One of Merseyside's unsung sporting heroes makes another bid for fame to-morrow, when Wallasey's modest young marathon hope, Brian Woolford, tackles the cream of the nation's cross-country talent in Waterloo Harriers' mammoth road race, sponsored this year by the Daily Post.
A clerk in a Liverpool office, Brian spends most of his leisure hours pounding the roads. "I try to run five or six miles most days," he told me, "with the occasional fifteen-mile run in mid-week.
"Then if I'm not Involved in a competition, I go for a longer run of between twenty and twenty-five miles at the week-end. It gets a bit lonely at times, but it's the only way to keep fit."
Dedicated
Already there are signs that Brian's dedicated training is paying dividends. Since taking up long distance running at Wallasey Grammar School ("I wasn't fast enough for the ordinary athletic events") he has improved so rapidly that at the youthful age (for marathon running) of 26 he has the world at his feet. This year he has won the Northern marathon, claimed third place in the British marathon and won international honours for Britain against Czechoslovakia. In the latter event he came third in a European-class field, and with Basil Heatley (who was fourth) helped his country to take second place in the team ratings.
The Waterloo race, a mere seven and three-quarter miles, may be a little short for his liking, but there's no doubt he will give everything he's got to help Wallasey retain the title they won last year.
Young partner
Abetting Woolford in his mission will be Ron Barlow, the talented product of Wallasey Technical School and the reigning Cheshire cross-country champion, who is two years younger than his partner but has already achieved an impressive list of successes.
Many of them came while he was serving in the Cheshire Regiment. He says: "I was proud to run for them. They had a great team, and while I was with them they won the Army cross-country championships twice in succession, 1959-60."
Probably a faster runner over seven miles than Woolford, but with less stamina, Ron's main ambition Is to follow his clubmate to international honours.
Unfortunately, Wallasey's chances of victory to-morrow have been jolted by illness, which has stricken down their third string, John Wright, on the eve of the event.
Without him they will have a hard task to overcome Portsmouth, whose team contains Bruce Tulloh, Martin Hyman, Frank Salvat and the Cookes. Other internationals taking part include Ron Hill, Derek Ibbotson, John Anderson, Gerry North, Mike Bullivant and the world 30-mile record holder, Fred Howe.
Ends
Source - Liverpool Daily Post - Friday, 08/11/1963 by Ian Hargreaves
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