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PROFILE OF KERRY-LIAM WILSON

Kerry-Liam has been the outstanding M35/M40 Scottish Veteran Harrier for several years. Only his M35 Ronhill Cambuslang club-mate Robert Gilroy seems likely to rival K-L’s achievements. Kerry has won: five BMAF titles (two cross-country, ten miles, 10k and 5k); 22 Scottish Masters championships; and nine SVHC. On August 16th 2015, he contested the World Masters marathon in Lyon, France, finishing fourth overall (3rd M40) after a truly valiant effort. He was first Briton and helped GB to team silver. Now, as he has entered the M45 age-group, he is motivated to train for future European and World Masters events.
Both Cambuslang stars run huge mileages in training. Kerry –Liam’s programme before Lyon was especially gruelling: three months hard, including six runs of twenty miles plus, and seven weeks of over 100 miles, with a maximum 131! Possibly a bit too much, even for an extremely fit 44-year-old.
Once he takes just a little more care not to overdo it, and improves nutrition before and during a marathon, it seems very likely that a World or European Masters gold M45 medal is possible. No one could deserve it more.

(Kerry-Liam nearing the end of the Lyon marathon. Photo by Alan Ramage)
QUESTIONNAIRE

NAME Kerry-Liam Wilson
CLUBs Ronhill Cambuslang and Scottish Veteran Harriers Club
DATE OF BIRTH Some time during the 1970’s but not exactly sure. Being born in Singapore, a birth certificate isn’t something they gave out in those days.
OCCUPATION Production Line Operative
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE SPORT?
Youngest son Caine-Liam went along to the local football club under 7’s. However through time he just became a number, as the club got cliquey and, after I approached the coaches, I was basically told if I wasn’t happy then Caine wasn’t going to get a game. After that incident we were out a family walk and met Nat Taylor of Girvan AAC and, after he was told the above story his words were ” no matter how good or bad you’re at running, everyone gets a number” and invited us along to a training night. At first I was going along basically to keep an eye on Caine, as I didn’t want him doing anything wrong, and also wanted to see him happy after the football incident. A few sessions passed and I was asked if I fancied joining in with the seniors so, after a bit of juggling with Caine and his wee brother Kalle who was two at this time, when Kate worked a back shift, I went out with the seniors on a Tuesday and Thursday and enjoyed it. Whatever route we did on those days I would reverse it on a Saturday before finally get more involved.
HAS ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP HAD A MARKED INFLUENCE ON YOUR ATTITUDE OR INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE?
At Girvan AAC I would say it has to be Nat Taylor and Jack Maxwell, two coaches who went to races a lot and took me along and showed me the ropes. Did a lot of Sunday runs with Jack too and picked his brains when out on those runs. Caine would come along too if he wasn’t racing. Jack’s wife Eileen would look after him, usually in a coffee shop, before supporting us on the home straight of the races.
At Ronhill Cambuslang it has to be everyone! There’s a good team camaraderie, which is a vital part of becoming and staying a winning club. At first it was Stevie Wylie. Jamie Reid and Michael Johnston later on, plus David Cooney, Colin Feechan, James Orr, Owen Reid and Robert Anderson.
Stevie moved to Girvan when he bought a house, and we would do sessions and runs together all the time before his job went onto shifts, but we travelled regularly to races and, not long after that, I switched clubs from Girvan to Ronhill Cambuslang. On training runs again I would pick Stevie’s brains about running, training, diet etc, and then, after meeting Jamie Reid, would delve into his knowledge.
Michael is another knowledgeable individual and I have learned a lot from him. Getting lifts from Michael after he spent a day working with athletes, he still gave me the time to answer questions I was concerned about.
WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU GET OUT OF THE SPORT?
LIFE! When I’m training or racing it gives me time to search for things in life that I’ve never had. Gives me a focus and a meaning to be here! I get the chance to mature, be myself and be in a place I want to be, rather than somewhere worse where I have been before. Since I have been let down by many people throughout my life, running helps me to block out those dark times. Growing up without a father has made me more determined to succeed so that my boys can be proud of me. Anger can be channelled into races.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST EVER PERFORMANCE OR PERFORMANCES?
Probably the Scottish Athletics Masters XC win at Kilmarnock in 2012 was my best win, with the way the race turned around at the front many times, before I made the break on the last uphill section. The only time I got my photo in Athletics Weekly.
Also becoming the first person ever to do the clean sweep of all FIVE Scottish Athletics Masters National title wins during the Scottish Athletics Grand Prix Series in that same year, 2012. Winning the 5k, 10k, 10 mile, Half and Full marathons with PBs at 5k, 10 mile and half marathon. I was nominated twice for the Scottish Athletics Master of the Year Award.
YOUR WORST?
Hard to pick one out because, if you think you’ve had a bad one, there is usually a positive in there that can help you towards the next race. I’m one of the most negative thinking people you’ll find and always look at the worst possible outcome. Anything better on race day is a bonus.
FIVE people help me tremendously, whether it’s during a meeting, before a race or by email/text conversation. They will remain anonymous but I think of them as: The Boss, The Champ, The Chauffeur, The Coach and The Gaffer.
Without them I’d be the first to admit my performances at races would most definitely not have been what they were! I’ve the utmost respect, and owe them dearly for helping me, not only to get where I’m at in my running, but also to help me stay there.
WHAT UNFULFILLED AMBITIONS DO YOU HAVE?
Just happy to be putting one foot in front of the other!
OTHER LEISURE ACTIVITIES?
Don’t do any other sports. Gave up cycling to/from work after consistently having ITB issues. Most strenuous “away from running” thing I do is a walk in and around Culzean Castle Country Park with the family, but after training has been completed for that day.
WHAT DOES RUNNING BRING YOU THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED TO MISS?
Spending time with family. At first when the boys were young I was travelling the night before and sleeping at friends’ or family’s houses, but through time, with Kate changing jobs and getting a driver’s licence, we now go to races together, meaning not many nights away, unless it’s with the Masters squad for the International XC.
One thing I’ve found that running has brought me is the friendliness of everyone, whether they’re from the same club or another club, although from time to time I still get questioned about why I left Girvan AAC to join Ronhill Cambuslang. Before I took up running I followed football home and away in Scotland and throughout Europe with my club and International team, causing mayhem and destruction to the body through alcohol. Once the boys came along this was curtailed dramatically, as the money I used to have pre-kids was now being spent on much more important things. During that time I was often hassled for wearing football club colours, but at running THAT will never happen, so I feel there’s a more secure feeling amongst the running network. It is excellent that I get best wishes and congratulations from other clubs, before and after races. Even during races the amount of people that spur you on is great to see. The National XC for example.
CAN YOU GIVE SOME DETAILS OF YOUR TRAINING?
I work from Sunday to Saturday for my week’s training. At my job I’m currently on a day shift/back shift rota with hours of 06:00-1400 or 14:00-2200 hours, so my training is around those hours of employment.
Day shift week:
Sunday will be the long run day. Depending if I’m racing the following weekend it can go between 16 – 20 miles. Normally around 1.45 – 2.10, again depending on race commitments and the route I choose. If in full marathon training I try and do 2 x 25 mile runs in my training schedule. Nowadays these are done on my own, depending how I’m feeling. If I’m feeling sluggish to begin with, and pick up during the run, I’ll turn it into a progressive session. Other long runs I’ll do 2 miles normal pace then do 1 x mile fast, 1 x mile steady x 8 then 2 miles normal giving me 20 for the day and try and have that in or around the 2 hours.
Monday 05:00 hrs = 30 minutes to work, anywhere between 4.20 – 4.80 miles in length.
Monday 14:00 hrs = 8, 10, 12 miles home in 50-52, 62-64 or 73-75 minutes
Tuesday the same.
Wednesday a.m. run the same, but the run home is a speed session, either a pyramid session or another type of interval workout.
5 x sets of 1 x 100,200,300,400,500 metres, all with 100 metres run through recovery in a pyramid style.
10 x 800 metres, 20 x 1 minute, 16 x 400 metres, 5 or 6 times a mile.
Thursday and Friday the same as Monday/Tuesday.
Saturday, if not working overtime, will be another session or easy run of 6 or 8 miles, normally, if racing on the Sunday.
Sunday again will again be dependent on racing, but if I have not got anything on the radar, then another 16-20 will be run. Sometimes I might do a 22-24 mile run, just for the sake of it.
Back shift week
I’ll start the Monday with 11 miles at 09:00
10pm is the 30 minutes run home from work.
Tuesday : 12 noon = 8, 10 or 12 miles with similar times to the day shift week.
Wednesday : either a session as stated above or the same as Tuesday.
Thursday/Friday: same as Tuesday but, if racing, I tend to taper ever so slightly, with just 30 minutes to and from work.
Saturday the same as last Saturday and again, if racing, an easy paced effort.
Mileage can be around 75-100 miles but again, as stated, it’s all race dependent. In saying that, I’ve run 100+ mile weeks and been very close to my PB for that race distance.
I’m like most people who work full-time, and who have to fit in training around the job, as it’s the job that pays the bills, not the running which, after all, is “just a hobby, really” – but a serious one!
(After months of intensive training, Kerry-Liam ran the World Masters marathon in Lyon. He emailed his reactions not long after the race.)
A good performance (2.31.01) on a hot day, although under 4 minutes slower than my PB.
Mike said afterwards that the results looked good from where he was as, in an ideal situation, I’d have gone out at least five days before the competition to acclimatise.
My splits were as follows:
5.21 5.23 5.26 5.25 5.29 5.31 5.27 5.33 5.39 5.34 5.36 5.36 5.40 5.33 5.33 5.35 5.36 5.44 5.46 5.37 5.48 5.52 6.03 6.18 6.34 6.36 2.30
Took fourth overall but third M40 and GB wonTeam Silver. Two medals in my first ever Worlds can’t be bad, even if it didn’t quite go to plan.
Winner was 2.28:42; second was M45 in 3.30:07; third, second M40, was 2.30:33.
The M45 lad, I was with him from about mile 1 to mile 22. I took the lead at mile 24, but this was short-lived, for 300 metres, before winner and the M45 passed me.
Was overtaken in the last 300 metres by the second M40, to leave me third.
After first lap I was 20 seconds adrift, second lap 39 seconds adrift, third lap just one second adrift whilst working well with the M45. Stitch came from nowhere but in saying that, I took the lead during that period. Short-lived, as previously stated. Then the legs just got heavier and heavier with very little leg lift. What I did notice was the three guys all had energy drinks and the M45 had gels. I only had water from the official stations to use, in paper cups which wasn’t ideal. I remember missing the first water station too. Maybe a lesson learned there!
The second M40 passed me and at that time the legs were getting heavier by the second and I knew he was closing me down but couldn’t respond at all.
Lost toe nail again, same one as before. Legs stiff but I’ve been worse after previous marathons. Not doing any other ones this year and won’t make a decision until New Year about a Spring one.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and already thinking of Portugal for the Non-Stadia ones, 10k or half there. Following year it’s the Stadia ones in Aarhus; then the Worlds again in Malaga in 2018.
As for diet, I ate pasta the evening before. Didn’t have any at all in the week leading. Had chicken, tuna on the Friday night. Breakfast was three small bread rolls and two bananas. Energy drink and an SIS bar. Stomach sore with the stitch and I remember during Edinburgh the same happened. I feel fine over 10k or a half but, as in Edinburgh it hurt from 20-23 mile mark. Something again to ponder.
Legs feel tight but not planning to run for a few days
One thing that was going through my mind while other guys were going to the feed tables was Nutrition!
My psychologist does triathlons and she happened to ask if I took any nutrition on board during the race. At Belfast I just stuck to water. At Lochaber I had three coffees during breakfast to race start time, then Lucozade during the race. Warm conditions that day too but ended up with excruciating stomach pains almost forcing me to stop.

I really enjoyed the whole experience in Lyon, even though it was just three days.
I intend still do the Scottish and British races but will possibly aim for European or World Masters Championships as my “A” races throughout the year.

GREAT SCOTTISH VETERAN ATHLETES: ANDY COOGAN

(The Maryhill Harriers team which won the 1939 Edinburgh to Glasgow Road Relay, with Andy Coogan in the back row, third from the right. Can you spot other famous Scottish runners: Donald McNab Robertson, Emmet Farrell and Gordon Porteous? Photo courtesy of the Coogan family.)

Andy Coogan’s friend James Munn reports that Sir Chris Hoy’s great-uncle (and inspiration) celebrated his 98th birthday in April 2015. Andy’s autobiography (‘Tomorrow You Die’) was published 2012, and is a marvellous tale of resilience and survival, especially during three and a half years suffering in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.
Andy Coogan was a very talented middle distance runner, not only before his military service, but also many years later, once the Veteran Athletics movement was established. His first club was the famous Maryhill Harriers, which he joined as a youth, and then had considerable success, particularly in the mile and half-mile, but also in longer races, including cross country. In 1938 Andy won the Police Mile at Hampden; and then the Empire Exhibition Mile at Ibrox. He was 21 when the Second World War broke out in 1939, and was called up to serve in the Lanarkshire Yeomanry. In November 1939 Maryhill Harriers led all the way to win the prestigious Edinburgh to Glasgow Relay, with Andy coming in first on Stage One.
In 1940, before embarking for Cape Town, Bombay and Poona, Andy was invited by Bill Struth, the manager of Rangers FC, to take part in an international sports day at Ibrox. In a handicap mile, he was to race against the legendary Sydney Wooderson (the world mile record holder) in front of a crowd of 90,000! Before the event, Andy met Wooderson, who turned out to be an absolute gentleman, happy to chat with the young Glaswegian. There were eight starters. In “Tomorrow You Die” there is a fine description of the race. “Right from the start, there was a tremendous noise from the crowd. With a lap to go, there were three runners ahead of me. At about 150 yards, I overtook Ian Stokoe of Edinburgh University, the British Universities mile champion. I was excited because I knew that Stokoe was very good. The other athletes were well behind us by this time. The atmosphere in the stadium was amazing. I wasn’t sure where Wooderson was, but I knew he was coming up, by the way the crowd were roaring. I wasn’t racing, using the head; I was just desperate to get to the finish. With about ten yards to go, Wooderson came level, then passed me. I was happy to be in second place and, to tell the truth, just happy to be in the race, as it was a great honour to run against Wooderson……… Afterwards, he was very encouraging. He told me that I had a good future in athletics and gave me his pins and his numbers as souvenirs……That night I allowed myself to dream of running for Scotland and maybe ultimately the Olympics.”
Although Andy Coogan also won a half mile and a mile in Poona, that was to be the end of his senior running career, since despite brave fighting in Malaya, he and his surviving comrades were captured by the Japanese after the surrender of Singapore.
Details of the agonies endured during imprisonment are vividly described in the book. Yet eventually, the war did end and emaciated, starving men were freed. Andy Coogan’s incredible spirit and inner toughness shines through the narration.
Back in Scotland, after a long period of convalescence, during which he was helped back to fitness by Maryhill Harriers, Andy met his wife-to-be Myra. In 1948 they moved to Carnoustie and Andy founded Tayside Amateur Athletics Club. As well as coaching and encouraging everyone in the community to participate in sport, he also took part in Veteran Athletics. In 1987 he was pictured leading the World Veterans 800m in Melbourne, in front of Shettleston’s Davie Morrison. Andy won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Vets 800m at the age of 75 and kept running well into his eighties. Aged 82, in the British Veterans Athletics Championships at Meadowbank in 1999, he won the M80 200 metres! Gordon Porteous, Emmet Farrell and Davie Morrison also competed that day. Andy says that veteran meetings were great fun, although deadly serious!
Scottish Masters Track and Field presents annually ‘The Andy Coogan Trophy’ for the best age-graded performance (Indoors or Outdoors) in 800m by any male SVHC member.
In 2012, Andy had a well-deserved honour when he carried the Olympic torch in Dundee. He wrote that he was very moved by the turnout of friends, family and former runners with Tayside Amateur Athletics Club.
James Munn reports that, nowadays, this incredible character has good general health at 98, and is an alert, articulate speaker, who lives alone but is supported by regular visits from his daughters.

(Andy, aged about 70, competing at the 1987 Melbourne World Vets race, and still following Dunky Wright’s advice to run on his toes! Photo courtesy of the Coogan family.)

Andy died on 20th March, 2017, just twelve days short of his 100th birthday.

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Lindsay Robertson

This page has a straightforward purpose: to share stories and incidents that Scotland’s endurance athletes, teams and coaches have experienced in the course of their athletic carers.   Given the amount of travelling, the number of miles covered in training and racing, given the rather broad range of competitors and ‘hingers-oan’ then these tales are legion.   Send in your own and we’ll add them to the page.   For example, if you want the humorous anecdote, there is the story of a runner (Johnny B Maclachlan, Clydesdale)  in the West District cross-country relays at King’s Park, Stirling, who while running in third place hurdled a barbed-wire fence near the end of the race.   Unfortunately he caught his under-carriage (I hesitate to refer to them as ‘crown jewels) on the fence.   One of the runners beside him at the time (Albert Smith, VPAAC) said, “You should have heard the language he used – and he’s a BB officer tae!”    Barbed-wire and male appendages feature in several such tales – the one about the runner (John Wright) who caught the latter on the former in the County Championships and was taken to the hospital A&E Department where he was received by the woman doctor but he refused to tell her what was wrong – too embarrassed – but fortunately he was accompanied by a less squeamish club official and he just had to grin and bear it!

Then there are the stories about particular incidents during races – the chap who was knocked down in the Edinburgh to Glasgow and immediately picked up and taken into a house at the roadside from which he escaped through the window to carry on with his leg of the race.   The National used to be held at Hamilton race course and most times consisted of a long straight with a huge loop at one end with a massive hill involved and a small perfectly flat loop at the other end.

One runner was caught stopping at the start of the small loop (just before actually turning into it) bending down to tie his shoe lace but turning through 360 degrees while doing it so that he was facing back the way he was going and trotting off to continue the race having gained 20 or 30 places and had a wee breather into the bargain.

I’ll start with some already contained in the website and use one from the Maryhill Ladies AC page about the time when a young PE teacher called John Anderson was taking four girls down to the British cross-country championships in the early 1960’s.   They travelled in a dormobile type vehicle and after they had set out it started snowing and the snow got thick and it became evident that they would have to pull over and spend the night in a lay-by.   No motorways and no service stations at that time.   John, beingan enthusiastic type, let the women have the inside of the van and he said he would take his sleeping bag and spend the night under the vehicle.   It wasn’t a good idea and eventually he had to knock on the door and ask if he could get inside the van.   Far from being in PJ’s or anything, the runners were all in overcoats, it was so cold    Eventually they all dozed off for a couple of hours or so.   In the morning Leslie Watson and Cathy Kelly jogged off for help and came back with a tractor and the van was towed clear and they set off for the championship.   Eagle-eyed John saw a cinema with a queue outside it.  He immediately decided that they were going to the pictures!   He disabused them of the notion that they were going to see the film: the walls of the cinema would be lined with heaters and they were only going in long enough to be properly warmed through.   He paid for them to get in, they warmed up and then back into the van and off to the race where they acquitted themselves nobly!    Hugh Barrow has another John Anderson tale.   In his own words, “I remember sitting in the middle of a packed mini bus driven by John Anderson heading over Shap towards RAF Cosford in the 60s.   In the front as ballast Doug Edmunds, in the back for music Moira Kerr, also The likes of Dunky Middleton and Hamish Telfer I think.   John never known for his conservative driving had the foot to the metal and this was making big Doug nervous.   As John took the shortest route round a blind bend Doug asked him what would happen if we met his brother coming in the other direction– to which John answered it would be ok as he would also be on the wrong side of the road!

Alistair Lawson:     Alistair was a good runner who for a time was a member of Dumbarton AAC and ran in the Glasgow to Fort William Relays in the 60’s and 70’s.   He travelled the world climbing in the Drakensbers, the Andes and various other mountain ranges and is a committee member of the Scottish Rights of Way Society. Once upon a time, when the world was still young, I was with a bunch of hikers up in the Peruvian Andes. We were making our way into the heart of the mountains by following a “quebrada” (= glen, in Scotland). The floor of this glen was around 13,000 feet above sea level, though we were still very much at the foot of the amazingly high surrounding mountains. During the day, a couple of members of the party, who were suffering from the altitude, had dropped further and further back and, by the time we were thinking of stopping and setting up camp, had not been seen for some time. The rest of us felt someone should go back and accompany them the rest of the way, and, as I was known to be a runner, I was “volunteered”. Going down the glen seemed, of course, as though it should be a dawdle, so off I went at a modest jog. Within half a mile, I was puggled, short of breath, gasping, and the oxygen-starved leg muscles were ready for a walk. The moral of the story? “Altitude beats Attitude”. Needless to say, I have been puggled on many other occasions, before and since, most of them at sea level, in Scotland, with the benefit of 100% atmospheric pressure. Well, there you go.

Jim McLatchie who was a first class track runner and quite early in his career he was talked by Dunky Wright into running on the road in the Nigel Barge Road Race.   The Motherwell YM runners were there in strength and Jim was running with them well into The race.  As they belted along, Andy Brown turned to Bert McKay and asked, “What’s McLatchie doing here?”   Bert’s reply was “I think he’s going to kick our arses.”   Andy: “But he’s no a road runner.”   Bert:    “Today he is!“

Allan Faulds tells of the time before he and Liz were married and he went out for a run from her parents house in Scone.   As he disappeared round the corner, Liz heard one wee boy say to the other, “There’s a man running.”   To which his pal replied, “Aye, fancy that, he’s got a car!”

I remember travelling to the AAA’s marathon in Rotherham with Alastair Macfarlane, Bill Ramage and Doug Gunstone and we were put up in accommodation provided by ordinary householders.   I was in a teenage girl’s room which was more sweetly scented than any I had ever experienced but Bill and Alastair were in the flat above a newsagent’s shop.   When I went round with them to drop off their luggage before going for a meal we were met by a chap who asked where we had been and said that the dinner had been ready for 7:00 pm and it was now nearly 9:00.  Behind the door was hanging a fur coat and not far away were a pair of high heels.   Now women around.   We went up to their room, with en suite, to clean up and get ready.   In the middle of the room was a pile of men’s magazines (eg Playgirls – big girls for big boys!).  I went into the bathroom and was amazed – lilac shag pile carpeting and the throne of mercy was in a corner facing a floor-to-ceiling mirror with a family sized jar of vaseline on the shelf at the side.  You can probably imagine the comments passed (like a Bessarabian brothel was one) before went down for the promised dinner.   The last word I will say about this was when I had trouble getting the fork through the pastry, I had some difficulty and in reply to his comment that it was tough because we were late, I wriggled a bit and said no, the difficulty was down to my weak right wrist.   His comment was “Well, we all know what causes that!”

Jim Russell sent this one about the Edinburgh to Glasgow.

“In the 1974 Edinburgh to Glasgow Bellahouston had built up a gap over Aberdeen of 3 minutes 33 seconds by the third changeover. Aberdeen then started to close the gap on each of the following stages till they got to the final changeover. 18 year old Graham Laing took over chasing a 64 second gap to Jimmy Irvine 39 year old and running his 16th and final E-G. Graham gradually closed the gap along the Edinburgh Road and Alexandra Parade till as they approached the Wills factory he was on Jimmy’s shoulder. Instead of going straight past Graham who must have been feeling the effort he had put in to close the gap ran with Jimmy and as they turned off the Parade he asked “How far to go”. The reply from Jimmy was silence. Down the hill they went together and as they reached the corner at the bottom Graham asked again “How Far”. Again the reply was silence. On they went and as they turned on to High Street Graham again asked the question and again the reply was silence. Down High Street they went and as they started to turn the final corner onto Ingram Street Jimmy sprinted as hard as he could and told Graham “600 yards”. Having taken Graham by surprise Jimmy opened a gap and hung on for all he was worth along the busy street eventually coming home 3 seconds ahead. A case of experience and craftiness over youth.”    [Incidentally when Jim read this story his comment was that he remembered it well and he should not have run in it at all.   He had been feeling ill all week – and he was ill for two days after it!]

I remember one of the trial runs for the 1970 Commonwealth Games marathon when Bobby Lochead of Springburn was looking for some diluting orange juice to make up his bottles for the race.   At that time the runners in the SAAA Marathon could provide their own bottles of drink and write the stations at which they wanted them left.   The usual practice was to make up a pint of concentrated orange juice with water, add a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt.   Bobby was a qualified so when he came back with lime juice saying he couldn’t get orange but the main thing was ‘the sodium ions’ I didn’t argue.   The first mouthful he got during the race was spat out – it tasted foul apparently!    So much for chemistry and marathons.

Incidentally I attended a British Endurance seminar before the Atlanta Games where an American nutritionist was talking about the official drink for the Games.   Because of the US Food & Drug Act it couldn’t contain salt: eh?      Then when I described to her the old drink (juice + teaspoon of salt + tablespoon of sugar) and asked how it was different from the official drink, her reply was simply, “It’s cheaper!”

Another from Hugh Barrow: “On a beautiful sunny March afternoon in the late 60s the VPAAC Cross Country Championship was taking place over the traditional course in Milngavie.   As the field meandered over the fields near Milngavie Golf Club they had to traverse several stone dykes where behind one a romantic couple were making the best of the good conditions.   Such was the endeavour of the runners they didn’t break stride as they vaulted the dyke and the couple — and such was the intensity of the moment, neither did they”.

More from Bellahouston, this time from Iain Burke.   “Andy Daly and Peter Fleming meet up on a Sunday morning in the 80’s leading up to the Glasgow Marathon.   A long run is planned – 20 mile plus at race pace or faster.   After about 18 miles they get to East Kilbride and Andy keels over.   No worries, he tells Peter, “My granny lives just up the road.”   They head up to Andy’s granny’s where she puts him to bed with tea and biscuits.   Peter heads off and carries on back home.   A couple of hours later, Andy’s up out of bed and finishes the run.   You couldn’t make it up!”

Another Andy Daly tale:   We had booked a trip to Essonne in the mid-80’s.   I was coaching George Carlin and took my daughter over to watch the race.   Andy had run in Barcelona for a Scottish squad the week before an done 2:20 for the distance.   When he turned up I asked if it was not kind of close to be doing another 26.2 miles.   But he had paid Stuart Easton for the trip and he was going.   We eventually got to Essonne and on the morning of the race I was talking to George about the race and how he was going to run it when Andy came in and asked if I would pull him out after the first of two laps.   I just refused – even at that time of the morning, hours before the race, there were gendarmes with whistles and batons keeping cars off the route of the race.   Looking menacing they were.   So the race started and after the first lap Andy was running third, when I shouted at him going into the second lap, he replied that he was fine, no worries Brian.   The winner won, second and third came in, then fourth, fifth and sixth and my daughter (aged 12) was concerned about Andy.    He eventually came in looking all in – in 2:24!   Two marathons in 4:48 just seven days apart.     He went for a run the next morning though and then the boat coming home was up-and-down all the way across with just about everybody on board being physically very sick.   George was talking about a prize for the Golden Huey Bag Award.   When we got to Dover, t

the only guy picked by customs to be searched was Andy.    He came back on to the bus looking awful and I asked if they had found anything to be told, “Brian, I wasn’t even smuggling the contents of my stomach back in.”

We used to go warm weather training in the early and mid 90’s, usually to Alfa Mar.   One year we had arrived and were in the front of the hotel when Ewan saw this guy and recognised him immediately as world record holder Wilson Kipketer.   He went over and asked if he could get his photograph taken with him and Kipketer obliged.   It turned out that he was there n his own with his coach and he started to talk to the guys regularly and became quite friendly.    I was only there for ten days although the squad were there for a fortnight and the night before I left I was packing bags when two of the group came to the door and invited me down for a drink.   We went down and joined the whole group at the table and there was Wilson K sitting next to an empty chair which I grabbed.   he wasn’t drinking so I just offered to get something for him, to which he replied, after reaching to a distant ash tray and picking up a fag end, “Not until I have finished my cigarette.”   A wee bit later and the conversation died down to be ended by Mark saying to the world record holder, “Have you heard of Cambuslang Harriers?”   He was, I am sure, joking, but he was given a bawling out just the same.

Colin Youngson has replied to a specific request for his own running memories with a typically wonderful essay which is a bit long for the page here but you can get it by following this link   For now, this extract from running at University will have to do.   He has served his apprenticeship at school and is starting to take the sport seriously:

“Only about forty miles per week is averaged, but as the months pass, you do get better, as is proven during the short summer track season, when you concentrate on doubling up (one mile and three mile races) and post new best times. Then you enjoy the track events at Highland Games before going camping, youth hostelling and earning cash by working at a summer job. Due to the resilience of youth, injuries are seldom encountered. When they do occur, you simply rest a couple of days and then try to jog back to fitness”

You have to read it!

Now one of the best tales I’ve heard for a long time come from Mel Edwards who sends this one

“One of the most exciting and satisfying days of my life was back in October 1967.

I had just won my debut marathon in Harlow, Essex in 2.18.24 which was a course record and would place me 4^th in the UK rankings for the year, and was heading for the train to Liverpool Street en route to Southampton where I was working at the time.    The train was packed except for one carriage which had a solitary occupant who was staring gloomily out of the window, chin on hand. I think this is what put passengers off selecting this one because every other one was full.   So I bit the bullet and entered to be met with a glower. I sat down and read my AW. Finished it and decided to say something. “Been up to much today?” Response, with a gloomy look “I’ve just done a marathon”. “Oh” I said “I did that one as well. How did you get on?” Reply “ I was last”.

Back to the window, chin on hand.  I thought, what a blooming shame. You’ve run 26 miles and you’re depressed.   Then I had a brainwave. “What position were you?”    “Last, I told you”.  “No” I said “What actual position were you? They posted the results on the board” “98^th…last”  I thought “Got you!”  “Do you remember Tom Dradey the race organiser gave us a briefing on the course on the start line?”    “Yes”.  “And do you remember he said he was delighted he had a record field registered and on the line of 110 runners?”   His next words were “Eh, Ah, Ooh”   “Yes” I said “12 dropped out. You had the guts to finish”   Well, I couldn’t get him to stop talking all the way to Liverpool Street. All about his family, his work, his running. He’d had a fraught week because he was worried about the marathon AND his budgie was off it’s food!    We said our farewells at Liverpool Street, and I wished him and his budgie all the best. My lasting memory of him was him going “Tsk, tsk, 12 dropped out” and raising his eyes to the heavens.

I never met him again, but he put the seal on one of the best days of my life.”

Mel winning the Junior National 1963: best cross-country race I ever saw!

Jim Russell sent three more – the first two are Andy Daly tales.   The first one is about a holiday mishap.   Jim says: “Andy was on holiday in, I think, Majorca and on the day before flying home he was out for a training run.   He turns a corner forgetting that in Europe they drive on the other side of the road.   He is caught a glancing blow by a car and sent flying.   He is then taken to hospital where he is X-rayed and told that he has only suffered bruising to his foot and elbow.   After flying home the next day he goes out for a 10 mile run.  Nearing the end of the run and going along Barrhead Road he has a couple of blackouts from the pain in his foot and elbow.   Arriving home he goes straight to hospital where he is again x-rayed and told he has fractures in both foot and elbow which must have been hidden previously by the bruising.   Only Andy would have thought of going for a run after being knocked down by a car.   The time for his run was 58 minutes!”

The second one is about training nights.   “Club night during winter and we’re going out for a road run.  It’s cold, raining heavily and most are wearing some sort of waterproofs.   I have a full waterproof tracksuit and others have waterproof jackets, but not Andy.   Stating that it’s not cold he is just wearing shorts and a string vest.   Then on another club night, this time during the summer, we are out in Pollock Estate (now they call it Pollok Park) and going along the side of the River Cart when we run into a swarm of midges.   A few of us get some in our mouths and there is a spate of coughing and spitting to clear our throats, I even throw up.   But again Andy has to be different and swallows them saying they’re pure protein!

And finally for now, Jim has one of his own involving Jim Brown.   “While still Juniors a 2000m steeplechase was arranged at Scotstoun to help get qualifying times for the AAA Championships at Kirkby Liverpool.   When we got to the first water-jump, Jim, who was running in his first ever steeplechase, had a few metres lead on me.   He got on to the barrier OK but came down into the water on both feet and came to a complete stop.   Meanwhile I was in mid air trying to avoid coming down his back with half-inch spikes.   Luckily he got going again before I could hit him.   Later on we were both running in the steeplechase in the Inter Counties at Dam Park in Ayr.   Before the race I jokingly said to Jim could he make sure he landed with one foot at the water-jump so that I did not rip his back open.   Needless to say, we came to the first water-jump and again Jim had a few metres lead on me, and yes, again he landed on both feet, coming to a stop while I frantically tried to avoid him.   Luckily he again got going before I hit him or a great career might have come to a sudden end!”

A really good one now from Lindsay Robertson (abpove) who won the Sea of Galilee Marathon twice.

At the 1985 SOG, a couple of days or so before the race a guy came up to me and asked if I would like to go jogging with him the next morning. I casually checked out what sort of standard he was – I had never heard of him. ‘So, what’s your best time.’ ‘2:10’.

Internal expletives!!!!    The next morning we duly met before breakfast and after cheerful greetings set off for a jog. A minute later I was thinking ‘You look like you’re struggling’ so enquired again ‘What did you say your best time was again?’ ‘3:10’.   Huge sigh of relief!!!

On the way out to Israel in ”84, on the El Al plane I saw what I thought was an extremely boring film. On the return flight, I was in fine spirits as the Captain announced a lunch was about to be served, followed by what sounded like an exciting, all action film. The meal lived up to expectations, but after the lights dimmed and the film started, I was horrified to find the film was the same stinker I endured on the way out!   I often can’t be bothered complaining but I was straight out if my seat and up the aisle in search of a steward. An impasse was quickly reached, I was told this was the the first time El Al had screened this film. I said they had shown it on the way out, it was absolutely rotten and in any case, they had announced they were going to show the block buster. A man seemed to appear from the shadows and said Excuse me Sir, you are Robertson? Yes’ ‘you won the race?’ Yes’ ‘Just sit down sir, we’ll sort this out’

Soon after a Jumbo load of people saw the film screen suddenly go blank followed shortly thereafter by the start of a completely different film!

At Heathrow I just missed a shuttle to Edinburgh, but the captain of the next one turned out to be a runner I had met a couple of months previously. He had said to me if I was ever on a flight he was piloting to let him know via a stewardess. I did, and spent the rest of the flight in the cockpit. I was glad I had missed the earlier flight!

Also from Lindsay is this one from the Sea of Galilee in 1985.   “The day before coming home I arranged to go out with a couple I had met the year before.   Jim Doig went to bed early because he was going home early the next morning.   I waited ages in reception, I think a road had been closed due to an accident.   Eventually, well after midnight, the phone at reception rang and the guy at the desk said it was for me.   A groggy sounding Jim as at the other end, asking whait Wanted.   I asked him what he wanted because he had called me.    He said he hadn’t called me he had been woken by the phone and here was I at the other end.   Never got to the bottom of that!    My friends eventually turned up and out we went.   In a pub/club Eli spotted someone he knew, a former winner of the Eurovision song contest.   Eli called across for the man to come over.   I remembered the singer and the winning song and asked him if he was still singing.  He sort of coughed and sprayed a mouthful of his drink before explaining that he was a big star!”

Thanks Lindsay, and for this one which comes from the New York City race in 1986.   “At the NYC Marathon post-race party, I got talking to a girl who initially said that she wasn’t sure if she knew me well enough to dance???  Later however, as the evening was winding up, I was cordially invited to follow her.   Not wanting to offend, I duly tagged along, intrigued by the prospect of a nice hot chocolate or even an interesting stamp collection.   Out into the lobby, into the lift, up, up, up.  The lift stops, she gets out, then suddenly someone appears at the lift entrance, dressed as a US football player.   Gary Fanelli, a celebrity figure who ran the race dressed in New York Mets uniform and played catch with spectators on the way round, seemed to take up the whole doorway.  I can’t remember if he got in, but by the time I had thought what’s this?   Oh, it’s Gary Fanelli, etc, the doors closed and the lift took off.”

And he never did get to see the stamp collection!

Allan Adams (born 3rd January 1944) enjoyed a long running career, achieving most success after the age of 40, when he not only ran marathons for Scotland but also won many age-group titles as a Veteran. Dumbarton AAC was his only club and he served them extremely well. His son, Allan Adams (Junior) also became a prominent Scottish athlete and represented his country internationally. In 1997 he won silver medals in Scottish 10,000 metres Championship and Half Marathon; and secured bronze in the 2001 10k. In 2004 Allan Junior won the Scottish 10k title.

By 1966, Allan (Senior) was representing DAAC in the Edinburgh to Glasgow Road Relay, moving up three places on Stage Three. He took part in the event again in 1972, 1976 and 1983. Allan’s clubmates during this period included International runners Graeme Grant and Colin Martin, as well as steeplechasers Hugh Elder and Bill Cairns. Tough guy Alastair Lawson also featured: he specialised in hill and trail races; but no one trained harder than Allan Adams.

His frequent training partner, Colin Martin, started off as a talented young track specialist but in 1988 won the Scottish Marathon Championship, outkicking Donald Ritchie, the ultra-distance legend. Before this triumph (aged 41) Colin and Allan had been doing 90 to 100 miles per week, with Tuesdays and Thursdays devoted to 400, 800 or even mile repetitions with Lachie Stewart and his promising son Glen (later a GB track representative). The Saturday session might be 22 miles on the road; with Sundays an hour and a half over country trails. Both men became extremely fit, due to this arduous schedule.

Back in 1979, Allan Adams appeared in the Scottish ranking lists with a marathon time of 2.32.27. By 1985 (aged 41) he had improved to 2.25.48 and won the Inverclyde/SVHC Marathon in front of David Fairweather and Brian Carty. Then in 1986 Allan produced an outstanding 2.23.03. He was still running 2.26.32 in 1989 and signed off with 2.31.37 (aged 47) in 1991. Apart from World Veteran champions Donald Macgregor, Dave Clark, Alastair Wood and Bill Stoddart, plus ultra-distance legend Don Ritchie, hardly any Scottish Veterans have covered the classic distance so fast.

1986 was his peak as a marathon runner. In April he was 1st M40 in the famous Tom Scott Memorial 10 Mile Road Race, finishing in the outstanding time of 49.12. After that, he set a record for the Cairnpapple/SVHC Hill Race. Then in May, at the Aberdeen International Marathon, Allan Adams ran for Scotland in the match against the ‘Auld Enemy’. English team runners were the first three home. Aberdeen AAC’s Colin Youngson was first Scot, only a minute ahead of the fast-finishing Adams, who was fifth (and 1st Veteran) in 2.29.10 on a long, hilly course. In September, representing his country again in the Glasgow International Marathon, Allan was second team counter (and 1st Veteran) in his fastest-ever time of 2.23.03.

[Allan Adams (number 65) in the Tom Scott 10, 1985. Photo by Graham MacIndoe.]

Further highlights were to come for this Tough of the Road. In April 1989 at the Lochaber Marathon, Allan had a real battle with Colin Youngson for the Scottish Veterans marathon title. There was snow on Ben Nevis behind the runners, as a pack of seven battled into a strong headwind on the way out to halfway. Naturally, Adams showed his strength by leading into the gale, while Youngson loitered in shelter behind the others. After the turn, the pace suddenly increased by about a minute a mile! Colin gained fifty yards but Allan hung on. Every time the leader passed Allan’s wife (who kept overtaking the pair in a car) Colin tried to look fresh, but in reality he was tiring. Eventually he threw everything into the last couple of miles and, exhausted, won in 2.29.40 while Allan won the M45 age group in 2.30.09.

Then, in October 1989, Allan Adams became British Veterans M45 Marathon Champion in the Flying Fox event in Stone, Staffordshire. In actual fact, Allan became the only Scot ever to win this event outright, defeating all the M40 runners too! He was timed at 2.29.32, with his Dumbarton team-mate Colin Martin 2nd M45 in 2.33.03.

In Masters Cross-Country, Allan was outstanding, representing Scotland five times in the annual Five Nations British and Irish International fixture: with his best performance being 3rd Individual M45 at Ampthill, Bedford in 1989, when his team won silver medals.

Allan Adams won no fewer than six Scottish Veterans Cross Country titles. In 1985 he finished second M40 (only three seconds behind Greenock Glenpark Harrier Dick Hodelet); and in 1986 he was second again, this time to Maryhill Harrier Brian Scobie.

1989 brought Allan Adams’ first M45 Scottish CC gold medal; and he retained this title in 1990, 1991 and 1992. After M45 silver behind Youngson in 1993, Allan continued age-group domination with M50 gold in 1994 and 1995, before injuries brought his career to a halt.

In 2012 a reunion was organised at Drymen by Clydesdale Harrier Brian McAusland. This was attended mainly by old runners from the West of Scotland, plus a few from the East or North. Allan Adams, cheerful and vibrant, looked as strong and energetic as ever!

Graham Macindoe is a very lucky man in that his father visits the local Thrift Shop in Bathgate and that particular outlet has provided a whole series of wonderful athletics memorabilia.   First of all there were the Edinburgh to Glasgow programmes – the News of the World ones with pictures – and now there are a lot of programmes from what seems to be Andy Forbes’s collection.

Andy was a wonderful man – I only knew him from the early 60’s when he was a bit past his peak but he was still a good runner, an elegant runner, a runner who made the whole business look effortless.   He was a class act – Scottish Cross-Country champion in 1947 and 1951, SAAA Three Miles champion in 1951 and 1952, silver medallist in the Empire Games, six times a cross-country internationalist – and that’s only scraping the surface of his achievements.   Very easy to talk to, good-natured at all times.   Like everybody who knew him, I liked him a lot.   However – Graham got the programmes into his hands and some are reproduced here.   First of all there is the one from the English National of 1958.

Victoria Park had won the English Championships in 1951, and although the did not replicate this victory they kept taking on the best.   In 1958 the team was fifth with leading man John McLaren ninth.

The next programme we have is from the Scottish National Championships in 1959.

At that time the championships always took place on the last weekend in June – usually some of the heats plus final of the Six Miles on the Friday and the remainder on Saturday.   For several years the 880y/800m had three races over the two days – heats on the Friday and then a semi and a final on the Saturday.

Programmes sold ell although not everybody actually filled them in.   They were then stuck in pockets, kit bags or poly bags beside the picnic brought for sustenance during the afternoon.   The result is that very few completed programmes are still around.   What   follows is the programme for 1961 – or most of it – as completed by Andy.   You’ll note that for one event at least the Vicky Park runners results are marked with a wee cross!

… and if you meant to keep it, you cut out the results from the Monday’s ‘Glasgow Herald’ or ‘Scotsman’ …

Another meeting which went well for a number of years was the Glasgow Championship meeting at Scotstoun and of course Andy was out in those – but the fields always had quality with Lachie, Ian McCafferty, Frank Clement, Hugh Barrow, Les Piggott and many more competing there.   It’s a pity that it’s gone with the City Council seeming to see Scotstoun more as a rugby stadium these days despite the quality of the track.

We have had British, Scottish and Glasgow championships but the next programme if from a different kind of meeting, on a grass track in a football field but with a ten miles road race in which Andy probably ran.   I say ten miles but given that top class runners normally took 55 minutes it was probably nearer eleven.

By 1968 Andy was running as a veteran and taking part with his friends Emmet Farrell, Gordon Porteous and David Morrison in road races all round the country – you’d see them at Dunblane, at the Strathallan Gathering, at Gourock and all sorts of meetings.   This programme is from the Kirkintilloch Highland Games in 1968.

This one is from the National Cross-Country Championships in 1972, notable for the absence of many good runners because of the power workers strike.   The national shortage of power meant that workers were all put on to a four day week, and if one of your days was a Saturday then that was just your luck.   Cover picture is of course Lachie Stewart who actually finished fifth on the day with Ian McCafferty victorious.

The second in a mini-series of national programmes, and for the first of a series of races at Coatbridge which were well organised, held over good running courses which nevertheless had plenty of variety and where the runners needed the old fashioned skills of cross-country running.   One man who really seemed to enjoy the trails and conditions at Coatbridge was Andy McKean who won from Weatherhead and Stewart.

The centre-spread!   The trail for 1973.

George Sutherland produced a very good magazine.   On A4 paper, every word typed by hand it was a really interesting production: results in detail, ranking lists, race reports from all over the country from the borders to the north and articles on coaching and so on.   It was a real shame when it went.   We often get good magazines in Scotland but they never seem to last very long:   The Scots Athlete from 1946 to 1957, the Athletics in Scotland magazine had a shorter life and the very good Scotland’s Runner from 1986 to 1993 – all top class productions, all sorely missed.

And – the bonus picture –

Andy ran the first leg in this one and finished fourteenth.   He had started running in 1935 and we have programmes here up to 1973 and he went on long after that.

A wonderful athlete and a very good man.

Dave Cocksedge is an athletics journalist and statistician of the highest calibre.   He is also a member of the British Milers Club and that is where I met him.   It was at a BMC Annual General Meeting  and Coaching Weekend at Cheltenham in the late 80’s and we jogged a couple of miles while the athletes were warming up for their session on the Saturday afternoon.   He has done a lot of work for the BMC and one of his latest in a list of the fastest British milers of all time on cinders.   There is no doubt at all that the all-weather tracks of today are faster than the all-weather tracks of the 70’s, 80s and 90s which were faster than cinders.   There is always work being done on faster tracks and there is no doubt in my mind that many near-misses of the 50’s, 60s and 70’s on cinder tracks would have been a couple of seconds quicker on current surfaces.   Enough philosophising – let’s have the list.

3:55.68     Alan Simpson     White City     30th August 1965

3:56.8      Ian McCafferty     Reading     11th June 1969

3:57.2      Derek Ibbotson     White City     19th July 1957

3:57.3     Ian Stewart              Reading       11th June 1969

3:57.5     Mike Wiggs              Dublin     5th July 1965

3:57.68     John Whetton     White City     3rd July 1965

3:57.74      Andy Green     White City     3rd July 1965

3:58.0     John Kirkbride     Motspur Park     23rd July 69

3:58.01     Stan Taylor     White City     18th August 1962

3:58.4       Nick Rose     Motspur Park     25th July 1973

3:58.5       Jim Douglas     Motspur Park     23rd July 1969

3:58.6     John Boulter    Motspur Park     24th July 1968

3:58.7     Allan Rushmer     Northampton     26th August 1967

3:58.7     Peter Stewart*     Reading     11th June 1969

3:58.8     Roger Bannister     Vancouver, Canada     7th August 1954

3:58.9     Brian Hewson     White City     3rd September 1958

3:58.96     Tony Harris     White City     3rd July 1965

3:59.2     Derek Graham    White City    20th Aug 1966

3:59.2      Walter Wilkinson     Stretford     28th May 1968

3:59.24       Mike Berisford        White City     18th August 1962

3:59.3      Ken Wood     White City     19th July 1957

3:59.4      Bill McKim     Motspur Park     22nd Jul 64

3:59.4      Roy Young    Motspur Park     14th Jul 71

3:59.80     Maurice Benn     White City    3rd June 1968

3:59.8     Chris Chataway     White City     28th May 1955

3:59.8     Rayfel Roseman     Motspur Park     23rd July 1969

3:59.9     Gordon Pirie     Dublin     23rd September 1960

4:00.0     Mike Blagrove     White City     3rd September 1958

4:00.0       Steve Ovett        Motspur Park     25th July 1973

4:00.1     Brian Hall     Witton Park     6th June 1962

4:00.3     Frank Clement     Scotstoun   17th May 1975

4:00.4     Phil Banning     Motspur Park     25th July 1973

4:00.5     Bill Cornell     Eugene, Oregon     16th June 1962

4:00.5     John McGrow     Brighton     21st August 1966

4:00.5     Chris Stewart     Motspur Park     14th July 1961

4:00.6     John Cadman     Motspur Park     25th July 1973

4:00.7     Peter Keeling     White City      3rd August 1964

4:00.9     Chris Barber     White City     24th July 1974

4:01.0     Mick Gowan     Motspur Park     21st July 1965

4:01.0     Hugh Barrow     Stretford     28th May 1968

4:01.0     Andy Carter      Motspur Park     8th July 1970

4:01.1     Ken Ballantyne     Motspur Park     21st July 1965

4:01.3     Derek Haith     White City     29th May 1961

4:01.3      Alan Mottershead     Motspur Park    15th July 1981

That’s the top 33.   Scots are marked in red – only five of them of whom two go back to the 1950’s.   And only one Scots track listed as the venue for any of these races.    The Scots mentioned ran at Reading, Stretford and Motspur Park.   Going solely on the times noted above, the best races were at Reading in 1969 where McCafferty beat the two Stewarts, and the one in 1965 at the White City where John Whetton defeated Andy Greeen and Tony Harris.

(20th Dec 2015)

Having put up some of Tom O’Reilly’s Photographs, it seems only right that I put up some of Danny’s.   Both members of the same club, both ran in many of the same teams, Tom encouraged Danny to join the club and so on.  Now see some of Danny’s pictures.

From the left Eddie Sinclair, Tom O’Reilly, Bob Dalgleish, J Crawford , John McCormick, Danny Wilmoth

Christmas Handicap, 1953

Lanarkshire relays, 1954

 McAndrew Relays, 1958

Wes Districts, 1962

McAndrew Relay, 1955

Winning Babcock’s Half Mile, 1958

Lanarkshire Police Sports, Shawfield, 1960

Lanarkshire Police Sports, 1955, half-mile

McAndrew Relays

Springburn Club Presentation

Vets line up at Largs: 80’s

1003, Huntershill., Vets

 Men Vets, Ballymena, 1995

Women Vets, Ballymena, 1995

Two or three years ago we were given copies of some of Tom O’Reilly’s groups, etc.   Many of the people in them are familiar and where I have them, I’ll add the names but for some …. you’re on your own!   Relays first.

Tommy Lambert to Tom O’Reilly at the Millerston Pony Trotting Track at Millerston (Stepps)

McAndrew Relay :Tommy to Garry Mackay

Lanarkshire Relay at Auchinairn : Tommy hands over first at the end of the first stage to Garry Mackay

Edinburgh to Glasgow: John Stevenson to Tommy at the start of the fourth stage

Tommy at the end of that fourth stage

First three at Spean Bridge: Ian Harris (Beith), Eddie Sinclair, Tommy

Winning team at Spean Bridge: Moir Logie, John Roon, Eddie Sinclair and Tommy

Club Presentation: F Morton, Tommy, Duncan Middleton, Hugh McCartney, jnr, Jack Crawford snr, Jim Keenan, Kenny Lunn, Alan Lamont, Eddie Knox, Harry Gorman,  Davie Tees, George Jarvie, Moir Logie.

Front: Duncan McSwein, J Young (Provost), Bob Dalgleish, Hugh McCartney

Tom second left back row, Bob Dalgleish second right back row, Campbell Christie third right back row

Molly Wilmoth second left front row.

Tommy (7) in the Ibrox Steeplechase: the chap on the right, second out of the water is Springburn’s Andy Girvan

Tommy : Ibrox again

Winning Medley Relay Team at Bute Highland Games: Tommy (440), John Kerr (220), John Young (220), Eddie Sinclair (880)

Tommy Tracey in the club championships

Jim Morton and Davie Wallace

Start of the National at Hamilton: Tommy on the left beside Tommy Tracey

What Tommy calls the ‘all conquering boys team’

Outside the old clubhouse

Colin Young who ran for Atalanta in the 1960’s was good enough to send a copy of the Member’s Handbook for 1963  plus a copy of the invitation to the annual dinner.   They have been copied and are reproduced here for information and as a companion to the page on the Atalanta Club.   If you take the time to look through them you will see that they are a valuable Social history document: look at the geographical  spread of the members – all over the UK, France, South Africa, Rhodesia, Canada, Nigeria, etc, etc.   Note too that they are keeping in contact with founder members such as Hugh Maingay – the club was formed in 1926 and there are quite a few of those members still ‘on the books’.   Lots of interesting stuff here.   Thanks Colin!

(Chris has of course run for Scotland in the Annual British and Irish Masters Cross Country International; is currently racing better than ever; and has a long, distinguished history as a dedicated hill-runner.)

CLUBs. Ronhill Cambuslang (previously Westerlands 2000-2014).

DATE OF BIRTH. 08/08/1963.

OCCUPATION. Naval Engineering at BAE Systems.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE SPORT?

Very gradually… From 5 years old I knew I wanted to run on the hills and explore wild places. Teenage years were spent exploring the English Lake District on foot and bike. Mid 1980s I caught the Munro-bagging bug, and have since climbed all the Scottish Munros and Corbetts. In 1989 I had a near fatal climbing accident that broke my ankle and crushed a lumbar vertebra. In 1990 I came back more determined and climbed Mont Blanc, then Elbrus in Russia in 1993. I then spent 10 years rock climbing around Britain, Europe and the United States, before thinking about trying a couple of hill races in 2000 with Glen Rosa and Borrowdale. Since then I’ve completed more than 800 races, plus visiting Nepal 6 times and hiking across the Pyrenees 2 and half times.

Races have ranged from 800 metres at the Emirates, to the 10-stage Everest Sky Race in Nepal.

HAS ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP HAD A MARKED INFLUENCE ON YOUR ATTITUDE OR INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE?

Recently, the stalwart veterans at Ronhill Cambuslang and SVHC Masters have inspired me to keep working hard. Uncompromising runners like Paul Thompson, Colin Feechan and John Thomson show that you can still perform at a high level as a V55. I guess that growing up in the 1970s I’m inspired by keeping things simple, and remembering the importance of physical discomfort.

WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU GET OUT OF THE SPORT?

A sense of belonging. A sense of purpose.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST EVER PERFORMANCE?

Best performance: 1st M50 at Scottish Masters Cross Country at Kilmarnock in January 2015.
YOUR WORST?

I don’t remember any worst performances. I think all performances are part of the learning process.

WHAT UNFULFILLED AMBITIONS DO YOU HAVE?

Sub 2:50 marathon. Possibly a World Masters track medal.

OTHER LEISURE ACTIVITIES?

Playing violin. Playing with my 3-year old son Benjamin.
WHAT DOES RUNNING BRING YOU THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED TO MISS?

That gut-churning sense of excitement before every race.
The sense of relief and peace after the race.

CAN YOU GIVE SOME DETAILS OF YOUR TRAINING?

Quite ad hoc. At present, just lunchtime runs and weekend races.
Occasionally more structure leading up to a marathon.

Career Highlights in hill-running.
Won the FRA Long Distance Award in 2003 for Lakes24, a new route in the Lake District that bagged 24 Marilyns in 24 hours.

Favourite Races.
My favourite race of recent years is Defi de l’Oisans in France. My favourite Scottish races are probably Two Breweries and Pentland Skyline.

Most Memorable Race
Inter Lacs 2003. Restonica Valley, Corsica. 2-Stage event. Very rugged spectacular scenery. Ben Nevis is the most challenging and memorable Scottish race.

Other Interests.
I also occasionally take photos for the Geograph project; and sometimes play my violin with the Glasgow Chamber Orchestra.