John Walker's Training

Sounds as though all our greats are falling over !!!

Saw Barry Magee at Nat Sec Schools track Champs in December, Still as fit as a Buck rat.

Same with Bill Baillie. Had a beer with him in October. He wants to set to 70 year old record at Hawaii at the end of the year.

Dick Quax is now a Local Council politician In Auckland.

Dixon had a Beautique Winery up North until last year, not sure what he is diong now.

JW had a fund rasing dinner for Parkinson's last year. Bought out Coe and Ovett. (Ovett is now fat and bald, Coe looks just the same)

basically in their speeches thay said JW was the Greatest, That he was the impetus behind their Careers.

I was working out on a beach along the west coast of NZ in maybe 81 or 82. I notice a bunch of vans pull up with cameras and other video equipment. turns out they are going to hold a mile challenge race on the flats at low tide. Ray Flynn, Steve Scott, Mike Boit?, Walker and a few others. Not many spectators because of where it's located, Kim will probably have the exact location. Turns out Walker is injured and can't run. he ambles over and carrieds on a conversation with me like I was his best friend. doesn't know me from Adam. I later am at a track in Wellington where he, and a group of guys getting ready for alocal meet are doing 200's. asks if I want to join in. (Quax, and Robinson maybe were there as well, possibly dixon although my memory is fuzzy on this one because of the beating I took. i don't recall how many they did, but i know I bowed out after a few undeer the guise of having an appointment or some such nonsense. Down to Earth guy.

On another note.... I was in NZ in 76 during the Montreal Olympics. we are at a church service or wedding and they turn on the TV so we can watch Johnny run. Right up there on the altar. Can't see any good Catholics doing that in this country! Good stuff. The Kiwis loved this guy.

Kim,

No Dave Sirl didn't die. At least not from the heart attack I mentioned. I didn't know Lloyd Walker had died. I do know his name from somewhere.

I'm open to comments on any of the guys mentioned in Tayler's book. And while we're reminiscing, are things back to normal with Jeff Julian?

Randy Newman,

Coincidentally or not, Anne Audain expressed exactly the same sentiments about Nike Air. Did the guy you know work on her shoes as well?

Beach was Paraparaumu and if my memory serves me right Boit blew them off the Beach in that race.

The series of races was called the Molenburg Miles (Bread Company .... Bloody good bread too)

Excellent series of races in the 80's. Some good downhill races as well.

I had a Buddy who was a 4:25 miler managed to wangle a place

in the downhill Queenstreet mile and ran 3:59.

so now he tells everyone he is a sub 4 min miler !!!

HRE,

yup, same shoe geek. always liked anne audain. i'll put a plug in for her book, "uncommon heart", i enjoyed it immensely.

When Arthur was on tour in the US, I remember him saying something about Murray Halberg was fighting cancer. Did he survive his battle and how if so, how are things going?

Anybody elses feet turn blue after their first run in the rain with those old johnny Walker's? Lucky thing I wasn't using DMSO at the time, I would have killed myself/

Watched John, Nick Rose, Steve Scott, and some Kenyan I can't remember duke it out in an indoor meet in Louisville, Kentucky in 1981. I believe the distance was 3000m with Scott winning. Got all the autographs. Nice guys. And yes, the JW running shoes rocked!!!

I'd forgotten that, but yes. My feet turned blue at times.

And I'll second Randy Newman on Anne Audain's bio.

john walker would have run 3:41 with the benefit of epo....

but then again true champions don't use drugs.... el g. is a mighty fraud!

I have an autographed copy of "John Walker Champion" published in 1984. Pretty good read on his career, details his training some.

It looks like you can get a used copy for around $30.

http://www.allbookstores.com/book/compare/090857083X

I was able to get John's book on e-bay a year or two ago.

Probably paid the same amount as Hodgie mentioned.

Great Read.

If you check the pictures nearest page 206 there is one of him running the Rotorua Marathon in 1976.

As he said he did 22 miles.

The winner that year was a guy called Bernie Vine. 2:21.21

So JW was not that far off the pace.

Note the Picture was taken on a hill. Very nasty one that hill !!. 2 miles up and 2 miles down.

Kim,

Do you know Ray Pucket(sp)? I met him & Barry Magee on a trip to NZ for the WANG Auckland Marathon in 1986.

Sorry to be a contrarian but i read his autobiography and thought he came out of like a complete ass. So arrogant and pretty stupid too - I've also heard from b-list elites that competed at the time than JW was a bit of prick.

But I remember Coghlan and Scott(?) saying that they thought him the greatest miler ever and a very nice guy.

Thr truth is probably somewhere in between.

I heard that he had a leg problem through out his career that even required surgery. Does any one know more about the details of this?

Don't know Ray other than to say Hi.

However, my wife did as she taught his kids when they were in High school.

One tough little Runner in his day.

I sent an email to Track & Field news suggesting that they post old "how they train" articles from track technique on their website since older issues aren't available for purchase, but they didn't respond. I don't know why. A lot of fans would appreciate it.