Life on the Run - Hardcover

Eldon, Stan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0722334095 ISBN 13: 9780722334096

Publisher: Arthur H.Stockwell Ltd, 2002

About this title

From the Publisher

Stanley Edward Eldon was born in the Royal Borough of Windsor on 1st May 1936. He grew up in Windsor during the Second World War, and during his time at Windsor County Boys' School he started his athletics career, running 880 yards and cross-country races. On leaving school he joined the Berkshire Constabulary as one of its police cadets before his National Service call-up where he served in the Royal Military Police and became Army 3 mile champion.
As a young runner from the age of sixteen years, he was ranked in the first three in the country at the one mile, and progressed by the time he was twenty years old to two World Best Performances for a junior at the 3 miles and 6 miles.
After Military Service he rejoined the Berkshire Police as a constable where he further progressed his running career, including winning AAA Championships at both 3 and 6 miles; British records at 5 and 6 miles, as well as the 10,000 metres and International Cross-Country Champion (the forerunner of what are now the World Championships). He also won many international races on the track at various distances, as well as setting records in many road races.
In 1961 he left the police and was the first athlete to start a retail sports business under his own name, and ran a successful sports business for over twenty-five years, which included introducing the first specialist road running shoes in this country.
In 1983 he was instrumental in setting up the Reading Half Marathon, which for many years was, and still is, one of the largest and most successful events of its kind in the country. This 'hobby' eventually took over his life and more similar event organisation followed.
In more recent years he has worked for Disability Sport, both professionally and as a volunteer, and was Chairman of the National Board of Disability Sport England. Later he was Regional Director of SportsAid in the South, where he organised many sporting and fund-raising events to help fund the young-and-coming sports stars. He is still involved with sport through his weekly column in the Reading Evening Post, and reports on many athletic events over a wide area. This interest in sport for disabled people has been maintained by his current position as Chairman of the English Federation of Disability
Sport in the South.
Outside sport he has been a Rotarian for twenty-five years and has served Rotary International as a District Governor for the District that covers the Thames Valley, and on two occasions ran 116 miles between Reading and Meru, near Beauvais in France, to raise money for charities connected to sport for disabled people.
He has been on the run for fifty-three years and is still running today although suffering from diabetes and having a pacemaker fitted to control the very slow heartbeat. He has been married to his wife Marion for forty-four years and has five children and six grandchildren.

From the Author

Life on the Run tells the story of my life as from being born in 1936 in the Royal Borough of Windsor during the War. My school and home life including my rise from a junior athletic star with the then Windsor and Eton AC.Through to two junior world records and later many full international successes including winning the cross country championship that was the forerunner of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships while I was still only 21 year old. In this race I defeated the great Frenchman Alain Mimoun who was the current Olympic Marathon champion.
The book covers my life to date including my time with the police and my National Service with the 'Red Caps'.
During 55 years of running I have been international runner, fun runner, charity runner, twice having run 176 miles to and from France and race organiser of many events including the Reading Half Marathon which I started in 1983.
This event was one of the first to take wheelchair athletes into a road race and as a result they were allowed into the London Marathon later in that year.
I ran a successful sports good business and was the first amateur athlete to be allowed to trade under my own name. Something which required special permission.
In this business I introduced the first road racing shoes into this country.
The book also covers my involvement over 20 plus years with Sports for Disabled People and my rise and life in Rotary International.
The ups and the downs of my life are included as well as much about the training I did and the people I ran against.
I believe it would be useful for any aspiring your athlete.
The book finishers with some of my thoughts on sport today and where it has gone wrong. Some things are beginning to happen like my comments about a check up of Sports England which since publication has happened.
I have received very favourable comments from all those who have read the book and I hope many more will enjoy its contents.

Stan Eldon author Life on the Run

Edition details

• Publisher: Arthur H.Stockwell Ltd
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0722334095
• ISBN 13: 9780722334096
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208