Page 35 - Summer2018Gazette

Feature 35

under threat, as an unwanted marathon fraternity, particularly efforts. It was a comfort for
by-product of increased profes- those unused to the lifestyles me to serve such good folk as
sionalism and commercialism. of the more traditional runners the Turners, Dave Beadle, and
It’s probably inevitable that the and their presence should not others who came to collect their
event would become more of a be execrated. It’s a bit like the goody bags. These were given
business and a highly efficient BBC Proms Season changing to those who presented their
machine, in the way that the to embrace a wider audience running numbers at the counter
Olympics moved on from by including a greater variety and in a lot of cases they had
being a bastion of amateurism of musical styles; purists will already been creased, spoiled or
to an institution striving for need to get used to audiences part mutilated by being dragged
excellence. I don’t blame the applauding between move- out of the bottom of some vast
‘management’ as such who have ments in piano concertos and
the best interests of the mara- symphonies. reticule as if the individual had
no sense of its real value. How-
thon at heart, and accept that
it has continue to maintain its If the running community ever those from the Blackheath
position as the leading marathon is increasingly infected by a Harriers or any other reputable
in the world, as well as ensuring loutish culture the marathon athletics club presented their
that it can continue to attract the organisers cannot realistically numbers, undamaged and
world’s finest athletes. be expected to legislate against in pristine fashion as if they
it, but clubs such as ours can in believed them to be the pages of
Maybe in lamenting a lost past their own way act as beacons of sacred scripture. For them it was
I sound like an old testa- good form and propriety even if the number and not the goody
ment prophet bemoaning Blackheath’s influence in terms bag which had real value, but
this metamorphosis but I do of numbers might be declining. the way that the masses treated
have concerns about it as an Blackheath Harriers can set a there numbers you’d think that
increasing number of runners good example to others in the it was the cheap tat which held
are disposed to be fiercely way it respects the marathon and their attention and not the seri-
competitive, or inclined to bad shows commitment to training ous business of running the race
behaviour. There have of course and preparation, and attitude to which really mattered.
in the past often been those who fitness not as a driven obsession
have displayed behaviour which which dehumanises mankind There may be many who will
is highly unacceptable (such as but is there to make us whole run the marathon once and it
relieving themselves in people’s and balanced human beings. never really changes their lives
gardens along the route, and Our great asset in the athletic or character, but for others it
being offered places through world is that we a diverse collec- should be a catalyst for improv-
guaranteed entry but not putting tion of individuals with a variety ing the quality of their existence.
the work in). of qualities and characteristics What it means in essence that in
which should make Blackheath
Then again if more people are an attractive club to join but also running marathons, or any race
being inspired to run marathons to be accepted in. for that matter we should be
this should not be discouraged looking to become a better per-
and London Marathon should Amidst the slough of despond son than the one we were yester-
be applauded for being a major that I seemed to experience day or what we were before that.
enabler in this progress. No one whilst giving out goody bags Run the race properly and at the
wants to see the marathon de- to the ‘swinish multitude’ there end of those 26 miles you’ll gain
cline and fade away due to lack were welcome moments of hope rewards far more permanent and
of interest. If it keeps its place when I recognised the familiar of value than one of those tatty
as a major sporting event it will faces of ‘Heatherns’ coming goody bags.
be inevitable that a new wider to collect these trifles, and to ex-
field of runners will join the press their appreciation for one’s Wilfred Orton