ULTRA ARCHIVES by Ian Champion
This page is to try to put into perspective the current Ultra runners and the ones that used to grace our roads and tracks 30, 40 and 50 years ago. Apart from a few, most ultra runners race to the best of their ability in all the events they enter, especially in the 'Discovery' and they are to be applauded for their efforts in this very tough race. Unfortunately there are these few, mostly giving their uninformed advice on the Runners World forum pages, who know very little about ultra running and have never bothered to research the history of it, the races and the great ultra runners who used to run them. Some even think ultra running only started a short while ago and that they are organised simply for a fun day out social affair and that it is the norm to have cut-off times such as 30 hours for 100 miles, or 15 hours for a 50 miler. Ludicrous. Of course, everyone cannot be winners and if it wasn't for the also-rans, there wouldn�t be any races, but we need more serious races, like the 'Discovery', if we are to produce world beaters, like we used to have 40, 50 years ago. Others think Britain never had much to offer in the ultra community but nothing is further from the truth. We had some of the best ultra runners in the world and some of the toughest ultra races too. It is hoped the deeds of the runners below will inspire everyone.
Great exponents such as Don Ritchie, John Tarrant, Hilary Walker, Cavin Woodward, Martin Daykin, Mike Newton, Lynn Hughes, Bill Adcocks, Alastair Wood, Gordon and Ron Bentley, Eric Seedhouse, Mark Pickard, Tom O�Reilly, Joe Keating, Mick Orton, John Malpass, Alex and Jim Wight, Stephen Moore, Bernard Gomersall, Bob Meadowcroft, Simon Pride, Alan Phillips, Ian Thompson, Eleanor Adams, Mick Orton, John Smith, Steve Brace, Dave Cooper, Dave Dowdle, Caroline Hunter-Rowe and Sharon Gayter Apologies to the many other true ultra runners of the past not mentioned but not forgotten. The following is just a small selection of great performances obtained by some of the above.
Don Ritchie - World Record for 40 Miles - 3 hours 48 minutes - 1982
Don Ritchie - World Record for 50 Miles - 4 hours 51 minutes - 1983
Don Ritchie - World Record for 100 Miles - 11 hours 30 minutes - 1977
Don Ritchie - World Record for 100Km - 6 hours 10 minutes - 1978
Don Ritchie - World Record for 150Km - 10 hours 36 minutes - 1977
Alastair Wood 3 hours 49 minutes for 40 miles and winner of the 1973 53 miles London to Brighton in 5 hours 11 minutes.
John Tarrant, one of the greatest English ultra runners of his era. Most of his fabulous wins were achieved whilst unknowingly suffering from stomach cancer, from which he sadly died in January 1974. He won many marathons as well as the following ultra's. Holder of the World 100 miles track record in 1969 with 12 hours 31 minutes
Won the London to Brighton in 1967 and 1968
Winner of the SLH 30 in 1962 and 1967
Winner of the Woodford to Southend 36 miler 1964
Winner of the Exeter to Plymouth 44 miler in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969 (4 hours 44 minutes)
Winner of the Isle of Man 40 miler in 1965, 1966 and 1967
Winner of the Liverpool to Blackpool 48 miler in 1965, 1967 and 1968.
Cavin Woodward, from Leamington, was another prolific racer, every week-end if there was a race around and he won most of them. Racing from the front, which was his way, he culminated a fine year of racing in 1975 by breaking four world records in the one race, the Accolade 100 miles track race on 25th October at the Tipton Harriers cinder track. The four world records Cavin ended up with were: 50 miles in 4.58.53, 100K in 6.25.28, 150K in 10.44.55 and the 100 miles in 11.38.54. Cavin won the Two Bridges 36 miler on many occasions, breaking the course record nearly every time. Sadly, Cavin passed away unexpectedly in the early hours of Friday 26th February 2010.
Alan Phillips, ex holder of the 40 mile and 50 mile world records.
Phil Hampton ex holder of the World 50 Mile Record 1971, also twice winner of the Polytechnic Windsor to Chiswick marathon
Then there was Tom Buckingham, also from Leamington, who captained the British team in the 1962 Comrades where they won the team title, capturing four of the first five places. John Smith, from Epsom was the winner in 5 hours 57 minutes.
All of the above achieved their goals by sheer hard work and hard training, day in and day out. None were naturals. They all held daily jobs and still trained 100 to 140 miles a week. They did not run weighed down with unnecessary Garmins, HRM's, BPM's, Ipods, MP3's, bottle belts filled with gels, water bottles, backpacks and the like. They just ran. They wanted to be winners and just hard training ensured they were. End of story.
Nowadays we have some very good ultra marathon men and ladies but they are few and far between. Brian Cole, Mark Croasdale, Matt Lynas, Matt Giles, Jezz Bragg, Mike Feighan, Liz Hawker, Heather Foundling-Hawker, Emma Gooderham and Adela Salt. Apologies for any missed. 50k and 100k European and World titles have been won by some of the above, so it is not all doom and gloom in the Ultra world.
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This page is to try to put into perspective the current Ultra runners and the ones that used to grace our roads and tracks 30, 40 and 50 years ago. Apart from a few, most ultra runners race to the best of their ability in all the events they enter, especially in the 'Discovery' and they are to be applauded for their efforts in this very tough race. Unfortunately there are these few, mostly giving their uninformed advice on the Runners World forum pages, who know very little about ultra running and have never bothered to research the history of it, the races and the great ultra runners who used to run them. Some even think ultra running only started a short while ago and that they are organised simply for a fun day out social affair and that it is the norm to have cut-off times such as 30 hours for 100 miles, or 15 hours for a 50 miler. Ludicrous. Of course, everyone cannot be winners and if it wasn't for the also-rans, there wouldn�t be any races, but we need more serious races, like the 'Discovery', if we are to produce world beaters, like we used to have 40, 50 years ago. Others think Britain never had much to offer in the ultra community but nothing is further from the truth. We had some of the best ultra runners in the world and some of the toughest ultra races too. It is hoped the deeds of the runners below will inspire everyone.
Great exponents such as Don Ritchie, John Tarrant, Hilary Walker, Cavin Woodward, Martin Daykin, Mike Newton, Lynn Hughes, Bill Adcocks, Alastair Wood, Gordon and Ron Bentley, Eric Seedhouse, Mark Pickard, Tom O�Reilly, Joe Keating, Mick Orton, John Malpass, Alex and Jim Wight, Stephen Moore, Bernard Gomersall, Bob Meadowcroft, Simon Pride, Alan Phillips, Ian Thompson, Eleanor Adams, Mick Orton, John Smith, Steve Brace, Dave Cooper, Dave Dowdle, Caroline Hunter-Rowe and Sharon Gayter Apologies to the many other true ultra runners of the past not mentioned but not forgotten. The following is just a small selection of great performances obtained by some of the above.
Don Ritchie - World Record for 40 Miles - 3 hours 48 minutes - 1982
Don Ritchie - World Record for 50 Miles - 4 hours 51 minutes - 1983
Don Ritchie - World Record for 100 Miles - 11 hours 30 minutes - 1977
Don Ritchie - World Record for 100Km - 6 hours 10 minutes - 1978
Don Ritchie - World Record for 150Km - 10 hours 36 minutes - 1977
Alastair Wood 3 hours 49 minutes for 40 miles and winner of the 1973 53 miles London to Brighton in 5 hours 11 minutes.
John Tarrant, one of the greatest English ultra runners of his era. Most of his fabulous wins were achieved whilst unknowingly suffering from stomach cancer, from which he sadly died in January 1974. He won many marathons as well as the following ultra's. Holder of the World 100 miles track record in 1969 with 12 hours 31 minutes
Won the London to Brighton in 1967 and 1968
Winner of the SLH 30 in 1962 and 1967
Winner of the Woodford to Southend 36 miler 1964
Winner of the Exeter to Plymouth 44 miler in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969 (4 hours 44 minutes)
Winner of the Isle of Man 40 miler in 1965, 1966 and 1967
Winner of the Liverpool to Blackpool 48 miler in 1965, 1967 and 1968.
Cavin Woodward, from Leamington, was another prolific racer, every week-end if there was a race around and he won most of them. Racing from the front, which was his way, he culminated a fine year of racing in 1975 by breaking four world records in the one race, the Accolade 100 miles track race on 25th October at the Tipton Harriers cinder track. The four world records Cavin ended up with were: 50 miles in 4.58.53, 100K in 6.25.28, 150K in 10.44.55 and the 100 miles in 11.38.54. Cavin won the Two Bridges 36 miler on many occasions, breaking the course record nearly every time. Sadly, Cavin passed away unexpectedly in the early hours of Friday 26th February 2010.
Alan Phillips, ex holder of the 40 mile and 50 mile world records.
Phil Hampton ex holder of the World 50 Mile Record 1971, also twice winner of the Polytechnic Windsor to Chiswick marathon
Then there was Tom Buckingham, also from Leamington, who captained the British team in the 1962 Comrades where they won the team title, capturing four of the first five places. John Smith, from Epsom was the winner in 5 hours 57 minutes.
All of the above achieved their goals by sheer hard work and hard training, day in and day out. None were naturals. They all held daily jobs and still trained 100 to 140 miles a week. They did not run weighed down with unnecessary Garmins, HRM's, BPM's, Ipods, MP3's, bottle belts filled with gels, water bottles, backpacks and the like. They just ran. They wanted to be winners and just hard training ensured they were. End of story.
Nowadays we have some very good ultra marathon men and ladies but they are few and far between. Brian Cole, Mark Croasdale, Matt Lynas, Matt Giles, Jezz Bragg, Mike Feighan, Liz Hawker, Heather Foundling-Hawker, Emma Gooderham and Adela Salt. Apologies for any missed. 50k and 100k European and World titles have been won by some of the above, so it is not all doom and gloom in the Ultra world.
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2011 Saturday 4th June
COURSE RECORDS
Men: Mike Feighan 3:36:18 2002
Lady: Adela Salt 4:02:36 2008
Men: Mike Feighan 3:36:18 2002
Lady: Adela Salt 4:02:36 2008
Sponsored by St. Austell Brewery
Mike Feighan, Exeter Harriers, Course record holder.
"Climb the tors that tower and soar.
Traverse the moors where the rivers roar"
Traverse the moors where the rivers roar"