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I was on the Telly last night.... (Read 1990 times)

Chris UK


    Bit of a shock. Anyway just by a fluke I was reading a local paper and it mentioned that ITV (one of the main TV channels in England) was showing a programme called "The Way We Were" and it would have a feature on the Louth Kennedy Memorial Test from the 1960's. I had no idea if I would be in it as the event was held over quite a few years in the 60's and 70's. However when the programme started it showed a newspaper placard with the date 'Sunday April 25th' (1965) and I knew from my Certificate that was the day on which I did it. First came a shot of the town clock showing just before 6.00 am and then 300 people came hurtling around the Cornmarket bend and who was that on the outside closest to the camera - ME!! Freeze frame and I was transported back to the day when as a 14 year old boy I ran 50 miles in 8 hours 39 mins. The film also showed me twice more - leading with 2 others up the hill out of Louth and 5 Miles further up the road in the village of Burwell. Spookily this piece of film included the house of a certain Jill Smith who 13 years later I would meet and marry. It was quite amazing to see the old cars, the empty roads and people of all ages taking part, many in ordinary day-to-day clothes quite oblivious of the mammoth task ahead of them. I must admit when I woke up today and thought about it I became quite emotional. I'm not quite sure why but perhaps since I started running again I have realised that what I did that day was something special - perhaps even spiritual. Seeing it on film brought back a lot of memories and emotions that I did not know I still had in me. I hope you don't mind me outpouring it all on to you. Anyone else been on the telly?? Me on the right out on the road At the end - the legs look gone but the spirit is still willing

    2013

    3000 miles

    Sub 19:00 for 5K  05-03-13 Clee Prom 5K - 19:00:66 that was bloody close!

    Sub-40:00 for 10K 17-03-13 Gainsborough 10K - 39:43

    Sub 88:00 for HM

     

    dillydoodles


      OMG Chris!!! How wonderful for you. I'm so glad you were able to see the show (and get it on tape I hope). You were quite the handsome lad and what a feat! 50 miles!!! I'm sure it was emotional to see yourself in that glorious moment. Very thrilling. (And how fluky is that - showing the house where your eventual bride-to-be lived.) I was on the telly once in the 60's, but not for anything wonderful that I did. I was in the audience at a taping of a kid's show, and they showed me and my friends singing and clapping a few times. The show was called The Randy Dandy Hootenanny! (In this day and age, a man with the name of 'Randy Dandy' wouldn't be allowed in the same room as children, LOL!) Anyway... I'm very happy for you. You were a great runner as a kid, and you're back at it! Good on ya!!! I'm sure you'll find that you have more glory days to come. ~ Arlene


      Prophet!

        Wow..what an amazing story..50 miles when you were 14, being part of something special..that's amazing, and finding out that it was documented decades later...that is awesome. What's better is that you've come full circle and started running again. Way wicked. As far as being on TV, me and my wife was featured on a Food & Network program called Surf N Turf, where they show us eating lots of food after surfing... we were on the show for like 5 minutes but the shoot took over 8 hours..what's funny is that the shoot takes place in two days separated by four months...we couldn't find the same shirt, my hair had grown, etc...must have done a lot of editing to make it look ok. aloha, steve
          Hey Chris I haven't been on TV yet but they are currently filming a program for Channel 4 in Marlow (where I live) about the state of traffic in the town and how the British are too reliant on their cars. They are even attempting to have one day - next Thursday - where no-one in the town drives and uses alternative means to get around. They are using the company I work as an example of where there are real parking/car problems and yours truely has been interviewed banging on about how I walk to work and how healthy I am and then putting her foot right in it by saying that when I do drive I love to do so in my great big 4x4 so that'll be me making a foll of myself on national TV then! Watch out for it March some time I think! Vicki
          "Tough times don't last but tough people do." - A.C. Green
          RunningHammer


            That's fantastic Chris! I didn't see the programme unfortunately as i was out running Wink That is impressive though mate, a really special story. But how on earth did you run more than 50 metres in those shoes let alone 50 miles?!! Makes you realise how lucky we are to have the shoe technology we have today.
            zoom-zoom


            rectumdamnnearkilledem

              Chris, that's excellent, and what cool photos! I've never been on TV, that I'm aware of, but I have had my photo and a write-up in a couple of papers when I did a play in college and was also part of a Saturday radio show at the same University. k

              Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

              remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                   ~ Sarah Kay

              Chris UK


                You were quite the handsome lad
                Blush Arlene - Thanks. I did manage to videotape it but better than that one of my neighbours got it on DVD so I will be able to put it on the computer. Steve - Thanks for the comments Vicki - I will try and catch your film when it comes on. Davey (RunningHammer) - fancy missing my debut Surprised Wink The shoes - well the bottom line is that I had nothing else. I remember rubbing surgical spirit into my feet for 3 weeks or so before the run to harden them up. I have no idea if this actually did anything beneficial but I did only suffer one small blister throughout and that was managable. Kirsten - thanks Looks like quite a few of us have had our 15 minutes of fame!! Cool

                2013

                3000 miles

                Sub 19:00 for 5K  05-03-13 Clee Prom 5K - 19:00:66 that was bloody close!

                Sub-40:00 for 10K 17-03-13 Gainsborough 10K - 39:43

                Sub 88:00 for HM

                 

                RunningHammer


                  The shoes - well the bottom line is that I had nothing else. I remember rubbing surgical spirit into my feet for 3 weeks or so before the run to harden them up. I have no idea if this actually did anything beneficial but I did only suffer one small blister throughout and that was managable.
                  that's impressive too - maybe it also says something about the quality of shoes in the 60's!


                  You'll ruin your knees!

                    I think I recognize those shoes...OLD Balance is it? With all the stink we make over shoes and equipment these days, it's hard to comprehend running any distance, much less 50 miles in street shoes! Shocked Ah, back in the day...every run was up hill all the way out AND back, in the snow, barefooted or in leather street shoes with nails sticking up through the soles, bleeding nipples and frostbitten hinterparts...but kids these days...they won't listen! Congrats on the exposure! Cool to sort of see you relive the memories! Thanks for sharing and I look forward to the video! Lynn B

                    ""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)

                      wow! that is so incredible! Big grin You got emotional? I just tried reading your post to my husband and I got all choked up! That really is incredible...what you did! in those shoes! hahahahaha! Seriously though, I'm so glad you caught that show and were able to relive such a special, momentous occassion. Thank you so much for sharing with me. Now I'm going to be all weepy out my long run in a few minutes...

                      Jennifer mm#1231

                      Chris UK


                        Thanks LAB. I have just realised that those shoes still had a reasonable shine on them after all those miles. Big grin I'm working on converting the dvd file to avi and then we can all get chocked up together. It really is an historical artefact - an early documentation of Ultra Running.

                        2013

                        3000 miles

                        Sub 19:00 for 5K  05-03-13 Clee Prom 5K - 19:00:66 that was bloody close!

                        Sub-40:00 for 10K 17-03-13 Gainsborough 10K - 39:43

                        Sub 88:00 for HM

                         

                          Thanks for sharing your story - I can't wait to see it. Congrats! Smile

                          Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away...(unkown)




                          Go With The Flow
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                          Neil Gunn


                          Gandalf the Grey

                            Amazing. You have my respect! Neil Smile

                            Running ... just keep running!


                            Now that was a bath...

                              That's great! Really cool too that we might get to see it too. I'll look forward to watching you in all your glory. We have a running icon in our midst! Claire xxx
                            • jlynnbob "HTFU, Kookie's distal tibia"
                            • Where's my closet? I need to get back in it.
                              Chris UK


                                Here is the video. I'm in the blue tracksuit top and bottoms - the top with a white band on the chest. At the start coming round the bend I am nearest the camera. Also in a couple of other shots during the film and just before the credits at the end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klsMwTot8-M Stills from video below - . .

                                2013

                                3000 miles

                                Sub 19:00 for 5K  05-03-13 Clee Prom 5K - 19:00:66 that was bloody close!

                                Sub-40:00 for 10K 17-03-13 Gainsborough 10K - 39:43

                                Sub 88:00 for HM

                                 

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