From Last to First: A long-distance runner's journey from failure to success

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Not really," he insisted. "Remember this was an era when Britain boasted Steve Cram, Seb Coe and Steve Ovett head to head, Daley Thompson and Tessa Sanderson, so an Olympic bronze medallist wasn't going to suddenly become a millionaire. The spin-off was colossal for some but not for me." In 1987, he finished 8th in the London Marathon in 2:10.32. He also competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, finishing 6th. The London men's winner of 1984 is confident that Paula Radcliffe will emerge as a British winner in the women's race of 2005, though he is not so sure about the impact of a third marathon in eight months upon the long-term future of the world record-holder. "You can only go to the well so many times, and running the marathon really is going to the well," Spedding pondered. "Even if you are the best in the world, it takes an awful lot out of you. And I just worry that running another one now is maybe just diminishing Paula's chances of making sure she wins gold in a major championship."

In those grey days between amateurism and professionalism athletes were allowed to run for cash - but they couldn't spend it. This is an article by Charlie Spedding, whose blog can be found here. Charlie is a former pharmacist. He was also a champion long-distance runner in his younger days. He was the winner of the 1984 London Marathon, and he is an Olympic bronze medallist.Now, the job of carrying on his legacy has fallen to Nathan Shrubb. The North East runner says it was “an honour and privilege” for Dunn to accept him into his coaching group a few years ago and he has since started to lead the sessions for Dunn’s squad – a group of runners known as ‘The LD Crew’. I was deeply satisfied. This was the most satisfying race of my career. I couldn't have done more - the other two were better than me. But I beat some very big names." Jones's first main marathon experience did not have a happy ending. Having twisted his ankle the night before the 1983 Chicago Marathon, Jones could have been forgiven for sitting the race out, but bravely battled on for 17 miles, until the ligament damage he had suffered forced him to pull out. Undeterred, Jones returned to Chicago a year later and, just a few weeks after the Los Angeles Olympics, won the event, setting a new world record time of 2:08:05. Covid 19 science? Summed up by one SAGE interviewed: “I’m scared, better safe than sorry, I want to hide”– everyone must be compelled to emulate her No one went crazy at the start which was good because it was pretty hot," recalled Charlie. "I got to 20 kilometres and was waiting for de Castella to make his move but when I looked round he wasn't even there and I thought it was time to get rid of some of the others so I started shaking it up.

Though I ran for Gateshead throughout most of my career I really coached myself. I think I'm easy-going by nature but on some things I dig in my toes and say no. The rest of Jones's career contained more ups and downs. In 1987 he came second in the Boston Marathon, but was annoyed with himself for letting Japan's Toshihiko Seko get away from him. In 1988 JOnes won the New York Marathon and in 1992 the Toronto Marathon, the latter as a 37-year-old; major championship success would continue to allude him though, his fourth-place finish in the 1990 Commonwealth Games marathon proving his last chance, although Jones was still good enough to finish 13th in the 1993 World Championships, even though his best years were behind him. My mother and I discussed “New Normal – end off?” this afternoon. Concluded Gov’t like the control ‘Fear’ has given them and will insist it continues until vaccine created or public rebel en masse across UK Just have a look at what Vallance says. His statements are full of mights and possiblys. The figures he bandies about bear no relation to applicable facts.

Brendan Foster and Charlie Spedding on the impact Dunn had on their lives and the wider sport following the coaching legend’s death aged 77

Spedding returned 2hrs 9mins and 58secs - 37 seconds behind Lopes but only a tantalising two seconds behind the green-vested Treacy, with whom he battled the final miles. People should be motivated to help others (as well as themselves) rather than battling for money, power, influence and dominance.