(1) Isle of Man Forty - 1984

(2) The Bolton 40 Miler - 1984

(3) South London Harriers 30 Mile - 1991

(4) London to Brighton - 1993

(5) 100K Championships - 1994

Extract from RRC Newsletter - August 1984 - Isle of Man 40 1984

Weather conditions were cool and windy for the 30th Isle of Man "40", the T.T. course road race on 27th May which is known by sporting enthusiasts as the "TT Marathon". Mrs Pauline Graves started a record number of 53 competitors from Douglas Promenade.

After the initial rush the race settled down and Tom Glare , who only seven days earlier had won the Isle of Wight Marathon, hit the front. He went through 5 miles in 29.57 followed by Garry Hawkes (Leamington) and Paul Taylor (Woodstock) in 30.12. At the 10 mile mark (Glen Helen) Glare clocked 59.31, some 77 seconds ahead.

He increased his lead at 15 miles (1.28.53) to 3 minutes 20 but Hawkes had retired with stomach trouble. Moving well was 51 year old Bob Emmerson (Rugby) who was mixing it with his younger rivals, clocking 1.39.24 in 14th place.

On through Ballaugh, Sulby and Ramsey, the diminutive Glare continued to pile on the pace. He led by nearly 8 minutes at the Marathon mark at Gooseneck in 2.37.22. Dalby (Bolton) was second having moved ahead of Taylor.

Emmerson had now moved up to 11th place and, like all the participants, was gritting his teeth for the six mile marathon climb from sea level to 1,000 feet.

Over the mountain climb the leading places did not change and Glare (3.04.38) was eight minutes ahead at 30 miles, but his ultra-fast pace and the severe climb began to take its toll. His lead over Taylor at 35 miles (Kate's Cottage) had been cut to two minutes ten seconds.

It was over the final 5 miles that the race took a dramatic turn as Glare began to fall apart and Taylor turned the screw. As the race leader rounded Hilberry corner (37 miles) and started the climb towards Cronkny-Mona, he staggered and then collapsed into straw bales, completely sold out, and his friend and rival swept into the lead. As Taylor caught Glare he slowed down, spoke to him, patted him on the back and then pulled away to head for a great win; a gesture which typifies the camaraderie amongst Ultra exponents.

Taylor had stretched his lead to over 7 minutes at the finish on Douglas Promenade to become the 30th winner of the "Isle of Man Examiner Shield" in 4 hours.10 minutes 38. Credit must go to Glare for dragging himself over the final 3 miles to take a fine second place in 4.17.44.

Extract from RRC Newsletter - April 1985 - Bolton 40 Miler - 1984

There was a record entry of 37 for the second Bolton 40 mile road race on 9th September 1984. Keen interest centred on Tom Glare as to whether he could beat the previous year's impressive time of Dave Francis, who was unable to compete.

At first glance survival was the name of the game with near gale force conditions in most places on the very tough moorland course, but Glare treated the conditions with contempt.

He led from start to finish, recording some impressive splits( 10m in 64-6, 20m in 2-47-7, 40m in 4-22-33). Tom clipped almost a minute off the record, a great achievement and who knows what his time might have been had the weather been kinder.

Extract from RRC Newsletter - January 1992 - South London Harriers 30 Mile - 1991

Paul Taylor Woodstock's 34 year old distance man, who was third in the London to Brighton last year, defied heat and humidity to win the S.L.H. 30 over the more testing and, to a certain extent, traffic free course round the roads of Coulsdon. The race was run on 31st August.

In the "classic" Ultra event, which has a very long history and in conditions that made running five miles an ordeal - let alone 30, thirty one runners managed to complete out of 61 starters.

Tony Harran took an early lead from tall, established, Ultra-specialist Mark Pickard, who had an achilles operation last year. At the 20 mile marker Pickard was out ahead and appearing well in control. It was on the final of the four large laps, preceded by two small ones, that the race really took shape for those likely to feature in the frame.

Between 5 and 6 miles left to do, Taylor caught Pickard and it was not long after that Dave Langley, who was well back early on, went into second position. Taylor held on despite this challenge to win by over 2 minutes in 3.20.36.

Afterwards Taylor explained " The temperature being in the 80's did not worry me as I had just come back from two weeks holiday in Spain where it was in the 90's when I did my usual 10 or 11 miles a day." He went on "I have done forty Ultras in my career and I find Ultra distance racing very relaxing - but I hate training". About the South London race he pointed out " As there were so many hills to negotiate, I did not intend pushing it until I got to the garage on the last lap."

Woodstock's Vet 40 Fenwick Tunley was 10th in 3.45.20.

Extract from RRC Newsletter - January 1994 - London to Brighton Road Running Race - 1993

After a week of almost continuous rain, Sunday 3rd October dawned mild and fine, which was just as well as the Civil Service Sports Centre forgot to open at the start - but everyone managed.

So, in warm conditions, the runners filed away at the 7 am stroke of Big Ben and, whilst no-one seemed in any great hurry, it was almost back to the old days with three South Africans, Russell Crawford, Stewart Peacock and Simon Williamson accompanying last year's winner Stephen Moore in front at Croydon (10 miles) in 63.38, with Robin Gardner and the small young Botswanan, Thomsom Chaya just over a minute down.

Over the tough Farthing Downs diversion from the main road and on to Mertsham (20 miles), Crawford was just in the lead in 2.08.46 with his two compatriots four seconds down and Moore a further 12 seconds in arrears. Gardner was fifth, three minutes down with David Murray, one of the Army runners sixth, just in front of Chaya.

The pace was maintained over the flat section through Redhill past Horley and on to the outskirts of Crawley (30 miles) where the two main protagonists had broken away, seemingly to renew their battle of last year. In the warm conditions, Moore had taken the lead in 3.12.48 by 10 seconds from Crawford. Next was Peacock in 3.13.53 with Williamson fourth in 3.14.29 but he was shortly to go astray. Gardner was still running well in fifth in 3.17.11 and 8 minutes clear of Murray in sixth.

The country roads wound through Balcombe and Cuckfield on to Ansty (40 miles) where Crawford had retaken the lead in 4.20.20 to be 30 seconds up on Moore, who was now four minutes in front of Peacock. Gardner was still there and up to fourth (4.28.05) and then a long gap before Paul Taylor came into view (4.39.00) making Woodstock strong team favourites.

It seemed a repetition of the previous year and so it proved as the race was determined almost at the same point - 45 miles - where Moore found the strength to forge ahead. And with the steep Ditchling Beacon climb looming Moore surged on to such an extent that he was five and a half minutes up at 50 miles (5.32.59) on the peaks of the South Downs. Crawford seemed to have recovered from his rough patch (5.38.28) but by this point Moore was never going to be caught. Peacock, third, had closed to two and a half minutes and Gardner, Taylor and first lady Carolyn Hunter-Rowe, followed not looking as if they had just climbed that awful hill. New faces and old stagers followed in procession all enjoying the cameraderie of such races in their battle against tiredness and the elements.

All made the five downhill miles to the seafront, the gap between the first two closing only slightly. Moore ran magnificently to successfully defend his title and Crawford had to be content with another second with Peacock a steady third. Woodstock did indeed take the team race when the experienced Tom Glare came in.

Final Woodstock positions & times

04 - Robin Gardner - 6.24.59
05 - Paul Taylor - 6.28.29
12 - Tom Glare - 7.07.15
40 - Dave Whitty - 8.14.40

Extract from RRC Newsletter - August 1994 - 100K Championships - 1994

11.00 am - Three hours into the race and the easy leader is Fraser Clyne making his debut over 100K. He is 12 minutes up on another debutant, Barry Hards, with the experienced ultra runners Robin Gardner, Paul Taylor and Paul Bream another 6 minutes back. Two minutes further back are Mick Francis, Allen Stewart and newcomers Mick Anglim and Richard Beaumont. Tom Glare is next, putting Woodstock Harriers comfortably in the top team position. The top two look comfortable and the only question seems to be the winning margin.

1.00 pm - Fraser is slowing and down to a walk. He now has only 8 minutes on Barry Hards who in turn is only one minute up on Robin Gardner with Paul Taylor a further 4 minutes back. This looks to be the race for the "numero uno" position.

2.00 pm - Robin has swept into the lead, followed by Paul still 4 minutes back. Barry and Fraser are next but are about to retire after promising debuts.

3.00 pm - Paul is closing and is now under 3 minutes behind his clubmate.

3.35 pm - Paul has timed it to perfection taking the lead on the last lap to win an enthralling race from Robin who has given his all. I do not know how much more Paul has to do to win a British vest. He is always there or therabouts and can be relied upon to actually finish and finish in a reasonable time. After the presentation he will also receive the 100K Association British Ultra Cup for 1993 awarded to the best overall ultra runner.

A great race from the Woodstock pair who both recorded p.bs.

Results

1) Paul Taylor - Woodstock Harriers - 7:35:03
2) Robin Gardner - Woodstock Harriers - 7:40:47