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The following excellent account of Jamie McLeavy’s career has been written by athletics historian and well known authority on the subject, Alex Wilson.   He has also come up with all of the illustrations as well.   Over to Alex.

JAMES McLEAVY

Ask anyone in the Dumbartonshire town of Bonhill today to name their most famous athlete, chances are you’ll they’ll tell you it’s Lachie Stewart, the Vale of Leven runner who became a household name in Scotland after winning the 10,000 metres at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. Chances, too, are that they’ll never have heard of Jamie McLeavy. However, it’s well worth taking a closer look at the life and career of this runner who in 1927 was described in The Old Vale and It’s Memories as “a shining star, of whom the Vale might well be proud”.

Jamie McLeavy was born on 26 October 1852 in Bonhill as the son of Irish immigrants.
When the Scottish census was taken in 1871, the McLeavy family were living on Dalmonach Road, and young James was employed as a printer at Dalmonach Printworks.

Textile finishing was the lifeblood of Bonhill and neighboring Alexandria, where most of the inhabitants earned their living by dyeing and printing fabrics.

A street scene from Bonhill around 1900 (with thanks to http://www.valeofleven.org.uk)

In the 1860’s more and more Highland Games meetings were popping up all over Scotland, giving sporting talent a never-before-hand chance to shine. Many talented sportsmen would have been unaware of their greatness had they not been given the opportunity to measure themselves against others. In 1866 talented local athletes from in and around Alexandria would have the chance to emerge from the shadows when the thriving local economy prompted local printworks owners to give their support to the first Vale of Leven National Games on Saturday, 15 September 1866. The highlight of the meeting was the appearance of the famous strongman Donald Dinnie, who hurled the 16-pound wooden-shafted Highland Hammer 93 ½ feet or 28.5 metres. The event was so well attended by the townspeople of Alexandria and Bonhill that it was almost a matter of course that it would become an annual fixture.

McLeavy made his first public appearance at the third annual Vale of Leven Games in 1868, when he won the boy’s race.

The following year he won the U-19 300-yard race at the age of 16.

He was an inconspicuous youth, standing only 5”4’ (1.62m) and weighing only 120lb (55kg), but he had already attracted the attention of investors looking to back a future champion.

Soon he would be competing further afield and rubbing shoulders with the crème de la crème of Scottish pedestrianism: the likes of Bob Hindle, William “Cutty” Smith, Willy Park and Bob McKinstray.

On 17 July 1869, he won the third prize in a half-mile handicap off before 85 yards at the recently opened Kelvinside Recreation Grounds.

On 6 November 1969 he finished third behind the famous ped Steve Ridley of Gateshead in a Mile Handicap off 75 yards in Edinburgh; in the athletic hall of the Royal Patent Gymnasium, which had been in operation since 1865.

His daily training on the roads around Bonhill should soon pay off. A year later, McLeavy had already developed into a winner. The race was a mile handicap at a meeting promoted by Bob Hindle at Greenhill Cricket Grounds, Paisley, on 29 October 1870. With a start of 60 yards, McLeavy, it is reported, “rapidly overhauled his men” and easily won the £3 first prize.

On May 18 1871 McLeavy scored his first big success in Edinburgh; in a 1 ½ mile handicap off 45 yards at the Powderhall Grounds, where he defeated, among others, such well-known men as Cutty Smith and Willy Park.

In the summer of 1871, he was in action at Highland Games meetings every weekend. It was hardly necessary to work full time anymore because he was raking in the money at the “gemmes” where he could make more by winning a single handicap race than he could earn slaving away for 60 hours a week at the printworks. In July alone he made appearances at Greenock, Campsie, Johnstone, Stirling and Kelso, typically competing in two or even three events per meeting. At the Johnstone Highland Games on 15th July, for example, he took third place in the 2 miles behind “Cutty” Smith before winning the 4 miles ahead of Willy Park and Smith.

Bob McKinstray having retired in 1870, McLeavy was considered a worthy successor to the former British Champion. To truly follow in the Ayrshireman’s footsteps, however, he would have to go south of the border and take on England’s finest on their home turf.

McLeavy made his first appearance in England on 18 November 1871 when he won the first prize of £8 and a beautiful trophy in a mile handicap off 75 yards at Royal Oak Park Grounds in Manchester. In doing so he beat Jim Nuttall and several other first-class runners.
It will be remembered that Bob McKinstray also made his English debut in Manchester in 1865, where he defeated a first-class field in a world record half-mile time of 1:56.5.

McLeavy first came before the London public at the Lillie Bridge Ground, West Brompton, on Boxing Day 1871, when, with a start of 300 yards, he handsomely won a four-mile handicap in 19:35.0, beating John Mellor, George Hazael and Billy Mills and netting himself £20.

He was only 18 years of age, a youth prodigy.

On 4 February 1872 he placed fourth in a 4-mile handicap off 100 yards at the Prince of Wales’ Ground in Bow, London. Here he ran 420 yards short of 4 miles on heavy ground in 19:26.0.

On March 2nd, McLeavy returned to the Lillie Bridge Ground. The race was a 1000-yard handicap with £40 prize money for the winner. Even at this short distance, he had the speed to win comfortably in 2:17.4 off 35 yards and beat Billy Mills and Jim Nuttall, among others.

Four weeks later he visited Lillie Bridge again to compete in the Four Miles Championship for Tom Senn’s Four Miles Challenge Cup, a beautiful silver trophy worth £120. The race attracted a large crowd of 4,000 spectators to the enclosure in West Brompton. This time it was of course a scratch race, but even without a handicap McLeavy made light work of the difficult conditions and won by almost 200 yards from George Hazael in 21:13.0. However, Hazael was dissatisfied with his defeat and was keen to make amends.

To take absolute possession of the challenge cup, McLeavy had to defend it against all-comers for 18 months: no easy task. If challenged, the holder had to meet his challenger within six weeks.

To put McLeavy’s win at Lillie Bridge into perspective, George Hazael, whom he had easily defeated here, was already a three-time British 10-mile champion. Hazael won his first British 10-Mile Championship on 15 May 1869 in Manchester at 55:32.5. After losing his title following illness, he retained it on at Hackney Wick November 8, 1869 in 53:55.6. He won the championship again in Hackney Wick on 18 June 1870 and on 17 December 1870 made the challenge cup his absolute property in Manchester.

Like in the previous year McLeavy spent the summer racing weekly at Highland Games meetings. These races weren’t timed and so numerous, it’s not worth listing them. As was typical for a Scottish ped, the summer was dedicated to the “gemmes”, so that the championship races took place in spring and autumn/winter.

McLeavy defended the Four Miles Championship for the first time in a match for 50 pounds against George Hazael at Lillie Bridge on 27 May 1872. The weather was good, the track was in fine condition, and the runners did not disappoint. Hazael threw everything at McLeavy and dashed through the first mile in 4:33. But it was not enough to shake off the young Scotsman who led in 9:31 with 2 miles – the fastest time ever run for two miles in London. Hazael was back in front at 3 miles in 14:45 but had no chance against McLeavy’s finishing sprint and gave up 300 yards from the tape. McLeavy “cantered in” alone to the finish in a Scottish record time of 19:52.0 – the fastest seen in Britain since the titanic 10-mile battle between Bill Lang and John White at Hackney Wick in 1863.

After a summer of racing at Highland Games meetings McLeavy lost narrowly to George Hazael over 2 miles at Lillie Bridge on 12th August after giving the latter a 10-yard start. The times were decent enough: 9:39.5 for Hazael, 9:40.2 for McLeavy.

George Hazael

On 24th August McLeavy and Hazael met again and together with “Cutty” Smith and Billy Mills they fought out the Six Miles Championship for £50 and a silver cup at the Powderhall Grounds. McLeavy was once again in the ascendency, winning 350 yards from Smith in an excellent 31:28.0, while Hazael and Mills dropped out.

After again defeating Hazael over two miles at the Star Grounds in Fulham on 16th September, McLeavy concluded his 1872 season a fortnight later at Gateshead Borough Gardens where he was competing for Tom Senn’s Mile Challenge Cup worth £50 and £35 in prize money. Despite the heavy conditions there were 4000 spectators present to watch one of the more interesting races to be decided in the north east. Among the 14 entries was local hero Steve Ridley, but he was ill and forced to scratch. McLeavy was now the favourite but found the finishing speed of Paisley’s Bob Hindle too hot for his liking, Hindle winning by 6 yards from McLeavy in 4:31.5. McLeavy in turn finished a dozen yards ahead of another Paisley ped, “Cutty” Smith.

Bob Hindle, a cloth-lapper by trade, was generally regarded as a short-distance specialist, often competing in sprint handicaps at Highland Games meetings. However, he was no push-over at distances up to a mile and was particularly dangerous at the half-mile, where he had an official best of 1:58.0 but had covered the distance in 1:52 in a time trial on a straight road.

After a year-long ceasefire, Hazael challenged McLeavy again for the Four Miles Championship. A match for £25 a-side was arranged for 11 April 1873 at the Prince of Wales’ Ground in Bow. The Sportsman reported that McLeavy had “taken his breathings with James Stewart, at the Rob Roy Tavern, Glasgow”, and weighed 8st 9lb. The attendance of 2,000 was impressive for such a small ground, which had a 400-yard grass track that was not conducive to record times. Hazael did all he could to get rid of McLeavy, but the latter refused to be shaken off. After mile splits of 4:47, 9:55 and 15:13, Hazael, who was still leading, gave up in despair 700 yards from the finish and complained – albeit in vain – that McLeavy had fouled him. McLeavy meanwhile finished the race at his leisure in 20:59.0 and with this win made the Challenge Cup his absolute property. The Sterling silver challenge cup was an enormously valuable prize and McLeavy must already have been a wealthy young man. However, young also usually means inexperienced, and professional sport back then was a veritable shark pool.

On 11 October 1873 McLeavy returned to the Gateshead Borough Gardens to compete again for the Mile Challenge Cup. This time it was a three-way sweepstakes for £25 a-side, in which he faced local hero Steve Ridley and the holder, Bob Hindle. The 600-yard track was in good condition, and McLeavy rose to the occasion by delivering of the best performances of his career. After a ding-dong battle with Ridley on the last lap, McLeavy prevailed by three yards in a superb time of 4:21.0. Only Bob McKinstray among Scots had ever run the mile faster.

In the mile handicap at the 1874 New Year’s Gala at Edinburgh’s Powderhall Grounds, McLeavy proved that his mile performance at Gateshead was no flash in the pan by passing upwards of forty men to take third place from scratch in 4:26.8.

Unfortunately, after making such a promising start, 1874 was to be a quiet year for McLeavy. It was reported in The Sporting Life that he had inexplicably “lost all form”.

It would be some time until his next race of any note, and it wasn’t a bad comeback by any standard.

In August 1875 McLeavy lined up against George Hazael among others at Hackney Wick in a four-mile handicap race for a champion belt and £50 in prize money. Hazael took full advantage of a generous 50-yard start to win by 100 yards in 20:07.0. McLeavy produced a strong finish to beat H. Hescott (180y start) by 10 yards. His time of around 20:24 was well outside his best, but after such a long absence still a very respectable effort.

On September 4 McLeavy made his first appearance at Springfield Recreation Grounds, which had opened on London Road in early 1875 at the original site of Celtic Park.
As Scotland’s largest port and most populous city, Glasgow was at the height of its commercial and industrial prosperity. Springfield was the third enclosure to open in the city after Stonefield Recreation Grounds in 1861 and Kelvinside Recreation Grounds in 1869.
The race in question was a mile handicap for a silver champion trophy worth 50 guineas. Champion belts and cups were notoriously hard to win outright. This particular trophy had to be held for nine months and won three times in succession, and the holder had to defend it every six weeks if challenged.
5,000 spectators found their way into the enclosure to watch the race. McLeavy, who started from scratch, was in a class of his own, but just failed to catch the leaders. Taking third in 4:25.6, he finished five yards behind the aspiring Alexander Clark from Glasgow and three yards behind Willy Park, both of whom had a 120-yard start.

After challenging Hazael to defend the four-mile champion belt, McLeavy met the Londoner at Springfield Recreation Grounds on 3rd October before a huge attendance of 20,000 spectators. However, McLeavy’s many supporters would go home disappointed because their man suffered an “off” day and gave up at 3 ¼ miles when trailing Hazael by 50 yards.

What did the 1876 season hold in store?

McLeavy opened his account with a 3-mile match against Henry Hescott for £15 a side and, of course, a challenge belt. The match was decided at the Royal Oak Grounds on 22nd January. It was a handicap, Hescott having received a start of 195 yards. This turned out to be too much for McLeavy, who made up some ground, but could not catch Hescott and lost by about 60 yards in a mediocre time of 15:36.0.

Then, on 18 March, he met the much-improved Alex Clark over a mile for £50 at Springfield Recreation Grounds. As in Manchester, however, he was unable to make up the start he had given his opponent (30 yards) and lost by about a yard in 4:35.4. Clark, who was 23 and a butcher by trade, was of course happy to collect the stakes

Then, on 1st April, McLeavy launched an attempt on the professional mile world record at Lillie Bridge at the invitation of the Amateur Athletic Club. Bill Lang and William Richards jointly held the record after they had both run the distance in 4:17.25 at Manchester in 1865. McLeavy, by way of an inducement, was to receive £50 and half the gate money should he be successful. Depending on his finishing time, this amount decreased down to 10 shillings and quarter gate for a time of 4:25. He had his great rival George Hazael and his trainer, Jack Taylor from Glasgow, as pacemakers to help him. About 2,000 spectators were present. Paced quarters of 1:01 and 1:07 took him to half-way in 2:08, but a 1:11 third quarter ended all hopes of a record and slow fourth quarter of brought him home in 4:28.6 – a fast time by any standard, but well outside the record.

So far that season, McLeavy had been below par. It was therefore to show what he really had in him. On 10th June he renewed his rivalry with George Hazael in a three-mile match for £50 before a bumper crowd of 10,000 spectators at Shawfield Recreation Grounds, which had opened in 1875 on the south side of the Clyde near the old Rutherglen Bridge. McLeavy immediately took the lead and covered the first mile in 4:46.25 and the second mile in 9:44.5. Hazael stayed in his slipstream until a lap to go when he suddenly cracked and came to a standstill. McLeavy completed the distance at his leisure in 14:45.25, while Hazael was booed for his apparent failure to make a race of it. McLeavy’s time was superb, but the manner in which he achieved it suggested he could have gone considerably faster had he been pushed all the way. Hazael, who had won a 10-mile race at Springfield Grounds in a sensationally fast 52:05.0 a month earlier, had been expected to provide McLeavy with a sterner challenge.

On 4th November, McLeavy took on Alex Clark again, but this time they were matched on level terms over a mile for £50 and the Championship of Britain. The match was contested under the scrutiny of between 3,000 and 4,000 spectators at Springfield Recreation Grounds. The report in the New York Clipper tells the tale of this exciting duel: “They went away at a terrific pace, McLeavy cutting out the work, and in this way they passed the referee for the first lap in 59 sec, Clark half a yard behind. Going down the backstretch, Clark went up to McLeavy’s shoulder, and rattled the champion along at his best pace, offers of 6 to 4 now being made on Clark, who seemed able to leave the champion at any time, and, coming into the straight for the half-mile, the men passed the post for the second time abreast (time 2min. 7sec.). Going for the third lap, Clark went to the front, but McLeavy, with one of his grand rushes, repassed him, and held the lead once more until coming into the straight for home, when Clark, with a splendid sprint, raced alongside to within fifteen yards from the tape, where Clark was run to a standstill, being then two yards behind, McLeavy completing the distance in 4min. 25 ¼ sec.”
McLeavy’s winning time was the fastest that year in Britain and the second fastest mile ever witnessed in Scotland, just a shade slower than the 4:25.0 posted by Steve Ridley at Powderhall in 1870.

The following week, McLeavy returned to Springfield Recreation Grounds to defend the four-mile championship against James “Treacle” Sanderson, of Whitworth, for £50 and a silver cup worth 60 guineas. Sanderson, who in the 1860s had been one of Britain’s leading distance runners with a two-mile best of 9:12.5. These records had been set many years previously, but he was still a force to be reckoned with. It was reported that McLeavy had been under the care of Bob Hindle. The conditions weren’t great: the track had to be cleared of snow, and it was cold and windy. McLeavy set off at a fast pace, zipping through the first mile in 4:39, but this was no problem for the Whitworth veteran, who led at 2 miles in 9:45 and 3 miles in 15:02. However, McLeavy had the measure of Sanderson in the last mile and won easily in a superb time of 19:58.0. The Sporting Life commented, “Considering that the race was run in a snowstorm, with the wind blowing a perfect gale, it must be reckoned to quite equal to the best time on record.”

After the victory over Sanderson, McLeavy simultaneously held all British championship titles from 1 to 4 miles inclusive.

On 18th November, McLeavy contested his third race in just as many weeks at Springfield Recreation Grounds. It was a match over 10 miles against Jim Bailey, an emerging force from Sittingbourne, whom McLeavy had given a start of 200 yards. This one did not go the full distance, though, as McLeavy caught his opponent at five miles and was awarded the win after covering six miles in 33 minutes exactly.

All augured well for his final engagement of 1876, a six-mile match against Hazael for the British Championship and £50 at Glasgow’s latest enclosure, the Vale of Clyde Recreation Grounds on Govan Road on 23rd December. McLeavy, however, showed up in a bad way physically and had to give up at 4 ½ miles after throwing up, leaving Hazael to canter to victory in 31:44.0.

After forfeiting the 4-mile championship to Hazael on 3 February 1877, due to illness, McLeavy was soon back at full strength. He proved this at Shawfield Grounds on 10 March by defeating Hazael over 5 miles for £80 in 26:06.0.

On 30th June he again took on Cutty Smith over 10 miles for £60 and a champion belt at Shawfield. The ground was uneven after recent trotting races, so a fast time was out of the question. It came down to a sprint finish, which McLeavy won with 2 yards to spare in 56:10.0.

After his usual frenetic summer of racing at the Highland Games, McLeavy tackled Tranent’s James Wood, a mile specialist, over a mile at Shawfield Grounds on September 30 1877.
McLeavy had been training under Davie Ferguson, of Pollockshaws, but had stopped training after the death of his father ten days earlier. Nonetheless, the 6,000 spectators were treated to a fine race which saw Wood emerge the winner by six yards in 4:30.0.

A week after losing to Wood, it was back to business as usual. McLeavy returned to Shawfield and contested another Championship of Britain match against George Hazael, the distance on this occasion being six miles for £100. A 10,000 strong crowd watched their man win by 200 yards from the bull-faced Englishman in 32:16.5.

Two weeks later, however, Hazael turned the tables on McLeavy in a six miler on a heavy grass track at Dundee, winning in a slow time of 35 minutes.

On 3rd November McLeavy met the up-and-coming Billy Cummings over 2 miles for £50 at Shawfield. He had conceded the 19-year-old from Paisley a start of 20 yards but had no trouble beating him in 10:07.0.

The following week, McLeavy returned to the same venue to defend his 10-mile title against Cutty Smith. Unfortunately, Smith fell ill with gastric fever and scratch, resulting in a walk over for McLeavy. To be eligible for the prize money, however, the rules required that he complete the distance or run until stopped by friends of his opponent. Seeing as nearly 1,000 persons had paid admission, he decided to try for a fast time against the clock. However, shortly after covering the first mile in 4:43, it began to pour down, ruling out all possibility of a fast time. Smith’s backers were however satisfied and refrained from asking McLeavy to go the full distance.

On 17th November McLeavy got his chance to avenge his earlier defeat by James Wood, when they met over a mile for £75 at Springfield Recreation Grounds. It was by all accounts a great race and McLeavy had to pull out all the stops to win by a slight margin of 2 yards in a fine time of 4:28.75.

McLeavy’s backers, after seeing that their man was in top form, quickly organized another race against George Hazael. This time it went over a distance of 10 miles (not McLeavy’s best distance) and took place at Shawfield on 1st December. Despite receiving a start of 250 yards, McLeavy was unable to hold off Hazael, who caught and passed him on the last lap and won by 15 yards in 54:32.0.

The following weekend, at Campfield Running Ground in Falkirk, however, McLeavy was again able to savour the taste of victory by defeating Billy Cummings (30y start) in a close-run 2 miles from scratch in 9:52.0. For his efforts he collected £30 and a silver cup.

McLeavy concluded the year with two races at Shawfield Ground. On 29th December he engaged in a three-way mile race for £50 and a silver challenge cup. The race was so slow that the runners were booed out by the crowd of 1,000 spectators. Missiles were even thrown at them to make them go faster! It came down to a final sprint where he couldn’t handle James Wood and Alex Clark and gave up on the home straight. The winning time, a slow 4:49.5. On New Year’s Eve, he was unplaced in a five-way match over three quarters of a mile for £20 and a champion belt, 34-year-old Bob Hindle rolling back the years to win a good race in 3:22.5.

In early 1878 McLeavy’s foot-racing career took a new direction when wealthy sporting patron Sir John Astley announced a six-day go-as-you-please race for a champion belt and cash prizes totalling a mouth-watering £750.

Six-day walking races had been in vogue for a while, but there had been mounting criticism of the farcical walking styles employed by some competitors. Astley, who had already sponsored several such contests, decided to resolve the knotty issue by allowing the competitors to walk or run as they pleased – hence the name “go as you please”.

McLeavy had so far taken no interest in these contests but was powerless to resist the allure of big money. Despite his track pedigree, success was by no means guaranteed. Six-day races required both extraordinary mental tenacity and a high tolerance for pain and sleep deprivation.

As he had never raced beyond ten miles before, he knew he was entering unknown territory.

To prepare for upcoming contest, he undertook a rigorous regimen of daily training runs and walks during the cold winter months. On 9th March he pitted himself against Cutty Smith in an 8-hour go-as-you-please match for £50 at Shawfield Recreation Grounds. Walking throughout, he retired after completing 35 miles (56.3 km) in 6 hours 51 minutes 43 seconds (Smith was over four miles ahead at this point).

The big six-day race commenced on 18th March in the Islington Agricultural Hall, which was packed with spectators despite the ungodly hour of 1:03 am. McLeavy got off to a good start by covering 28.3 miles (45.5 km) in the first 4 ½ hours. He completed his first 50 miles (80.5 km) in just over 9 hours and had completed exactly 100 miles (160.9 km) at the expiration of 24 hours. He was unable to maintain this pace, however, and fell well behind the more experienced long-distance experts such as American Daniel O’Leary, who won 520.2 miles. After six days McLeavy finished 9th overall with 250.6 miles.

After recovering from the gruelling six-day race, McLeavy initially confined himself to the shorter distances again.

On 11 May 1878 he took on Cutty Smith and George Hazael in a championship race over 6 miles at Springfield Recreation Grounds but lacked sharpness and dropped out at 5 ¼ miles. Smith posted a fine time of 31:29.25 – one of a string of excellent performances by the Paisley man that year.

Then, on 1st June, McLeavy took on the much-improved Willie Cummings over 2 miles at the Springfield Recreation Grounds. The Paisley running sensation scorched to victory in a fabulous 9:20.5, McLeavy dropping out at 1 ¼ miles after finding the 4:35 opening mile too hot for his liking. Cummings was destined go onto even greater things. He would win the British Mile Championship in the Lillie Bridge as a rank outsider a month later and would finish the year as Britain’s #1 miler after posting a 4:19.5 at Springfield Recreation Grounds on 5th October.

In 1878 Scottish professional runners were preeminent at nearly every distance from one to 10 miles. McLeavy had his hands full trying to assert himself against his fellow countrymen. There was no need to travel south to compete. The situation was quite the opposite in fact: his great rival George Hazael would make the long journey north to Scotland again and again in his quest for worthy opposition.

A week after losing to Cummings, McLeavy rediscovered his best form in a match against Cutty Smith for £50 and the British Six-mile Championship at Springfield Recreation Grounds. Despite subdued expectations of a good time due to the rainy conditions, McLeavy and Smith had a great duel, McLeavy winning by a narrow margin of only 2 yards in an excellent time of 31:34.5 minutes after mile splits of 4:47, 9:52, 15:10, 20:35 and 26:19.

McLeavy’s 1878 summer schedule was again jam-packed with appearances at Highland Games meetings, including several performances of note. On 20th July he won, from scratch, a 10-mile race for a prize of 100 shillings at Barrack Park in Dundee in 54:57.0. On 3rd August he ran third in an hour race at Forfar behind Cutty Smith (10 ¾ miles) and David Livingstone. Then, two weeks later, he took second 30 yards behind Livingstone in a 4-mile flat race at Springfield Recreation Ground in 20:41. Livingstone, a coal miner born in Tranent in 1856, a rising force in Scottish pedestrianism. Earlier that year he had defeated Billy Cummings over a mile at Glasgow in 4:25.0.

On 23rd November, McLeavy, with the benefit of training at the Old Tree Grounds in Paisley under the supervision of Bob Hindle, defended his 6-mile title against Cutty Smith in 32:10.0 at Shawfield Recreation Grounds where soft ground and unfavourable weather militated against a faster time. Willie Cummings and George Hazael had also entered but failed to put in an appearance.

On 21st December McLeavy once again tool on Billy Cummings over 2 miles for £50 and the World Championship. Despite there being snow on the track, Cummings set a fast pace covering the first mile in 4:31. McLeavy held on for as long as he could but eventually had to let Cummings go, the Paisley man winning by 40 yards in 9:44.0.

During the early months of 1879, McLeavy turned his attention the ultra-long distances again. On 29th March he teamed up with Cutty Smith in a 24-hour walking match against well-known Edinburgh ped Peter McKellan for £25 a-side at Shawfield Grounds. Both Smith and McLeavy were to walk for 12 hours, while McKellan was tasked with doing the whole thing on his own. As good as McKellan was, the outcome was a bit of a foregone conclusion, McLeavy taking over from Smith with a comfortable lead which he never relinquished. Smith and McLeavy won by three miles, covering 55 miles and 53 miles respectively.

On 19th April McLeavy donned his running shoes again to compete in a 4-mile handicap at Shawfield Grounds. After months of long-distance training, however, he lacked his usual leg speed and wound up third in around 21:57 off scratch.

About a month later he departed for the USA, where long-distance running was in vogue and lucrative prizes beckoned.

He contested his first major race stateside on 13th June: a 150-mile match against Jeremiah Murphy of Chicago in the Chicago Exposition Building. However, his American rival was not quite up to the task, retiring after 88 miles. McLeavy was eventually declared the winner after completing 120 miles in 31 hrs. 45 min.

On 6th October of the same year, McLeavy took part in a big six-day race at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where the competitors (the crème da la crème of the USA) were chasing a first prize was $5,000. After two days and 150 miles, however, the race was over for McLeavy after contracting a bad cold in the chilly and damp quarters that had been provided by the management.

The six-day race at Madison Square Garden gets under way (National Police Gazette)

In late April 1880 McLeavy competed in a 72-hour walking match at Philadelphia but finished well down the order. Then on 7th June he ran 10 miles in Toronto against the Indian White Eagle and another two runners, winning in 59:30 and earning himself $40. On 4th September he teamed up with White Eagle and Charles Price for an unusual 30-mile race in Chicago; they were matched against a horse ridden by the celebrated pedestrian Daniel O’Leary. McLeavy was the first to run and completed his 10-mile stint in a rather slow 1:09:20. The race, the Chicago Tribune wrote, “afforded plenty of amusement to the crowd” but the runners had no chance against the horse which galloped home with almost 3 miles in hand.

It is difficult to quantify how many races McLeavy contested in the USA, as reports are few and far between. To keep his head above the water, however, he must have competed often and for at times trivial sums of money. On 1 October 1881, for instance, he defeated Charles Price in a 5-mile “exhibition run” on the fringes of a six-day race at the Aquarium in New York in a slow time of 35:30. McLeavy spent about three years in the United States but failed to achieve much in the way of success or make his fortune. The big money was in six-day races, but McLeavy, it appeared, was not particularly cut out for this type of contest.

Miserable inexpensive living conditions may have been responsible for the onset of tuberculosis which forced him to return home in 1882. After returning to Scotland he was reportedly in “enfeebled health”. Back in those days, tuberculosis – or phthisis or consumption as it was known – was considered an incurable illness. The only hope of recovery was a protracted period of rest in a sanatorium with plenty of fresh air and wholesome food – luxuries which McLeavy could ill afford.
Despite his ill health, he continued to compete, albeit with diminishing returns. A six-day go-as-you-please race at Sheffield in December of 1882 he retired after covering only 14 miles. A four-mile race against Alex Clark for the Championship of Scotland at Bolton on 24 March 1883 ended in a disaster when McLeavy gave up after only two miles, already hopelessly beaten. Another match against Clark at the Recreation Grounds in Aberdeen on 21st April ended with McLeavy lapped twice.

No longer in a fit state to compete against top-notch opponents, McLeavy tried his hand at promoting meetings, but failed on account of his ill health. The last months of his life must have been horrific, a living hell, as the disease spread throughout his body, destroying his lungs and shutting down his immune system. In December of 1883 one of his feet had to be amputated after experiencing paralysis.

On 19 January 1884, McLeavy passed away at Glasgow Royal Infirmary at the age of 31.

His funeral was announced two days later, on the front page of the Glasgow Herald.

That was the rags-to-riches-to-rags life of Jamie McLeavy, a youth prodigy, who was fortunate enough to discover his talent for running at an early age and make his mark at a time when professional foot-racing was immensely popular in Scotland; a time before football came into the limelight; a time when people from modest backgrounds could aspire to fame and fortune; a time when 20,000 people would flock to a running ground just to see Jamie McLeavy in action.

Sadly, Jamie McLeavy was also a mere mortal and no match for one of the oldest and deadliest diseases known to mankind.

Like everyone else in Scottish athletics I was taken totally by surprise when I heard of Janice’s death at the end of July this year (2019).    I had known he since the early 1990’s when I asked her if one of the athletes in myclub could join Red Star.   Janice never turned anyone away and encouraged me to send the athlete along to the Red Star club.    She went, she trained with both clubs and gained immensely.   The girl in question had been very quiet and shy, almost an introvert, and hardly spoke to anyone.   With Red Star she ran all over Scotland and the United Kingdom – then went further afield and raced in Greece, Spain, France and the Netherlands.   The change wrought in her was amazing and the extent of the change was evidenced one night when I was leaving the Kelvin Hall.   I met the athlete’s employment adviser who stopped me and said that the girl, well a woman by this time, was not only speaking to her but phoning her at home and talking for ages.    This was down to Red Star Athletics Club, set up by Janice.   She later asked me to speak (along with Bill Scally and Willie Sharp) at a day in Crown Point.    When Jimmy Sands needed a time to qualify for the paralympics, she asked if he could run with some of my athletes: we et it up and they paced him to the appropriate time.   The work that she put in was repaid manyfold by the changes for the better in the athletes in the club.    She was only 60 years old when she died and should have had many more years ahead of her.   

There were obituaries and tributes aplenty paid to her in the Press and elsewhere and the following tribute is based on that from the ‘Herald’ of 8th August 2019.

Janice with three of her athletes

Janice Eaglesham, MBE, who died suddenly aged 60 was one of the most influential individuals in disability sport in Scotland along with her husband Ian Mirfin.   Janice, who initially planned to be a PE teacher but did not feel cut out for it, became involved in disability sport in 1983.    She was already involved in the sport as an athlete with Edinburgh AC and nationally tanked for 1500m (5:01.4 1973), 3000m (11:47.4  1974), 400mH (70.2  1974) and again at 3000m in 1979 with a time of 11:44.8).

After that spell as an athlete , Janice’s subsequent dedication to disability sports was decisive and life changing, not only for her but for hundreds of athletes and their parents and loved ones.   This all started in 1977 as a  guide runner to a visually-impaired athlete, and she was later a volunteer at the Special Olympics.    Over the years she worked tirelessly to change attitudes and to change lives as a passionate athletics coach who fought hard for the inclusion of disabled people within sport.   Her involvement with Scottish Disablility Sport started in 1985 and she was part of the organising committee for the Association’s Silver Jubilee celebration sports in 1987. 

In 1990 partially sighted athlete Sam Howie was interested in findoing out how he could get involved in athletics at a competitive level.   He was put in touch with Janice who, together with Ian, began to organise training sessions after realising that no club or local authority offered this kind of support anywhere in Scotland.   In December 1990, the Red Star Athletics Club was born, the first club of its kind for athletes with a disability.   From the first informal meetings with just a handful of athletes grew an organisation recognised as the leading club in the UK for athletes with a disability and boasts an impressive Roll of Honour including Paralympic and World championship medallists.   

In 2011 Janice and Ian were awarded the BBC Sports Unsung Hero gong at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for their contribution to sport, joining the country’s sporting elite at a glittering ceremony in Salford.    Janice was typically modest about the achievement, but appreciated the award as recognition for the work of everyone involved, saying, “For every one person who gets an award like this, there are hundreds of others – coaches and helpers – who turn up, week in, week out.”   

In 2014 she was appointed Chairwoman of Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) leading the association through the development of its current strategic plan.   She was involved in all aspects of SDS life and delivered education and training courses across Scotland.   Janice was active at both a national and international level, opening up access to coaching and competition to hundreds of disabled athletes over the years and acting as team manager and head coach to Scottish squads competing on the world and European stage.   She was heavily involved in RaceRunning, in which athletes use a running bike consisting of a three wheeled frame with a saddle and body support but no pedals, and promoting it as a competitive sport.   

In 2016 the work of Janice and Ian was further recognised when they were both awarded MBE’s in recognition of their services to disability sport .   Janice was also board member and vice-chairwoman of the UK Sports Association for People with a Disability, and was active on working groups with both Scottish and UK Athletics.   

Tracey McCillen, Chief Executive of the UK Sports Association for Ppeople with a Learning Disability, said she was an “athlteics coach, mentor, educator and guide”, adding “Quietly and without presumption  or expectation of acknowledgement, she did it all because she loved it

Given all her talents and dedication, Janice had the perfect partner in Ian Mirfin.   Ian had come into the sport in the mid 1980’s at the time of the ‘running boom’ and was a big, good natured, easy to like character.   He was married to Janice for 33 years and they were a great double act.   If anyone matched her dedication he did.   He worked with athletes from all disciplines and built up a great expertise in wheel chair events.  An excellent coach in his own right, Ian is currently Scottish Coaching’s Event Lead for Paralympic athletes.   The photograph above is of Ian when he received the Scottish Athletics Disability Coach of the Year in 2014

Part of the citation for the award read “Dedicated Ian was recognised for his tireless work with disabled athletes, and especially his success with a trio of female athletes over the past 12 months.   Both Sammy Kinghorn and Meggan Dawson Farrell participated for Scotland in this year’s Commonwealth Games while Shelby Watson is already enjoying success at junior level.   Ian has been identified as a coach on the UK Sport para coach to Rio programme and was part of the Inspire Programme for Glasgow 2014.   Although he works with beginners, Ian has been instrumental in producing the best crop of young wheelchair athletes Scotland has ever seen.”

His double act with Janice however was something quite special and it was recognised several times including 2012 when they   carried the Olympic torch through Rutherglen in Glasgow.

Justin Chaston: Steeplechaser

The range of athletes that Jim McLatchie has worked with or brought all the way through to international honours is very wide – we have already seen some of his work with mile and marathon runners as well as with cross-country champions.   This section is on his work with steeplechasers.   By far the best man he worked with in this event was Justin Chaston (pb 8:23.90).   Chaston ran in three Olympic Games (1996, 2000 and 2004), World Championships (2004), Commonwealth Games (2004), Universiade (1995) and the World Cross in 1987.   A remarkable record by any standards.   The workoits that he did before the Olympics in 2004  are detailed  here   for you to see.   When I contacted him he reckoned that Jim had kept more detail on him than he had recorded himself!

This is what Jim has to say about training good class steeplechasers.

STEEPLECHASE PROGRAM 

Workouts described below are for steeplechasers with examples using 3K and 5K as the base for establishing workout times. 

8 Weeks Build-Up (September – October)

1. 1 Hour easy run
2. Hill work –     short hills plenty of reps with short rest

10 x short loop (150M with 2 hills) 30 sec rest/ jog 5 min/ repeat

Build up to 8 x 450M with 90 sec rest

1. 1 hour easy
2. Tempo Runs   e.g.: 2 mile easy/ 1 – 5k pace/ 1 – 10k + 20 sec/mile/ 1 – 10k pace/ 1 – 5k/

Cool down. Note any combination to equal 8 miles of continuous running.

1. 1 Hour easy
2. 45 min easy
3. Long run start at 1 ¼ hours add 15 min every 2 weeks until 2 hours is reached

November – December

1. 2 hours easy
2. Track work – Long repeats: 2 x mile 30 sec rest between/ jog 5 min/ 4 x 800 30 sec rest

4 (mile 1 MR 200 quick) 3 min between sets

2 x 3000M 4MR          Try and do

3 x 2000M 3MR           at today’s

4 x 1500M 3 MR          5K pace

6 x 1000M 2 MR

3. 1 hour easy with 2 x 5 min pick-ups during the run
4. 10 mile Tempo run. Any combination of pace per mile to equal 10 miles

warm up/ 2 mile – 10k pace/ 1 mile 10k pace + 20 sec/ 1 mile – 5k pace

1 mile 10k pace + 20 sec/ 1 – 5k pace/ cool down

5. 1 hour easy run
6. 30 min easy if racing tomorrow else 45 min easy
7. Race or Hill/grass work – long reps e.g. 3 x mile 3 min rest/ or 6 x 800 3 min rest/

or mile: 2 x 800: mile 3 min rest between

January – February

1. 2 hours easy

2. Track work – Variable repeats: 16 x 200 30 SR between/ Jog 5 min/ 800

                                                or            10 x 300  30 SR between/ jog 5 min/ 800

or              6 x 400 30 SR between/ jog 5 min/ 800

or              2 ml/ 2 MR/ 2 x mile 1MR/ 4 x 800 30 SR

or               3 x 1000 30SR/J 400/ 2 x 1000 30SR/ j 400/ 1000

1. 1 hour easy with 3 x 4 min pick ups during the run
2. 10 mile Tempo run. Any combination of pace per mile to equal 10 miles

warm up/ 2 mile – 10k pace/ 1 mile 10k pace + 20 sec/ 1 mile – 5k pace

1 mile 10k pace + 20 sec/ 1 – 5k pace/ cool down

1. 1 hour easy run
2. 30 min easy if racing tomorrow else 45 min easy
3. Race or Hill/grass work over hurdles.     E.g.     1000M 3MR/ 2 x 500 90SR/ 1000M

Or 3 x 1000M 3 MR

Or 500M 90SR/1000M 3MR/1000 3MR/500

March – April

1.  Two hours easy.
2.  Track work – Long repeats: 4 x mile 2MR

                                                or        

          3000M/2 x 1000/ 2 x 600/ 3 MR between

or         2000/ 5MR/ 1000/ 3MR/ 500

or         4 x 800 2MR/ jog 5 min/ 4 x 800 1M

3. 1 Hour easy with 4 x 3 min pick-ups during run
4. Track work- short reps 200:400:600:400:200 3MR between

Or        10 x 200 200 jog between

Or        2x(4 x 400 2 MR) 5 min between sets

Or        4 x 400 rest = 3M/2M/1M/ jog 5 min/repeat

1.  1 hour easy run
2. 30 min easy if racing tomorrow else 45 min easy
3.  Race or Hurdle work on track.  E.g.   Water jump drills

Hurdle drills

Flexibility

May – June

1. 1 hours easy
2. Track work – emphasis on pace:  2 x mile 8 MR over hurdles

or         1600/1200/800/400 3MR over water

or         6x 800 3MR change up: 2 @ 2.12:2.04/2.10 no hurdles

3. 1 hour easy.
4. Track work- variable reps 400:1200:400 4MR over hurdles no water

Or        1600:800:1600 4MR over hurdles every 2^nd lap

Or        400/ 60SR/800/2MR/400? Jog 10M/ 400 fast. No hurdles

Or        1000/ 1MR/500 3MR/ 500/ 1MR/1000 over hurdles

5. 1 hour easy run
6. 30 min easy if racing tomorrow else 45 min easy
7. Race or Hurdle work on track. E.g.   Water jump drills

Hurdle drills

Flexibility

10 Day – Pre Big Race

1. 1 hour easy
2. 1500M race
3. 10 miles easy
4. 1600:1200:800:400 3MR over water only (4.28/3.18/2.10/58)
5. 1 hour easy run with a 5 min pick up in middle
6. 400:1200:400 4MR over hurdles no water at race pace
7. 1 hour easy
8. 30 – 40 min easy with a few strides
9. Heats – 3000M S/C
10. Final – 3000M S/C

Marathon

MIDDE HAMRIN, Swedish Olympic Marathon, 1984: Coached by Jim

Very few Scottish coaches or athletes realisejust how good a coach Jim is.   He has worked with several Olympians at different distances – Mile, Steeplechase and Marathon.   Midde Hamrin above ran in European Championships, Olympic Games, World Championships as well as in the big city races.  She has a marathon pb of 2:36:15.   Training for two more of his best marathon runners is given below bur first he just lays out what his general principles are and gives a 10 week schedule for a top class marathon runner.

Determine feasible goals for the race, then figure out marathon pace per mile. Eg: Marathon in 3:03.3 is 7 minutes race pace
7 mins = 420 secs. Race pace less 10 secs = 420-10 = 410 = 6:50
Predicted time for 800 with 20 secs less per mile = 420-20 400=/2 = 200= 3:20

Workout
– Saturday runs should be run at 10 sec per mile less than race pace
– Try and run at least 30 min each morning Mon – Fri – don’t worry about distance.

10 WEEK PROGRAM

WEEK 1
1 – 10 miles easy
2 – 6x 1600 – race pace less 10 secs per mile with 200 jog between
3 – 6 miles easy
4 – 20 x 200 with 100 walk between run how you feel
5 – 10 miles easy
6 – 6 miles easy
7 – Race or 6 mile hard

WEEK 2
1 – 12 miles easy
2 – 3 x 3200 Race pace less 10 sec per mile with 600 jog between
3 – 6 miles easy
4 – 20 x 300 with 100 walk between run how you feel
5 – 10 miles easy
6 – 6 miles easy
7 – Race or 8 mile hard

WEEK 3
1 – 15 miles easy
2 – 6x 1600 – race pace less 15 secs per mile with 200 jog between
3 – 8 miles easy
4 – 10x 800 Race pace less 20 secs per mile with 200 jog between
5 – 8 miles easy
6 – 8 miles easy
7 – Race or 6 mile hard

WEEK 4
1 – 15 miles easy
2 – 2 x 3 miles race pace less 15 sec per mile with 800 jog between
3 – 8 miles easy
4 – 20x 200 with 100 walk between – race pace
5 – 10 miles easy
6 – 6 miles easy
7 – Race or 8 mile hard

WEEK 5
1 – 15 miles easy
2 – 3 x 2 miles race pace less 15 sec with 600 jog between
3 – 8 miles easy
4- 12 x 800 race pace less 25 sec with 200 jog between
5 – 8 miles easy
6 –8 miles easy
7 – Race or 15 mile easy

WEEK 6
1 – 18 miles easy
2 – 6 x1600 race pace less 20 secs – 200 jog between
3 – 8 miles easy
4- 20x 300 with 100 walk between race-pace
5 – 8 miles easy
6 –6 miles easy
7 – Race or 3 mile easy

WEEK 7
1 – 20 miles easy
2 – 2x 3 miles race pace less 15 secs – 200 jog between
3 – 8 miles easy
4- 20x 400 with 200 jog between – race pace
5 – 8 miles easy
6 –8 miles easy
7 – Race or 10 mile easy

WEEK 8
1 – 20 miles easy
2 – 12x 800 race pace less 30 secs – 200 jog between
3 – 8 miles easy
4- 6x 1600 race pace less 20 secs – with 200 jog
5 – 8 miles easy
6 –8 miles easy
7 –10 mile easy

WEEK 9
1 – 15 miles easy
2 – 3x 3200 race pace less 20 secs with 600 jog between
3 – 8 miles easy
4- 20x 300 with 100 walk at pace
5 – 5 miles easy
6 –5 miles easy
7 –8 mile easy

WEEK 10
1 – 8 miles easy
2 – 3x 1600 race pace with 100 jog between
3 – 6 miles easy
4 – 40 min easy
5 – 30 min easy with a few strides
6 –30 min with a few strides
7 –RACE

Marty Froelick was a very good distance runner with Rice University, Texas, with a pb for the distace of 2:10 run in the Twin Cities Marathon in 1987.   He also ran several 2:12’s and a 2:11 as well has having a 14:04.7 for 5000 (1978) and 29:14.9 for 10000m.   Jim writes:-

Marty Froelick – 2:10.59

29 Days before marathon. Most days Marty also did morning runs 30-45 mins easy

29 – 30 mile run around 6 min pace
28 – 1 hour easy
27 – 40x 200 jog across middle
26 – 1 hour run
25 – 10 mile run – 2 @ 6.00/ 2@ 5.00/ 2@ 6.00/ 1@ 4.40/ 3@ 6.00
24 – 45 min easy with a few strides
23– 10K road race 30:20
22 – 20 mile run around 6 min pace
21 – 10 x 1K – 3.00 – 200 jog between
20 – 1 hour easy
19 – 2 @ 6.00/ 2@ 5.00/ 2@ 6.00/ 1@ 4.40/ 3@ 6.00
18 – 1 ¼ hours easy
17 – 30 mile run around 6 min pace
16 – 1 ½ hours easy run
15 – 1 hour easy
14 – 6 x mile 4.40 with 1 min rest
13 – 1 hour easy
12 – 2 mile – 10.00/ 5MR/ 2X1 – 4.40 3MR/ 4X880 – 2.16 – 1MR
11 – 1 hour easy
10 – 1 hour easy
9 – 15 miles around 6 min pace
8 – 1 hour easy
7 – 4x mile pace with 1 min rest between
6 – 1 hour easy
5 – 2x 2 miles pace 1 min rest between
4 – 45 min with 5 min pick up
3 – 30 min easy with a few strides
2 – 30 min easy with a few strides
1 – Twin Cities 1st place 2:10.59

Sylvia Mosqueda was a late starter in athletics and you should read some of the stuff available on the web about her career.   She has a 2:37 for the marathon and a 1:10 for the half marathon.  Jim says:- 

Sylvia Mosqueda

Who is Sylvia and what is she!!!

Sylvia is in the front.

Sylvia won the 1987 NCAA cross country championships and in 1988 she won the 10,000 meter title on the track in a time of 32:28.57 which stood for thirty years before it was broken.

I was first contacted about Sylvia who was representing the USA by my wife Carol who was the Team Manager for the USA in the IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships which were held in Bristol England on October 7, 2001. Sylvia told her that she did not have a coach – Carol suggested me.

Sylvia contacted me on November 15th giving me an outline of what she had been doing in respect to training. I prepared a schedule for her for the month of December which I am sure was a wake-up call:
6 x mile with 1 min rest around 5:10
8x 800 with 45 secs rest around 2:32
We decided to have her first race on January 20, 2002 – San Diego Half Marathon which she won in 1:12.37.

The next race planned was a Half-marathon in Austin Texas on February 2, 2002. Ten days prior to the race I had Sylvia do the ‘Ball-Buster’ workout – 2x mile with 30 sec rest 5:12 & 5:09/ jog 400/ 2x 800 with 30 sec rest – 2:29 & 2:30/ jog 400/ 2x 400 with 30 sec rest – 74 & 74/ 5 min rest then repeat/ 5:06 & 5:08/ 2:29 & 2:29/ 74 & 74. After that workout I had a good idea that she was ready to run a fast time.

Carol and I drove over to Austin from Houston to watch the race – Sylvia and I had spoken several times on the phone, but had never met face to face. Driving to the start of the race – Carol spotted Sylvia running up the street – I stopped the car, jumped out, ran towards her – she began shouting “who the hell are you”! – I said “I’m Jim McLatchie – your coach – you silly bugger”.

Gave her a hug and told her to go “kick some ass” and that Carol and I would be out on the course. The rest is history – new course record 1:10.46. She went on to break that record again in 2004 which ranked her 8th best in the USA at that distance with a time of 1:09.52.

Sylvia ran the New York Marathon in 2002 and finished 13th in a time of 2:33.47 and in 2003 she finished 10th overall in a time of 2:33.10. She was the first American to finish the race, she was on the podium with the other top nine women. Alberto Salazar was presenting the prizes, and had to ask Sylvia her name!!

Here is the last 21 days training she accomplished leading up to the race. Mon thru Fri she ran 30 mins in the morning

1. 2x mile- 5.08 – 1 min rest/ jog 400/ 2×800 2.30 – 1 MR/ jog 400/ 2×400 – 70 / jog 5 min then REPEAT.
2. 1 hour run
3. 8 mile run as follows: 1 – 5k pace/ 2 – 10k pace plus 1 min/ 2 – 10 k pace/ 3 – 10k pace plus 1 min
4. 1 hour easy
5. 45 min easy with a few strides
6. 18 miles easy
7. 1 hour easy
8. 3x 3 miles at 10k pace with 4 min rest between
9. 1 ¼ hour with 4x 3 min pick-ups in middle
10. 4x mile 4.52 with 2 min rest between
11. 1 hour easy
12. 45 mins with a few strides
13. 15 miles easy
14. 1 hour easy
15. 2x 2mile at 10k pace with 2 min rest
16. 1 hour easy
17. 45 min with a few strides
18. 45 min with a few strides
19. 20 min easy with strides
20. 20 min easy with strides
21. New York Marathon 10th place in 2:33.10

In 2004 – Sylvia had her best opportunity to make the Olympic team – she was fit and probably in the best shape of her life. In the marathon trials in St Louis she was in second place with 3 miles to go and ran out of steam – everything had ceased up – she could not walk – I had to carry her to the finish area, luckily it was about a mile across the park. Four weeks later she ran a 10,000 in the Mt. Sac relays I explained to her that no one would run under the qualifier in Sacramento because it would be too hot.

Sylvia ran with a woman from Germany until the last mile – coasted to the finish line (big mistake) in 31:57.64 missing the Olympic qualifying by six seconds.

During the 2004 season she recorded her fastest 5000 – 15:33.38 , 15K – 50:08 and ½ marathon 1:09.52

My only regret about coaching Sylvia – is, “I wish to Hell I had the opportunity to coach her when she was in her mid-twenties and not in her late thirties”. All in all we had a great journey.

.

September 2019:  North West Classic.

Jim’s comment was a quite laconic “Won all four divisions.   Fiona broke the record by 6 seconds.”

JV Men and Women: Teams 1st and 1st

5A/6A Varsity:    5000 Metres

Again both teams won.   Men on the left, women on the right

Numbers were big – eg in the Women’s 5A/6A race there were 204 and in the equivalent Meen’s race there were 227.   Fiona won her race by 42 seconds.   

 

NIKE PORTLAND, 28th September

In the Women’s 5000m Danner Championships, Fiona Max suffered a rare defeat but the team won their race from an entry of 23 teams competing.    The runners were Fiona Max  2nd, Teaghan Knox 3rd, Jasper Fievet 20th, Barrett Justerna  25th, and Azza Swanson 34th.   The Men’s team was unplaced but Sam Hatfield in 27th was their first runner home.    The Junior Varsity women won in a field of 22 teams with Isabel Max going one better than he sister when she won the race from team mate Camille Broadbent with the other scoring runners being Ellie Skersjaa in 4th, Ashley Boone 5th and Emilie Eichenberger 9th.    The JV Men’s team was 3rd out of the 33 teams that completed the course.   There were 240 finishers and the Summit team runners were Robert Gorman 1st, Jack Conde 3rd, Elijah Pile 18th, Sam Timms 40th, and John Deaver 95th.    

There were many good performances from the Summit teams but they were all praiseworthy given the size of the fields in every race.   There was competition of the highest order – if you doubt that – look at Fiona Max finishing second with team mate Teaghan Knox in the background.

There is an excellent report on the races with dozens of photographs   at this link

 https://www.dyestat.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=586210

November: the team has won the State Championships for the 12th consecutive year.   Not too bad at all.   There is an excellent article about it at

 http://www.osaa.org/today/article/1254/view?title=Girls+cross+country%3A+Max+leads+Summit%27s+6A+domination 

At the end of November, there were six inches of snow in Bend, Oregon and outdoor training was not possible, so Jim and Carol had them working just as hard – but indoors on treadmills.     The Nationals, which are next up, are in Portland and the girls, parents, coaching staff are all working to get a big group of supporters through to them. 

Came the Nike Cross Nationals and the Summit team, running as Central Oregon, just failed to win the title for the second year in succession.   On a dreadful wet day with soggy underfoot conditions, they were beaten into second place by Kinetic who came as a surprise packet, not having any known form at the top level before the event.   They were well beaten (82 points) but part of the story is the fact that the New York team had several over-age athletes.    How big is the race?   Well Peter Thomson describes the event as follows: 

Jim and Carol with the team after the race

16th April,  1881, was the start of a new decade of sports at Hamilton Crescent and the conditions were excellent for the athletes and spectators.   The list of events had grown to no fewer than 21 including bicycle races and several ‘novelty’ events but the real bread and butter athletics events were all well catered for.   Flat races from 100 yards to the Mile plus the hurdles and steeplechase and a range of field events including three of the jumps and the cricket ball throw.   Wauchope and Parsons won their principal events, there was a wide range of schools,universities and sports clubs represented and the day was a resounding success.

Another member of the Vallance family won the Broad Jump at the event on 15th April 1882 – this time it was Alex, Tom’s younger brother, who also took the honours in the 120 yards hurdles.   The win in the broad jump was actually a walk-over of 18’6″ but in the hurdles race, in which he was a future SAAA champion, but in the hurdles he was followed closely home by JS Blair.   The reporter in the Scotsman was fairly crictical of the meeting saying, “An encouraging number of spectators fringed the ring, and as the sports proceeded the attendance increased, there being ultimately some 4000 people within the gates, to say nothing of those who took up the vantage ground outside.   The programme was on the face of it calculated to excite some interest, but in being performed it paled very much.   Really the contests call for no special remark unless it be that there is room for improvement on the part of the management. ”   There is a sentence or two more in the same vein but for the athletes it was another good competition on a very good surface.    There were only 19 events in 1882 with ‘fine and stirring music’ from the Highland Light Infantry.    The Indian Tug o’War over water somewhat contradicts the reporter from the Scotsman when it says that “carried away by enthusiasm a number of spectators burst into the ring and some time elapsed before a clearance could be effected.”

The SAAA was formed in 1883 and they held their first championships in June that year.   It was a significant year with enthusiasm for athletics at a peak.   One of the keys to success for an athlete in any event is regular competition and meetings such as those offered by the cricket and football clubs were important in this respect – more important than most highland games or works sports simply because of the quality of the surface on which they were held.   A cricket sward is usually smoother and better maintaned than the local farmer’s field.    This year the West Cricket Club held their own sports on 14th April 1883 which was the start of both the athletics and cricket seasons.   The results should come first this year.   

Throwing the cricket Ball: HL Fleming, BLAC; 2.  AGG Asher.   106 yds  6 ins;  Broad Jump:  JW Parsons; 2.  AGG Asher.   19′ 5″;  Pole Jump:  AGG Asher; Quarter Mile Handicap Confined: HR Cobbold;  100 yards: *** ; Quarter Mile Flat Race:  AS Blair  52 1/2 sec;  High Jump:  JW Parsons  5’10 1/2 ins; One Mile: George Gibson; Half Mile Race TG Connell; 3. JJ Johnstone; 120 yards hurdles:  JW Parsons; 2.  HA Watt [Watt actually came in first but was disqualified for fouling]; 200 yards handicap: JS Blair; 2.  AS Blair; Steeplechase: AGG Asher; 2.  John Johnstone.

*** The 100 yards had four finalists – Parsons, AS Blair, JS Blair and TD Stevenson.   The two Blairs and Parsons came to the post together and so the three of them had to run again.   The result was a dead heat between the two Blairs and it was decided to split the verdict.    There were also some ‘novelty races such as the Tug of War over Water and the Blind Wheelbarrow Race.   In the former, the Fettes team did not turn up so Glasgow Academy got a bye into the final where they met West of Scotland (who had disposed of 1st LRV in the first round) who won.   There were also several cycle races on the programme.    

A word about AGG Asher might be in order.   Sir Augustus Gordon Grant Asher was born in Poona, India in December 1861 and was a Scottish international rugby and cricket player.   He was educated at Fettes and Oxford and competed for the Fettesian-Lorettonians club.   In athletics, he won the SAAA pole vault in 1885 and 1886, was second in the 120 yards hurdles in 1885 and in the broad jump in 1886.   As a rugby player,  he played four times for Scotland and the rugby  historian RJ Philips said that: “No one has arisen to bear comparison to AR Don Wauchope at quarter or half back where he and AGG Asher still hold claim as the greatest pair to have played together for their country.”

AGG Asher

When it came to the SAAA championships on 23rd June, past competitors who had competed here such as Harvie, Peterkin and Wauchope were successful, and of those who turned out in Partick in April, Johnstone was third in the mile, Watt was third in the hurdles and Wauchope had two silvers.   Parsons and Asher had a particularly good meeting but missed the first SAAA championship although they would go on to have a very good career in their events.   

There would be no criticism, mild or otherwise, from the Scotsman’s reporter for the sports of 12th April 1884.   One of the biggest names in athletics in Britain was present – WG George.   He ran in several races and the steeplechase but, said the report, “he found no rival worthy of his metal.”   There were twenty two events this time round, These included for the first time Putting the Weight which was won by K Whitton.   As well as the bicycle race there was a tricycle race, a blind wheelbarrow race, a half mile obstacle race and a mile obstacle race.   George won the steeplechase and the Mile.   As a man who had broken the world record three times and had a best time for the half mile of 1:57, his time in Partick of 4:40 for the distance was a disappointment.   

The 11th April, 1885, was one of the days when the Glasgow weather did not co-operate and the spectator numbers were down because of the dull, cold conditions with rain threatening all afternoon.  There were twenty four events in all, mainly bicycle, tricycle and flat races.   WG George was back up again and won the mile – this time in  5 minutes 07 seconds.   This was the year in which he turned professional and for a man who regularly ran faster than 4:20 it was a mockery of a time.   Wauchope and Parsons were there again as was Asher who, showing his versatility, won the steeplechase with its 4 water jumps.   This year the Throwing the Hammer was intriduced and was won by K Whitton who won the SAAA title for the event; another star athlete was J Logan from Vale of Leven who won the half mile and would win the half mile at the Championships that year and the Mile two years later.   It was quite a cast that the organisers were offering the Glasgow Public: George, Logan, Parsons, Wauchope, and Whitton,.   Four Scottish champions and a world record holder.    Athletics in Scotland was in a good condition and the West of Scotland was encouraging it.   

By 17th April 1886 there were two open amateur clubs in Scotland – Clydesdale Harriers and Edinburgh Harriers – and one might have expected them to appear at the sports organised by the West of Scotland Cricket Club but this does not appear to have been the case but there was a good number of class acts at Partick.   The report reads: 

“This important fixture came off on Saturday afernoon at Hamilton Crescent Grounds, Partick.   The weather being favourable, there was a very large attendance.   Music was supplied by the band and pipers of the Royal Scots, under the conductorship of Mr SC Griffiths.   The card contained nineteen events, all of which were well contested, many of the entrants being first class athletes.   The open 100 yards was won by Mr RS Blair of Oxford University, who also gained first place in the quarter mile.   Mr WS Duncan of Edinburgh Royal High School, came in first in the open half mile race, a yard in advance of the second man, after a fine run.   The tug of war was an interesting contest, and here the Queen’s Edinburgh team succeeded in overcoming all opponents in fine style.   Only two contestants appeared for the pole jumping (Mr Asher and Mr Hodgson, both of Edinburgh) and the “blue and white” came off victor.   The first prize for hammer throwing – one of the best contested events on the card – was won by Mr W Weir, who was several feet in front of the second man.   The open mile handicap brought out nine competitors and after a stiff race Mr Smeaton, Kincardine-on-Forth, came first to the tape, several yards separating him from the winner of the second place.   The hurdle and obstacle race and the steeplechase were the amusing features of the day’s proceedings.   Some good sport was witnessed in the school events, all the prizes of which were carried off by representatives of the Edinburgh Schools.”

Before noting the results of those events which were recognised for the SAAA championships, it is worth noting that the pole vault had been, and continued to be, a duel between Asher and Hodgson.   Hodgson had won it in the national championships in 1883 and 1884 in the absence of Asher; Asher won it from Hodgson in 1885 and 1886 and neither would contest it after that.   They met up again at meetings such as this one which was won by Asher of Fettesian-Lorettonians from Hodgson, representing Edinburgh Harriers.   Results of major events:

100 yds Flat Race, open: 1.  AS Blair,  10 2-5th sec;  2.  JW Parsons.     Quarter Mile Flat Race, open: 1. AS Blair, Oxford, 52 2-5th sec; 2. D Landale, Fettes;   880 yards (scr, open): 1.  DS Duncan, Royal High, 2 min 7 4-5th sec; 2. HD Ritchie, Watson’s College.   One Mile handicap, open:  1.  J Smeaton, Loretto, 4 min 49 3-5th sec;  2.  A Brown, Ayr FC.

120 yards hurdles:  1.  JW Parsons;  2.  A Vallance, Rangers FC; 

Throwing the Cricket Ball:  1,  AGG Asher 104 yds 3ft 6 ins; 2.  JG Gill, 1st LRV.    Putting the Weight, handicap, open: 1.  WB Johnstone (8′ handicap) 40′ 4″; 2. C Reid, Edinburgh (scratch)  40′ 0″;    Throwing the Hammer, handicap, open:  1.  W Weir, St Mirren’s FC, 97′ 10″; 2.  J Maclachlan, GUAC; 

High Jump:  1.  JW Parsons, LAC, 5′ 8″; Pole Jump:  1.  Asher, failed at 10′; Hodgson.    

The sports in 1887 were held on 16th April and were described as one of the most fashionable in the Glasgow season and there were between 4000 and 5000 spectators present to see a programme of 19 events.    Alex Vallance, above, was back and running in the hurdles where he led over the last hurdle, stumbled and finished second by three yards to JL Greig of Fettes.   There were runners from all three existing clubs running – Clydesdale, Edinburgh and West of Scotland Harriers all taking part.   Indeed in the new event of a two miles steeplechase there were two from Clydesdale Harriers and two from Edinburgh Harriers making up the field.    This was a serious event over a serious distance rather than the 700 yards+ race with four hurdles and four water jumps.   WM Thomson of Clydesdale Harriers defeated W Jack of Edinburgh with W Henderson third and  DS Duncan fourth.   There was a good turn out in most events with 13 men out for the Mile, won by JJ Smeaton of Tulliallan from WM Thomson of Clydesdale.   

After the Clydesdale Harriers and Edinburgh Harriers were established in 1885, several more athletic clubs appeared and the open athletics movement was really gathering pace in 1888.  There were only 17 events this time round, many were cycle and tricycle races and there were no heavy throws, the Shot putt and the Hammer being conspicuous by their absence.  The Sports were held again on 14th April that year and the results tell their own story.

100 Yards:  1.  JJ Williamson, Hamilton NEFC; 2. HCL Tindall  Cambridge UAC;  3.  IW Reeve, Ediburgh Harriers.      200 Yards flat race open:  1.  NA MacLeod  Loretto;  2.  H Whitelaw  Edinburgh Harriers;  3. HCL Tindall  Cambridge UAC.   440 Yards:  1.  Tindall  Cambridge;  2. A Maxwell  St Mirren FC;  3. T  Blair   Queen’s Park FC.    One Mile Flat Race, open:  1. TS Young, Hamilton Harriers;  2. G Hume  Edinburgh Harriers;  3. WM Thomson  Clydesdale Harriers.      

120 yards hurdles:  1. GT Ward  Clydesdale H;  2.  W Whitelaw.   Steeplechase Handicap:  1. WM Thomson Clydesdale Harriers (scr);  2. J Anderson  Clydesdale Harriers (30y);  3.  A Hannah  Clydesdale Harriers  (20).

Obstacle Race:  1.  JB Park Kelvinside Academicals;  2.  AG Colquhoun  Clydesdale Harriers

Throwing the Cricket Ball:  1.   R Hughes, Motherwell Trinity;  2.  J Gill, Poloc CC.

The referee on the day was AGG Asher.

  GT Ward 

The Sports on 13th April, 1889, had 17 events on the programme “for which very good entries had been received although the standard was hardly up to usual.”   The meeting started at 2:00 pm and finished at 5:00 pm.   Described as ‘the event which practically opens the athletics season’  , all of the events were open.   To keep the spectators entertained on a dull day, the band of the 1st Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers had 45 performers on site.   Maybe the Scotsman felt thatthe standard was not quite the best but there were at the very least some outstanding athletes on display.   For instance, JR Gow, Rangers FC and Clydesdale Harriers, a future SAAA Champion, won both heat and final of the 120 yards hurdles and the final of the 200 yards,  R Mitchell, St Mirren FC and Clydesdale Harriers, who would win the SAAA half mile that year and held the Scottish half mile record, won the Mile.   There were also some stars in the cycle races including the popular RA Vogt who won races at distances from a half mile up on both track and road all over Britain.   It was a better meeting than the scribe maybe appreciated.

And so the decade closed.   The West of Scotland Cricket Club had promoted their meeting now for over 20 years and seen the mammoth changes from a sport that was almost exclusively the domain of public schools and universities to one where there was a multitude of open clubs, a national athletics governing body and an atmosphere of competition rather than entertainment (although there was still a place for the bands).

Milers in Texas

Justin Chaston: Olympic steeplechaser

The athletes that raced the mile race followed the general plan during the track season except when getting ready to compete in a major mile race. Harriers had a couple of athletes who competed in the mile. Jon Warren ran 3:59.30 is the only athlete to have run under 4 minutes for the mile and 2 hr 20 min for the marathon in a period less than 4 months. David Wittman was the other athlete who ran under 4 minutes when he recorded 3:57.47 in the same race as Jon which was the ‘PRE’ Classic in 1994.

Two different athletes. Jon was the strength runner whereas David was the speedster. Jon had recorded 8:30 for the steeplechase where David was a sub 1:50 800 meter runner and was a member of Clemson University team that won the NCAA Indoor 4×800 meter relay title.

I would put together a Distance Medley team which included David and Jon who won most of the Relay meets in Texas. Most of the coaches welcomed the Harrier athletes with open arms even although we beat their teams.

A few sessions prior to a big race. Morning runs were usually 30 minutes easy.

Sunday –        Easy 1 hour

Monday –       5x 500 with 6 min rest. 400 at 57-58 then sprint last 100 meters

Tuesday –      Easy 1 hour with a few strides

Wednesday – 1600 – 4.16/ 1200 – 3.09/ 800 – 2.04/ 400 – 58/ 3 min rest between

Thursday –     Easy 1 hour with strides

Friday –           3(400 2MR 300) 4 min sets/ jog 10 mins- 400

                      Dave – 55.5 42/ 56.5 41.4/ 56.4 44.4/ 54.9

                      Jon –    57.1 43/ 57.2 42.1/ 57.8 46.0/ 56.5

Saturday –     Easy run or rest day

Sunday –        Easy 1 hour

Monday –       Jon – 400-60.1/ 1200- 3:04/ 400-56.4 all with 5 min rest//

                      Dave – 200-24.9/ 200 jog/ 200 – 25.4/ jog 800/ 200 – 24.6/ 300 walk/ 300-37.5

Tuesday –      Easy 1 hour

Wednesday – 2×200 with 30 sec rest/ Dave – 24.8/ 25.6// Jon – 28.1, 27.7

Thursday –     40 min easy with a few strides

Friday –        Travel to Eugene – 30 min easy run with strides

Saturday –      Mile race – David 3:57.47 and Jon – 3:59.30

At that time I had a great bunch of distance runners. David, Jon, Justin Chaston and Sean Murray who ran a 4:03 mile. Easy bunch of men to coach who helped each other achieve their goals.         

Carol as she is now – international runner is now an international coach

Carol McLatchie (nee Urish) was a very good distance runner indeed.   There is a very good summary of her career on the arrs website at  https://more.arrs.run/runner/3109 detailing her career and achievements – it also includes all her races between 1978 and 1996.   A good track runner, she became an excellent road runner winning many honours.   The coach who made this change possible?    Ayrshire’s own Jim McLatchie.   Read what he has to say about Carol as a runner.

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Carol was unique. Growing up in Kansas prior to ‘Title 9.’ There was no track programs for girls in High School and College. She moved to Houston in 1973 to attend Rice University to work on her Master’s Degree in Geology. While attending Rice she got in involved with several women who ran and started jogging with the group.

The track coaches at Rice University ran a summer track program and held races on Friday evenings. I had moved to Houston that year and formed the Houston Harriers. One of the founding members, Len Hilton who competed in the 1972 Olympic Games was getting back into shape.

Since no one had run a sub-4 minute mile in Texas. I informed him he was going to achieve the goal. I set it up with helpers with me as one of the pacers.

Carol had heard about this race and showed up to watch where Len broke 4 minutes for the mile. She was hooked and joined the Harriers. When she started she could hardly break 40 seconds for 10K. Slowly she began to improve and in the eighties she was a force to be reckoned with in the women’s racing circle.

Carol followed the basic training schedules but when training for a major race the schedule was tailored for her needs.
Her Personal bests:

TRACK
1500 4:28.00
3000 9:19.50
5000 15:45.10
10000 33:03.10

ROADS
10K 32.41
15K 51.22
10 MILES 55.15
20K 1:13.28
½ MARATHON 1:14.50
25K 1:34.30
30K 1:53.30
MARATHON 2:35.10

The following is what she did when running 32:41 for 10K and 51.29 for 15K.
All morning runs were on grass.

1. AM. 18 miles easy
2. PM. 880 – 2.36 440 jog/ mile – 5.17 880 jog/ 2 mile 10.54
3. AM. 4 mile easy/ PM. 9 miles grass – weights
4. AM. 4 miles easy/ Pm. Mile – 5.02/ 1320- 3.53/ 880 – 2.32/ 440-66/ 440 jog between\
5. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 6 miles easy
6. AM. Travel to Jacksonville, Florida – 3 mile easy with strides
7. Jacksonville 15K River run – 1st – 51.22
8. AM. 72 minutes easy run
9. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM.2×2 miles 11.06 11.02 with 5 min rest between
10. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 12 miles easy
11. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. Mile – 4.56 lap jog/ 4×220 32/ 220 jog between/ lap jog/ mile – 5.13
12. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 9 miles easy
13. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 6 miles grass
14. AM. Bayou Classic 10K – first 34.52 – won last 6 years
15. AM. 21 mile run
16. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 3x mile 5.07/ 5.09/ 5.10 3 min rest between
17. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 9 miles grass
18. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 440-73 880 jog/ 880- 2.32 mile jog/ mile 5.21
19. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 9 miles grass
20. AM. 6 miles grass/ PM. Fly to New Orleans
21. AM. Run last 4 miles of Crescent City course
22. Crescent City 10K race placed second in 32.41
23. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 6 miles grass
24. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 8 miles grass
25. AM. 4 miles easy/ 3×440 – 70 -2 min rest/ 880 jog/ 1320- 3.44/ 880 jog/ 3×440 – 70 ,70,69 with 2 min rest
26. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 10 miles easy
27. AM. 6 miles easy/ PM. 4 miles grass/ Fly to San Francisco
28. PM. Jogged 30 mins over course
29. Avon 15K finished first in 51.29/ Dietz 2nd in 52.14/ Harriers won team race

Carol’s marathon training followed what I designed for the general marathon schedule except the last few weeks were tailored for Carol. Morning runs were on the Bayou which was all grass.
The workouts below were done 2 weeks after she won Avon 15K in San Francisco.

1. Beach – supposed to run 15 miles – knees sore running on sand- ran 20 mins
2. AM – 4 miles easy/ PM. – 3x mile 5.07/5.08/5.06 with 440 jog/ Jog 880 then 2 times circuit course.
3. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. – 15 miles easy
4. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. – 4×440 – 76/74/74/74 /2 miles 10.47/ 440-67/ all with 3 min rest
5. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. – 1 ½ hour easy run
6. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. – fly to New York – 30 min easy
7. AM. Breakfast 7:30/ Trevira Twosome 10 mile race placed first in 55:15
8. AM. Easy run around reservoir. Travel to Houston
9. AM. 21 miles easy
10. AM. 4 miles easy/ PM. 12 miles easy
11. AM. 4 miles easy/ 4x 880 2.34/2.35/2.35/2.36 with 4 min rest
12. AM. 4 miles easy/ 1 hour easy run
13. AM. 4 miles easy/ 6 miles easy
14. AM. 5K GAC champs – first – 17.41
15. AM. 15 mile easy run
16. PM. 2x 2mile 11.20 11.28 4 min rest
17. PM. 6 miles easy – grass
18. PM. Fly to Seattle – 6 miles easy
19. Drove Olympic Marathon Trials course – massage – no run
20. Jim drove course I jogged miles 20-23 get and an idea last part of race
21. First Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials – finished 12th in PR of 2:35.10

1981 Carol went to New York to compete in the L’EGGs Mini Marathon which was a 10K road race. Very few people knew her name outside Texas. Greta Waitz, Patty Catalano and Jacqueline Gareau were in the race. Carol’s instructions were simple. Run with the leaders. As the race progressed Carol was still with the leaders and as no one knew who she was they were getting a bit worried. A ‘Dark Horse!’ Carol went on to finish second behind Greta. Now they knew who she was. 

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That is what Jim has to say on the matter.   There is an interesting ‘lifestyle’ interview from their local paper in Bend, Oregon, which reads:

CAROL URISH-McLATCHIE
2019 National High School Girls Track and Field Coach of the Year, with Jim McLatchie (USTFCCCA)
U.S. Women’s Distance Coach, Track and Field, Pan Am Games 2019, Lima, Peru
How do you define success?
“Success is a feeling of accomplishment after I complete a goal. Success might be winning a race, the team racing well at a big event or a new runner achieving a personal record and watching them figuring out that their hard work has paid off.”
Where would we find you when you have free time in Bend/Central Oregon?
“I like to visit the High Desert Museum, go for an easy ski at Meissner Snow Park or pick up litter on trails near my home. I can also be found exploring the Oregon High Desert like Kam Wah Chung (State Heritage Site) and the Painted Hills.”
What is your secret to good health/fitness?
“At my age, I am thankful I have health insurance and keep regular health appointments. One never knows when you will be hit with a health challenge. I was recently diagnosed with a low-grade breast cancer. I chose an extensive surgery and plan to get back to my usual coaching schedule as soon as I can.”
What lessons have you learned so far in life?
“I have learned that I can learn so much from mentors and people with experience that I have met in my life. My hometown doctor told me to “be myself” as I headed to college in the 60s. Glenn Cunningham spoke to my graduating class of 19 and shared his challenges with life and running. Information like that opened my mind to consider so many more possibilities in my life. I ran competitively for 22 years and I learned that the more energy and focus I put into running the more I improved. Improved performances earned me opportunities to travel and race in many places in the world. I also get a lot of satisfaction out of volunteer activities with USATF (USA Track & Field). Coaching at Summit High School with my husband provides daily delights and puzzles in working with those student athletes. In the long run, I hope the athletes will learn some of the same lessons I have experienced through sport.”

JIM McLATCHIE – Fall – USA – 1963

The weather was conducive to getting some decent workouts under my belt. I had decided to arrange my class schedule so that I had time to get in an easy run before lunch. That along with my morning escapades on the grass plus what I was doing in the afternoon should show some improvement in my racing.

Racing cross country in Scotland where I went several years without getting beat and managed to win the National Title as a junior. All the time I spent running in the hills and up and down coal tips made me nearly unbeatable. So I was hoping that with some extra mileage and better weather I would be hard to beat.

Living in a remote village in Scotland I enjoyed getting out in the fresh air and nature and just run along without a care in the world. I fell down a lot running in the snow. Because of the snow I would miss a turn on a road or trail and end up in a six feet drift. I never panicked, I just lay down and rolled out until I could walk out of the drift and then continue my run.

On most days I was running three times a day with a variation of jogging in the morning. At lunch time I ran about 5 miles easy and in the evening on Monday and Wednesday it would be track type workout. The rest of the week easy running up to 10 miles and if racing on Saturday, Friday would be one workout of thirty minutes easy with a few strides. Before track workout I warmed up and cooled down after a workout.

26 days before USA National 10K cross country championships I do not show 30 min easy jogging before class. Started in November 9th 1963

DAYS from National cross country championships 

26 – 20 x220 with 30 sec rest between average 30+

25 – AM 5 miles easy/ PM – 4x mile ave 5:10s with 440 jog between

24 – AM – 4 miles fartlek/ PM 9 miles easy

23 – AM – 4 miles fartlek/ PM – 4×440 with 440 jog 1-5 ave 57s last – 54.5s

22– PM – easy 40 min with mile in 5min/ 10 min easy – mile in 5 min raining cool 59 degrees

21 – Race Gulf Federation 4 m XC – 3^rd in 19:46sec rainy and 60 degrees

20 – AM 9 miles easy – recovery run

19 – AM long easy run of 17 miles

17 – AM – 35 min easy/ PM 5xmile ave. 4:55s with 440 walk between

16 – AM – 30 mins easy with 6×150 easy/ 8×880 with 440 walk ave 2:11.5s

15– 30 min easy with a few strides

14 – Race Houston 10K Trials for Nationals – finished 2^nd in 30:42s

13 – 9 miles easy legs sore – felt tired

12 – Went to beach and ran around 1 hour – legs still sore – stood in water

11 – 1 run around 30 minutes – Achilles aching

10 – Day off

 9 – Tough workout – 4×440 with 110 jog – 58.6,59.0,58.4,58.0/ 10 min easy/ 6×110 run bends/ jogged 10 min/ 440 – 54/  felt good

 8 – AM – 4xmile with 220 walk between – 4:58/4:48/4:49/4:44/ Later in day left for East Lancing Michigan with team from Houston – Driving

 7 – As we were approaching Bloomington, Indiana we heard on the radio that President Kennedy had been shot dead in Dallas Texas. As we had Texas plates on the vehicle we were not so sure what would happen when we stopped for the night and ran a bit to loosen up. We ran indoors – WU – 3 miles fast/slow/ CD

 6 – 4:45pm East Lancing Michigan – 40 degrees – 10 miles easy with some strides

 5 – 9 miles easy with some strides

 4 – NCAA Championships – could not run because of freshman rule ran 4 mile easy with some strides

 3 – 4 miles with some easy hills

 2 – Chicago 4 miles easy with a few strides – sore throat

 1 – National 10,000 meters cross country championships in 48 degrees where I finished second to Tom O’Hara 30:12s to 30:17. I made a move with a mile to go and picked up the pace. I was still leading with 200 from finish and I just fell apart. Jeff Fishback was third in 30:22s.

Friday we drove straight back to Texas and I was dropped off in Beaumont and the rest of the team headed to Houston.