motorist, who didn’t think much of my mode of progression. Hopefully I gathered my wits after that and returned to earth for the rest of the race. In a nutshell I’m suggesting that if you try to walk quickly on the course you are going to have real technical problems. Hence, in the circumstances, I’m not really sure what to think of my decent time.

Of course we don’t want to lose great venues and characterful challenges of this type. However, looking to the future and the 2017 season , I do think we need a couple of races a year on flat, well-surfaced roads based on a 1 kilometre lap or out and back, where we can try to walk as fast as we can and be scrutinised much more closely than on our present portfolio of courses.

Your thoughts and criticisms welcomed.

 

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Sam, Sam, where’s sweets, not to mention a bike!

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Tony Taylor
boiled sweets

Ta to Greg Smith for the piccie

You will find below the results of the Sam Shoebottom 10k held at Simister on February 13, but first a few words about Sam himself, confined sadly simply to what I’ve been told and remember – any other memories and especially a good photo gratefully received.

As a young lad joining the club my abiding memory is of his cheeky face as he offered everyone a boiled sweet in the changing room before a race, the proposal delivered in a delicious Mancunian accent. To be honest I was quite taken aback.  Having a nervous stomach at the best of times, I was always forced to decline, much to Sam’s amusement. Clearly Sam never gave up this gambit as Greg Smith can attest. He tells a lovely tale of Sam offering him the inevitable sweet back in 1987. The difference here was that Greg was race walking the Bolton Marathon and  was passing through Little Hulton on the A6. To his astonishment Sam leapt from the pavement in encouragement with the inevitable toffee in hand. It’s a wonder Greg retained his composure and contact!

Sam also was often the training companion of Chris Bolton and he tells a likely story, which reveals further Sam’s impish sense of humour. Out training together they were subject to the usual barracking from a group of lads – ‘up 1, 2, 3′ plus comments on the elegant gyrations of their posteriors. On this occasion, though, Sam decided enough was enough. Like lightning he jumped on one of the lads’ bikes, propped against a street lamp, and hastened down the road, chased forlornly by its owner. Half a mile or so later Sam relented, stopped and handed the bike back with a few choice words to his breathless pursuer. Of course today the episode would  have been captured on a smartphone. As it is we have no record of the young lad’s reaction or whether he accepted the offer of  one of Sam’s boiled sweets.

SAM SHOEBOTTOM 10 KILOMETRES
1 Adrian Edwards Lancs WC M50 56.37
2 Greg Smith Lancs WC M60 63.06
3 Roy Gunnett Lancs WC M65 63.38
4 Glyn Jones Coventry Godiva M70 63.49
5 Mark Byrne Redcar RWC 66.14
6 Joe Hardy Lancs WC M70 66.35
7 Dave Crompton Lancs WC M50 67.01
8 Pat Evans Lady Lancs WC W60 67.04
9 Alastair Shand Lancs WC M50 68.06
10 Stuart Edgar Dudley & Stourbridge M45 68.14
11 Ian Hilditch Lancs WC M70 70.00
12 David Hoben Surrey WC 71.35
13 Salish Shah Lancs WC M50 71.47
14 Claire Goulden Lady Lancs WC W50 72.24

5K
1 Chris Bolton Lancs WC M75 33.43
2 John Pouncy Lancs WC M65 39.43
3 John Payn Lancs WC M80 39.43
4 Andrea Lennon Lady Lancs WC W70 40.27

The winner of the Sam Shoebottom Handicap Trophy was in fact Pat Evans,showing excellent form, proving yet again her ability to multi-task, having also prepared the post-race sandwiches and cakes, not to mention pulling the wool over the eyes of her husband, Dave, the club handicapper.

Adrian Edwards was well ahead of the field in the scratch race on a bitter afternoon, showing welcome signs that he’s over the hamstring injury that blighted his efforts last year.  I think he is on his way back to recording 55 minutes or better this season.

Thanks as ever to all those, who turned out, from as afar as Brighton, Coventry and Dudley.

 

 

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Ken Munro Memorial Trophy Match, March 26

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Tony Taylor
Ken Munro
At the last NARWA meeting it was decided to delete the 10 miles championship, which has been poorly supported in recent years.
  • It will be substituted by an Annual Match at 10 Miles (Category B) between Lancashire, Yorkshire and Scotland , raced in honour of Ken Munro.
  • The first Match will be held next month at the pre-arranged venue and date of Thornton-le-Clay, March 26th.
  • Subsequent races to then alternate between Lancashire and Yorkshire in the early Spring, preferably along the M62 corridor (general Manchester region followed by Leeds/Bradford).
  • Team scoring is envisaged at Four each but with flexibility allowed on the day. Guest walkers welcome,
  • the NARWA Committee is very pleased to offer this new Annual fixture to Scottish walkers (in appreciation of previous support given to our races south of the border).

 


 
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Resolving the Issue of Race Permits

Posted on February 6, 2016 by Tony Taylor

risk

Back in the Autumn the issue of whether our club events required a Race Walking Association race permit came to the surface. Unknowingly I contributed to the discussion gathering pace as my effort to get the AGM 5k result on to the Power of Ten web site faltered for lack of a race permit number.

To cut a long story short it is now clear that our events do require a race permit to ensure that we are fully insured. In fact the RWA permit fee of £3 per event provides public liability cover to the tune of £45 million. Inevitably though this cover comes with a number of caveats, all of which are pretty much common-sense.

The application form asks the following:

  • that courses are measured accurately, but no certificate is required unless the race is a championship.
  • that the local authority is informed, most easily achieved by e-mailing the police.
  • that First Aid support is at hand through a certificated person. We need to check with our membership,who might be qualified in this respect. However Glyn Jones informs us that
    Under UKA guidance rules, if an event has less than 50 athletes, and a hospital is within reasonable distance, then first aid cover is not a requirement (entirely up to the organisers) and insurance is still covered.
  • that a risk assessment of each course has been carried out. In essence this means walking the course with two principal questions in mind – ‘What are the hazards?’ and ‘How will we minimise the risks involved?’ In our case the main responses are likely to revolve around marshalling and signage. A simple record needs to be kept of steps taken.

As I understand the situation there is no requirement for ‘qualified’ officials. In addition novices and unregistered athletes are covered by the permit.

In terms of the costs to our members they would not need to pay the extra 50p individual levy on the day as our races are defined as ‘closed’. Guest walkers, still warmly welcomed, would be asked to make a recorded donation as opposed to paying an entry fee.

Having spent most of my working life at odds with bureaucracy I can’t for the life of me see these requirements as bureaucratic.  Indeed in the early 1970’s as the club secretary I organised a number of Manchester-Blackpool races and sorting out all of the above was par for the course, involving a day off work on the Friday to drive slowly to Blackpool, putting up numerous direction signs, never mind checking for unexpected road works! Even if in those days we didn’t call this necessary caution ‘risk assessment’ and the St John’s Ambulance were always willing to help out popping a few blisters!

Obviously the most demanding requirement relates to the risk assessment element, particularly as this will underline the need for non-competitors to help on the day. It would be useful to begin compiling a list of members/supporters willing to take on tasks, such as marshalling. More than ever it means stressing that even if a member is injured and unable to race, their presence on a race day would be invaluable.

In terms of assessing our present portfolio of courses we should discuss how we can share out the responsibilities. As a contribution  I’m happy to get there early next Saturday to do an immediate assessment of the Simister out-and-back and I could scrutinise the Sutton Macclesfield circuit in the week before the first race there on April 9th.

With the dust settling my own opinion is that we should respond positively to the need to meet the requirements posed by the necessity of the race permit. And, I’m sure, we can do this without burdening Fred with yet more pressure, especially given his duties as National President.

 

 

 

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Sam Shoebottom 10k, February 13 at Simister

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Tony Taylor

Notice that the next club race is the Sam Shoebottom 10k to be held at Simister on Saturday, February 13, starting at 1.30 p.m. Look out for a post in the next few days, which draws your attention to issues around the need for race permits, which will need to be discussed after the race.

Find below the results of the first two races in the 2015/2016 calendar.

Dick Maxwell Memorial 10k @ Simister 5th December 2015

Scratch Name Club Age Scratch H’Cap Nett H’Cap H’Cap Age Graded
Pos. Group Time Time Position Points %’s
1 Dwane Butterly Leic. W.C. M45 55.31 SCR 55.31 Guest 75.31
2 Adrian Edwards Lancs WC M50 56.00 SCR 56.00 2 24 77.21
3 Glyn Jones Coventry G. M70 62.43 8.00 54.43 Guest 85.33
4 Tony Bell Lancs WC M50 63.53 4.45 59.08 7 19 67.11
5 Greg Smith Lancs WC M60 64.23 2.30 61.53 10 16 73.76
6 Dave Crompton Lancs WC M50 64.30 5.15 59.15 8 18 65.91
7 Joe Hardy Lancs WC M70 66.41 10.30 56.11 3 23 79.18
8 Phil Mc Cullagh Lancs WC M55 66.48 10.00 56.48 4 22 67.65
9 Roy Gunnett Lancs WC M65 69.04 5.15 63.49 11 15 72.72
10 Alastair Shand Lancs WC M50 69.05 9.30 59.35 9 17 63.13
11 Dave Evans Lancs WC M65 69.30 5.30 64.00 12 14 72.27
12 Ian Hilditch Lancs WC M70 69.33 14.45 54.48 1 25 78.00
13 Stuart Edgar Dudley M45 71.28 13.15 58.13 Guest 56.64
14 Salish Shah Lancs WC M50 71.30 13.15 58.15 5 21 59.46
15 Claire Goulden Lady Lancs WC W50 73.42 15.15 58.27 6 20 62.95
5K
1 Pat Evans Lady Lancs WC W60 33.59 13 76.34
2 Irene Pike Lady Lancs WC W60 34.48 12 74.55
3 John Payn Lancs WC M80 38.20 11 77.48

Bill Jackson Trophy 5K @ Simister 7th November 2015

Scratch Name Club Age Scratch H’Cap Nett H’Cap H’Cap Age Graded
Pos. Group Time Time Position Points %’s
1 Tony Taylor Lancs WC M65 26.45 Scratch 26.45 15 11 91.41
2 Dave Evans Lancs WC M65 28.17 1.45 26.32 14 12 86.45
3 Roy Gunnett Lancs WC M65 28.56 2.30 26.26 12 14 84.51
4 Dave Crompton Lancs WC M50 29.47 3.00 26.47 16 10 69.43
5 Dan Maskell Brighton M65 30.04 3.15 26.49 Guest
6 Peter Crahan Lancs WC M60 30.52 5.35 25.17 3 23 74.93
7 Glyn Jones Coventry M70 30.55 4.35 26.20 Guest
8 Greg Smith Lancs WC M60 30.56 1.00 29.56 17 9 74.77
9 Jan McCue Lady Lancs WC W50 31.03 5.15 25.48 6 20 74.64
10 Joe Hardy Lancs WC M70 31.33 5.45 25.48 6 20 81.41
11 Alastair Shand Lancs WC M50 32.15 5.45 26.30 13 13 65.80
12 Pat Evans Lady Lancs WC W60 32.31 6.10 26.21 11 15 79.48
13 John Crahan Lancs WC M65 32.33 7.15 25.18 4 22 74.41
14 Chris Bolton Lancs WC M75 33.41 9.50 23.51 1 25 81.64
15 Salish Shah Lancs WC M50 33.53 7.35 26.18 10 16 61.03
16 Richard Robb Lancs WC M45 34.12 9.20 24.52 2 24 58.48
17 Irene Pike Lady Lancs WC W60 34.19 8.10 26.09 8 18 75.60
18 Ian Hilditch Lancs WC M70 34.40 8.30 26.10 9 17 76.06
19 John Payn Lancs WC M80 36.53 11.10 25.43 5 21 80.53
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Lancashire Walking Club Fixtures 2016

Posted on January 23, 2016 by Tony Taylor
AGM 5k

Atmospheric photo of the AGM 5k, courtest of Linda McDermot. Who’s going which way?

Find below the Club 2016 Fixture list plus notification of Northern Championship events and the annual British Masters 5k at Horwich, which we have dominated in recent years.

February 13 Sam Shoebottom 10k at Simister

February 20 NARWA 20k at Douglas, IOM  [‘A’ category]

March 12 Alison Trophy 15k at Chorley

March 26 Proposed Ken Munro Memorial Open 10 miles [ NARWA 10 miles likely to be deleted from championship programme]

April 9 Macclesfield Shield 20k at Sutton Macclesfield

April 30 Allen Trophy 15 miles at Chorley

May 21 Fred Pearce Relay 3 x 5k at Simister

May 29 NARWA 35k at Kirkby Fleetham [although a championship this is a ‘B’ event, foreshadowing the National 50k ‘B’ championship]

June 19 BMAF 5k (Men & Women) at Horwich [‘A’ category]

July 2 Barnard Trophy 10k at Sutton Macclesfield

July 23 Lambert Trophy One Hour Track  at Bury

July 23 NARWA 10k at Dunnington [‘A’ category] – late revision, which means our One Hour race and this championship are on the same day!

August 13 Goodwin Cup 10k at Chorley

September 10 R & Z Smith Trophy 2 Hour Track at Bury

October 8 Albert Rigby Shield 10k at Sutton Macclesfield

November 5 LWC AGM 5k (109th) at Simister

All of the Club races in bold are ‘B’ category events and start at 1.30 p.m.

I’ll post more details re the NARWA and BMAF championships as they become available.

In addition I’ll do a reminder before all races, usually a fortnight ahead of the event.

AND for non-LWC folk visiting this blog simply to say you will receive a warm Lancashire welcome, if you come to any of our races as guest walkers, officials or spectators.

 

 

 

 

 

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SOUP AND ROLL LEAGUE 2016 FIXTURES

Posted on January 23, 2016 by Tony Taylor

It’s great to receive the 2016 Soup and Roll League Fixtures from the indefatigible duo of Trevor and Linda McDermot. Staged in beautiful villages these events are always excellently organised and a warm atmosphere duly created. Indeed at the last League race on December 2o at Kirkby Fleetham the race report ran:

A good showing by Lancashire WC at last Sunday’s combined Soup & Roll / Northern Winter League race, with their Masters too strong for Redcar and Yorkshire clubs in the overall team race.

Dave Crompton

Dave Crompton [minus festive hat] leads Denis and Russ Jackson at Kirkby Fleetham.

The first race is on Sunday, February 14 in the village of Ingram, Northumberland, NE66 4LT, starting at 11.00 a.m over distances from 4km to 5/10 miles. As ever entry is free and a soup and roll lunch is provided. It’s the day after the Sam Shoebottom at Simister, but if you can double up it makes for a quality weekend.

Soup & Roll League Programme 2016 (1) – opens as a spreadsheet with dates right through to December.

 

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Maurice Ireland – on joining the ‘daft beggars’

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Tony Taylor

Maurice winning 1978 NW GPO Champs in 74:12

We’ve received the following message from Maurice Ireland, which reveals two touching and humorous stories related to his entry into the ranks of the Lancashire Walking Club.

As a past Chairman & President of LWC I join with all who have congratulated Fred on his elevation to RWA President; he has worked tirelessly for many years both for our club and the sport, it is a well deserved honour and I am sure Fred Senior is looking down with great pride and joy.

My membership of the club goes back to about 1960 and I have many photographs etc. so if I can help them please let me know. My initial involvement with the sport and LWC is from 1954; at that time we lived on Bolton Road, Pendlebury and my father had regaled me with stories of his involvement with the Club and how he competed in such races as the Manchester to Blackpool in the late 1920s; unfortunately he was diagnosed with silicosis when he was 33 years of age which brought an end to his athletic career. However, on a particular night in 1954 I was “dragged” from my bed by my most excited father who had spotted race walkers going past our shop and found that the Manchester to Blackpool and back (100 miles) race was in progress. He had set up a feed station and I was directed to assist by running to meet approaching walkers, determine their “needs”, run back then deliver as he prepared them, this continued for some hours. The weather was atrocious, it rained continuously and needless to say it did not attract me to the sport but, I did admire the fortitude and competitive spirit along with the camaraderie of the many people I met throughout the night. Also, from the records I think you will find that Joe Lambert qualified as a centurion in this event. As far as I was concerned, this was my first and last involvement with the “daft beggars” who wished to inflict such agonies on themselves.

[ Maurice is indeed right about the weather conditions. The Record reported that ‘ the first few miles were along the sea-front. In normal conditions this would have been very pleasant, especially as vast crowds of holiday-makers would have cheered the walkers on their way. On the occasion of the race the sea-front was deserted, the roads were under water, there was heavy rain and great winds shoreward blew. As a result the competitors were drenched and chilled to the bone before they had covered the first few miles. The rain continued for thirteen hours and resulted in the 42 starters being gradually reduced to 20.’ Joe Lambert did become Centurion No. 223, finishing in 21:44:00, just behind Albert Rigby, the stalwart of Sutton Macclesfield, walking in that club’s colours , Centurion No. 222. Further up the field the club welcomed two other new Centurions, George J.Birchall, No. 220, dead-heating incredibly with his father [?], George P. Birchall in 19:32:27 and T.M.L. Dally, No. 221 in 20:37:19. To complete the picture the last man was E.E.Riddell of Lancashire, yet another new Centurion, No. 228 in 23:20:27. The race was won by Vic Stone [Polytechnic Harriers] in an impressive 17:22:26, well over an hour ahead of the second-placed John Hartley [Sheffield U.H.]. Lancashire dominated the team race. All of the finishers were clearly daft, but indomitable beggars.]

img015

Frank O’Reilly having just won the Manchester to Blackpool race in 1963 is taken to the Corporation Baths by Maurice’s father (looking over his shoulder). Frank won in 8:14:25 from Guy Goodair.

Maurice continues,

However, and as if predestined, my fate was sealed; in 1960 whilst returning from an engineering training course (old GPO) a person by the name of Chris Bolton, travelling in the same car, was prattling on about how he had raced in the Manchester to Blackpool event. I joined the conversation by stating that my father had also done that event and on how I had assisted in the “100”; I think Chris was a little taken aback by finding that I was aware of the sport and such events. Shortly after this meeting Chris and me were sent to work in the same telecoms centre and I frequently heard stories about his recent races; this gave me the opportunity to pull his leg about race walking and how anybody could walk at the speed of 6 miles in an hour. However, and as you would expect, Chris planned his revenge, one particular day he set me up in front of our colleagues to the point where he said that I could not walk 6 miles in the hour as I was boasting, obviously I laughed at him until he said that he had entered me on the next Saturday afternoon to compete at Worsley with LWC; I was trapped. Needless to say I had to turn out, but I am very proud of the fact that I did manage to beat the hour (by 30 seconds) and was awarded the 6 Miles in the Hour badge from the RWA; this was the start of my race walking career and thanks to Chris, many, many hours of superb sports involvement.

 

 

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