Butts Stadium and Godiva Harriers

It is a challenge which keeps me going! With a little bit of contrast of the image, it would be easy (famous last words). My email image is very poor and I have no idea how I can get a bit of shading which would allow me to identify a few clubs. Given that the photograph is from a local paper and the size of the field ( ie number of runners), it must be either an Inter Counties, a Midland Championships or a National Championships. Given that the team with the numbers starting 36 must imply a top club, with so many runners up front so early in the initial charge. The shorts appear fairly modern. I am surprised that, if it is 'local', I don't recognise any of the runners! Is it possible to improve the contrast, please?

I’m sure others can do better, but for now…

Thanks, Midland Red. The picture suggests Warwick Racecourse but the numbers seem too small for a National but that team with a few runners near the front after nearly a half mile of running is troubling - will check to see if it is an Inter Counties which would explain the lack of distinctive club vests. I can see no Godiva vests, in fact I can pick out no club badges. Sooooo, the search goes on.

Colin - is this possibly the same race?

Yes, the same race. Three rather splendid photographs. Thanks, Midland Red. Number 87 is Bob Turney, sometime Godiva club captain, who later emigrated with his wife and three daughters to Australia where his wife became part of the Australian Olympic set up. Indulge me a minute..... In 1969 Bob asked me if I would like to go up to Manchester to watch the Amateur Athletic Marathon Championships [The Maxol Marathon, a prestigious event in those days]. Bill Adcocks, Mexico Olympic Marathon runner, was running and had a good chance of gaining selection for the European Championships in Athens, later that year. Bob's wife Pam coached the ladies’ section at Godiva and Bob told me his wife was taking one of the girl sprinters she coached along to the race as well. Bob and I sat in the front of the car for the long drive up the M6 and the two women sat in the back. We watched the race, and Bill qualified for the European Games. We stopped for refreshments at the Sandbach motorway service station on the way back with the same seating arrangements! After the drinks, as we went out of the cafe, Pam suddenly bolted off across the car park for no apparent reason. When the three of us got to the car, we saw that Pam had installed herself in the front seat, next to her husband which meant I was on the back seat, lumbered with this young girl sprinter who I didn't know from Adam. It was going to be a long, boring journey back to Coventry. Bob and Pam invited themselves and the girl for some tea at my caravan where I lived lived out at Exhall. Pam then announced that her and Bob couldn't stop as she had suddenly remembered that they were going out for a meal with friends, they were late and could I run the girl passenger home please! It later transpire that Pam had engineered the whole afternoon journey home as she thought the girl and I would make a good couple and if she dumped the girl at my place it would be a good way of us getting to know each other!! 54 years later, I am still trying to work out if she was correct or not!!!!!

Great story, Colin

Having run a few marathons in my time, I am getting a bit worried about some of the photos showing the 'Binley' marathon and the comments I have posted! The weather conditions don't appear consistent. I know most local marathons around this time were won in about two and a half hours, but I feel that there is something amiss which I can't quite put my finger on!! Bear with me.

I will now go and sit in the naughty corner for the rest of the afternoon..... Sorry Midland Red. If Brian hadn't won so many National titles and wore a number other than number 1, I wouldn't be so confused [Blame everyone else except me!!!!] To recap humbly...... You were correct in asking about the race, Midland Red. It is NOT the same race, my apologies to you. All the facts are correct (confirmed by my finding my old programmes). It is Saturday 17th August 1963, the year before the picture of Brian winning in the previous post 104 which was 22nd August 1964 at Binley School. Your second photo in the sequence of three shows the runners on the school footways. It was the inclusion of Bas Heatley in this race which confused me. Bye, those headache pills my wife gave me are really very good, especially the red ones with the yellow band!

Is this the race, MR?

Harrier?

The pathe news clip is the 1964 race from Binley School. It was over the same course as the 1963 race, also from Binley School which was featured in the three photos you posted, Midland Red. It took me so long to get it sorted because our house is a mega tip at the moment as we are supposed to be having the roof re-tiled starting tomorrow because I have had to declutter 40 years of memorabilia from the loft to avoid it being damage by rain ingress while the repair is taking place - I will have to hire the Albert Hall for a massive car boot sale, except I won't be able to get the cars inside. On the other hand I could just take it all down the tip, as my wife wishes, but that would be serious grounds for divorce proceedings. All my files are under the clutter!!! Hope this has the photos, film clip and questions sorted. If I am still confusing everyone, I can try further to explain.

Do we know this man?

Harrier is our expert for this subject, Ben, but that looks to me a bit like the entrance road into Woodlands School. One of the House blocks on the right (was it Malins?).

Might agree with you there, Neil, but from my time there I don't remember the car park on the right and I seem to remember Perrins and Malins being further back from the road. If he is turning left there, he is heading towards Gym 1.

Yes, towards the gym and what was the H blocks in my time ('80-'85). Although on second look, I'm not sure if it is as puzzled by what appears to be a large domed building in the distance behind the trees.