Dave Bedford’s quote about not being to break 5:00 mile ...?

red socks wrote:

There was a quote but I can’t find it about how before Bedford ran 27:30.8 in 1973 after all those huge weeks between 100-200mi per week; about how he couldn’t even break 5 minutes for a single mile; let alone think he could run 27:30 ... Does anyone know of that quote or where to find it ..?

I think he said he couldn’t break 60 in the 440 let alone break 4:00 in the mile.

Other than the mileage, does anybody have any further insights into his training? Wasn't him who said he would try to get lost on his long runs to run more?

But, even average club runners were running 80 to 100 miles a week then and very few are doing anywhere near that these days so, mileage is one of the issues with it and the determination to do an event that does not capture the publics imagination anymore.

DB was injured I believe before his wr, maybe that’s what you remembered?

He was pretty quick at shorter distances - just didn't have a kick

BMC Mile 23 July 1969 Motspur Park London

1 3:58.0 John Kirkbride

2 3:58.5 Jim Douglas

3 3:59.2 John Boulter

4 3:59.8 Ray Roseman

5 4:01.6 Michael Beevor

6 4:02.8 Andrew Green

7 4:02.9 Dave Bedford

8 4:02.9 Phil Banning

9 4:03.5 Bill McKim

10 4:05.7 Paul Dennis

red socks wrote:

There was a quote but I can’t find it about how before Bedford ran 27:30.8 in 1973 after all those huge weeks between 100-200mi per week; about how he couldn’t even break 5 minutes for a single mile; let alone think he could run 27:30 ... Does anyone know of that quote or where to find it ..?

He ran

27:30.80 (approximately 66 per 400)

13:17.21 (just under 64)

7:46.4 (just over 62)

4:02.9 mile and 5:03.16 (approximately 60.5)

Most of his PBs came from 1972 and his 10,000 PB was in 1973. His mile was from 1969, so it seems plausible he could have run faster if he ran mile races when he was at his peak.

I think you misremembered the anecdote. What he actually said was he was having a bath at the end of the week and counting all his runs to check he'd run 200 miles. He realised he'd only ran 195, so he got out of the bath and ran five miles.

AAA Championships 1972

14 July 5000m 13.17.21

15 July 10000m 27.52.44

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYSG3A7wuQE

Ezekiel bread wrote:

Other than the mileage, does anybody have any further insights into his training? Wasn't him who said he would try to get lost on his long runs to run more?

He once said that he'd gone out for his afternoon run and met himself coming back from his morning run.

Sir Bastion Newbold wrote:

AAA Championships 1972

14 July 5000m 13.17.21

15 July 10000m 27.52.44

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYSG3A7wuQE

I can't see the video currently. What does it show?

HRE wrote:

Ezekiel bread wrote:

Other than the mileage, does anybody have any further insights into his training? Wasn't him who said he would try to get lost on his long runs to run more?

He once said that he'd gone out for his afternoon run and met himself coming back from his morning run.

LOL

Dave "Bloody" Bedford always had a clever quip for the gullible Fleet Street blokes. Good for a laugh at the pub.

Ah, the old weekly bath after running 200 miles. Is it any wonder these guys looked like they smelled like the jockstrap of a hobo?

Bedford also had some sort of mental breakdown at a big meet and was involved in shooting a pellet gun before his team mates managed to shut him down.

He'd be dead if that happened today.

Actually the pellet gun incident was at a high altitude training camp. The result was getting kicked out of the camp.

Dave Bedford is British!