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MASTERS ATHLETICS 2015.

MEDAL RACES “If I was doing 120/140 miles a week I would do a 2 minutes
British Empire & Commonwealth Games Marathon 11th 800 after running 13 miles. I knew I had a little speed but not
of August 1966. a lot of sped”.
The first Three runners , first James Alder (Scotland) Jim Alder likes to keep fit, even now at 75. and is always
2:22:07.0; 2 William Adcocks (England) 2:22:13.0; 3 Mike very interested in how his County Northumberland & Durham
Ryan (New Zealand) 2:27:59.0; Jim led for the last 8 miles, does. He was particularly pleased this year (2015) when,
before entering the Stadium, then was misdirected so, he they won the Senior Men’s Inter-Counties cross country
had to make up 50 yards, as Bill Adcocks had gone the Championships team title. That was at Crofton Park,
correct way and had taken the lead. Jim caught Adcocks and Birmingham (2015).
overtook him just before the finish. He also obtained a Jim achieved so many fine performances in his young days,
bronze medal previously, on the 6th of August in the 6 miles when he was in his prime but still went on to run
track Championships 1. Naftali Temu ( Kenya) 27:14.6 competitively in his 40’s. It was then he came up against a
(Commonwealth Record); 2 Ron Clarke (Australia) 27:39.4; 3 Master who blossomed out as a World Veteran Champion by
Jim Alder (Scotland) 28:15.4 and they were followed in by the name of ‘Taff’ Davies from Wales, who had not
Ron Hill, Dave Ellis and Fergus Murray. previously been in the top flight of internationals but was a
true fighter between the age of 40 and 51, winning so many
European Games Marathon, in the hot weather, finishing races.
in the historic old Olympic Stadium, on the 21st of I remember the National Veterans 40-49 cross country race
September 1969 at Arrow Park on the 15th of March, 1981 and, I wrote about
1 Ron Hill (GB) 2:16:47.8; 2 Gaston Roelants ( Belgium ) that in Athletics Weekly. In the middle of my report it read
2:17.22.2; 3 Jim Alder (GB) 2:19.05.8; 4 Jurgen Busch ( East “Alder took the initiative at four miles, opening up a good 15
Germany ) 2:19.34.4; 5 Ismail Akcay ( Turkey ) 2:22.16.8; 6 metre lead on Davies. Alder glanced back, and slowly but
Denes Simon ( Hungary ) 2:22.58.8. surely Davies drew him back. Davies spurted ahead with 1½
In the race “I went from 9th to 2nd and took Ronnie at 17 to 18 miles to go”. The 40 to 49 results were 1st Taff Davies
miles. I thought I am going to win this for my daughter. I had (Aldershot & Farnham AC) 32:47; 2nd Jim Alder (Morpeth
a cable from Kathleen in the camp that she was just born, a AC) 33:13 and they were followed by Leo Carrol, Ex-
fortnight early and it was a breech birth”. Southgate international who ran for Vale of Aylesbury, Ron
Gomez, and Fred Pendlebury a previous winner of the
Then, with 3 miles to go Ronnie (Hill) came past me like a event.
train. He caught Roelants in the final mile. I was holding off
Jurgen Busch for 3rd spot!” Here is a really old picture
showing the Midland
Edinburgh Commonwealth Games marathon 23rd of July Championships at Villa Park
1970. in 1911. I seem to remember
this stand was still here in the
First six:- 1 Ron Hill ( England ) 2:09.28; 2 Jim Alder ( 1950’s
Scotland ) 2:12.04; 3 Don Faircloth ( England ) 2:12.09; 4
Jack Foster ( New Zealand ) 2:14.46; 5 John Stephen (
Tanzania ) 2:15.05; 6 Bill Adcocks ( England ) 2:15.10
Some strong words were said before the race, according to
Jim, by the Australian, Derek Clayton, who had broken the
World record twice (But dropped out in the race in
Edinburgh). He said “Alder is only good when the conditions
are bad. The British runners are no good, as they can’t
handle a fast pace. However, my 10k time was half a minute
faster than Clayton’s.”

At 5 miles the times were Drayton 23:31; Clayton 23:31;
Ndoo 23:31; Hill 23.31 then Harnek Sigh of India 23:57
Stephen 24:07; Alder 24:09; Adcocks 24:09; Faircloth 24:10
and Foster 24.10. “

“I looked at Billy and said ‘God what have they done”.
At 8 miles Hill broke Clayton and Jerome Drayton of Canada
At 10 miles the first 8 were Hill 47:45; Drayton 47:50; Ndoo
47:55; Alder 48:40; Adcocks 48:40, Stephen 48:40; Faircloth
48:45 and Clayton 48:49,.
The first four at 15 miles were Hill 1:12:18, Drayton 1:13:17;
Alder and Stephen on 1:13.27. At 20 Miles it was Hill
1:37:32 and Alder 1:38.51. Then at 25 miles it was Hill
2:03:10; Alder 2:05:10 and Faircloth 2:05:30.

JIM COMES IN WITH SOME PHILOSOPHY
“When I was running 120 miles a week I could regularly run a
2 minute half mile when I wanted. UK’s distance runners now
are not rounded enough. They should do 800’s and 1500’s.
Perhaps we over trained a little bit but now they under train.”
About running and training Jim said “I would train 4 miles in
the morning 8 miles in the afternoon and then do a race at
3.30. A lot of the time it was a means to an end. The only
races I eased off for were the ‘Big Ones’ I only failed at one
big day and that was in Mexico 1968.’

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