Bill’s Running and Walking

Dad was a WB Harrier for 50 years, from when he was de-mobbed from the army in 1947 until he moved to Lytham in 1997. He fulfilled a number of committee posts and regularly reported on events in his amusing writing style.   Although he was initially a track runner (very good at 800m, or 880yds as it was then) he was also a stalwart of the cross country team until, due to repeated injuries, he spent more of his time race-walking with Royal Sutton during the 1960’s. However, he continued his involvement with WBH and competed in masters events up until his mid 70’s, gaining a silver medal at the European Masters 800m in 1997. Right up until his passing he liked to keep in touch with what was happening with the Harriers and was always asking about people, even those who had not joined until after he had left!

However, I mostly remember his race walking exploits as they coincided with my formative years. I remember mum driving us around the route of the longer events, such as the Birmingham Outer Circle or the Manchester – Blackpool, and repeatedly waiting at the side of the road to hand up orange squash and sandwiches. The shorter events, typically 7 milers at Gnosall, Enderby, Sutton etc, didn’t require mum to follow the route so we stayed at race HQ and played with the children from other walker’s families, the Abolins, the Ashbys etc.