Off to the Seaside
With the loss of sponsorship from the “Sunday Dispatch”, the future of 100 mile races and even the existence of the Centurions was put in jeopardy. But for the efforts of the Leicester Walking Club and in particular, Albert Johnson, this history may have been very different. They realised a long held ambition to promote a 100 mile race. The date and route for the race were not finally decided until February 1958.
The date chosen, July 18th-19th
unfortunately clashed with the Nijmegen marches in Holland, an event which many British walkers, especially Centurions attended. But, as it was the height of the holiday season, the offer of assistance and co-operation from the Skegness Town Council if the race was held on this date could not easily be refused. A route of 100 miles was planned between Leicester and Skegness via Peterborough which was to prove a great success. 41 started and the near perfect weather throughout the race meant that 25 finished. An added bonus was that the second half of the race was through the flat fen country which must have boosted the number of finishers. The winner and first of 13 new Centurions, at his first attempt, was Wilf Smith of the promoting club who would also win the team race. His time of 18 hours 2 minutes 37 seconds was a respectable target for others to attack in future years, as following the wonderful reception he and his fellow walkers received on the Skegness seafront, it was decided to repeat this race in alternate years. In 1959 the four year cycle had come around and so it was the turn of Surrey Walking Club to promote the Brighton & Back. Due to detours caused by the extension of Gatwick Airport, the course was lengthened by just over 1 miles, making it approximately 106 miles. As was customary for this event, a good field of 52 started in pleasant conditions. Frank O’Reilly of Lozells Harriers, who had finished second the year before, soon went to the front and built up a substantial lead, by the turn at Brighton he was 40 minutes ahead of the field and having held a steady pace of around 6 mph was up on Billy Baker’s 1926 record time. He suffered stomach cramps at about 75 miles which slowed him considerably, but for this he might have got inside Baker’s record although it would have needed to be worked out pro rata to account for the additional distance, his time at the finish being 18 hours 56 minutes 28 seconds. Prior to 1959, walking in Holland was mainly confined to ‘Marches and Endurance Trials’, in fact there were only 3 registered race walkers in Holland. Nevertheless a party of 7 walkers from the L.A.T. Club of Amsterdam and a Swiss walker had come over to compete in the race. They were led by Lieuwe Schol, a Finnish born Dutchman who qualified along with his team mate Herman Stakenburg to become the first of a long list of Dutch Centurions. In total 20 managed to complete 100 miles, 15 of them for the first time.
9 of the 20
completed the full distance, Lieuwe Schol being one of them. Another to complete the full distance was Leslie Dennis of the promoting club who became the second St Dunstaner to join the Centurions. The team race was won by Highgate Harriers, all three of them becoming new Centurions.
The winners and new Centurions were presented with their
awards by the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Harold Gillett M.C. at the Mansion House as had previously been done in 1947 and 1955. Shortly after the Mansion House presentations, the death on October 3rd 1959 of Jack Butler
C2, was announced at the age of 89. For the third time in their history, the Centurions had to elect a new President. Being the lowest number still alive, the position fell to Earnest Neville C7, the man who had done more for race walking in general and the Centurions in particular during their 48 year history. In April 1960, as the Centurions were entering their 50th year of existence, a special dinner
was held at the House of Commons. The most senior members present were the President, 23
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