And so it was that on my first visit to Copthall in well over 5 yrs my buddy Jeff Kaye was pointing out all the new Kings of the Track! I was really impressed to hear Shaftesbury had such rich talent but what really caught my eye was the distance group , running intervals just as I had done some 35 years ago! I started to time them and became really worried when Jeff pointed out Richard Goodman a lean mean running machine who had already Won an All England Schools Championship and got a Silver in the National CC Champs! This guy was quality and displaying the talent to eclipse my Club Record 8m39s 3000m from 1978, set at Copthall 31 years ago. Alarmed at what I was seeing I was slightly bemused when he finished his session and came over and bowed in homage to ME! We chatted briefly and I was really impressed by Richards level headed and balanced attitude to his athetics career and his education. Then came the hammer blow! He had just run 8m37.8!He had not realised he'd broken the oldest record in the Clubs Youth books! It was a thrill for me to meet him and at least I recognise a more than worthy successor. Now I must get in touch with the Club and ask them to list my 5000m 14m59 also as a 16 year old.
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