Digging out some old marathon photos

You can usually tell when I am putting off a job that I don't want to do as I allow myself to get sidetracked into something that is enjoyable but much less important.

I was reflecting on how many people know Robbie Callister better as a walker than a runner and so decided to do a bit more publicity for the Microgaming Isle of Man Marathon by publishing the previous winners of the event which would show just how good Robbie was.

Once I had put this together it also showed that Steve Kelly had run one of several 2.27 marathons on home soil so I should look for an oldie of him.

I knew I had an old photo at the start of one of the events in the 80s but could I prove that it was 1983, the year when Steve set the event record? To prove it I would have to find the press cuttings to see of one of the runners I knew was in the results. I found the cuttings but he wasn't!

But I remember the 1983 marathon extremely well. And how it was extremely hot - we haven't always had wet and windy summers you know! For I felt the heat for nearly 4 hours. I planned to race walk it in about 3.40 but the heat got the better of me and it took 3.53. There was some shelter at Billown but the photos of me below show how my head dropped as the race progressed.

Terry "Beggar" Evans was on the feeding station.

To late to do those emails now!