Max Jones, Birchfield Harriers
Brief (!) Description of Running Background
Date of birth June 3rd, 1927
- 1943 June : Ran 1 mile, aged just 16, in 5:03.4 on virtually no training.
- 1946 Dec : for Cambridge University v Oxford. 7½ miles X-Country : 1st me; 2nd Roger Bannister.
- 1948 Mar : 4th in English Cross-Country Junior Championship (inaugural event, no Junior Internationals then); the following week, for Cambridge v Oxford : 3 miles in 15:04.
- 1952 May : Member of Birchfield Harriers team, winners of the inaugural British Road Relay Championship (over the old London-to-Brighton course).
- 1981 Mar : Ran in inaugural London Marathon, organised by my Cambridge team-mate - Chris Brasher. Finished in 3:49:51, 4428th out of 6600, behind 175 50+ year olds, 12 60+ and 110 women. And 2 WALKERS. Aaargh !
- 1986 June : Ran fastest marathon : 2:57:06, aged 59.
- 1989 April : 1st Senior (over 60) 92nd Boston Marathon (USA) in 3:03:46 and 5th M60, 6 days later, in London, in 3:09:29.
- 1991 Aug : Hood-to-Coast Relay, Oregon (USA), oldest team member by 15 years, but fastest over 10km by between 4 and 20 minutes : we were last of 800 teams to finish !
- 1994/95 : member of Nike Portland Hood-to-Coast teams, 4th in M40 age-group category.
- 1993 May : 1st over 60 in UK 100km Championships in a Commonwealth M65 record of 9:13:56. October : 1st M65 in American Masters Marathon Championship, in 3:07:44, the only time John Keston didn't win his age group on the roads in 5 years as an M65.
- 1995 May : ran (road) 50 miles in 6:51:22, in a DNF 100km, for M65 World Record. June : ran a (track) 5km at an average heart rate of 171bpm, Polar measured, finishing the race at 176bpm. At age 68 (note: 220-68 = 152, maximum for a 68 yr-old!).
- 1996 May : ran M65 track WRs of 30 miles (3:57:13); 50km (4:05:56); 50 miles (7:07:11).
- 1981-96 : EverPresent finisher in the London Marathon, slowest 3:49:51 - see 5 above - fastest 2:58:00 in 1983. The 42 of us are now guaranteed entry in the race provided we run and finish each year. Aaargh !
- 1995 July : Silver medallist, individual and team, M65 marathon, WAVA World Championships, in Buffalo, NY, United States.
- 1997 Aug : gained all the M70 track ultra WRs 100km (10:31:31), through 100 miles in (18:16:47) to 24hrs (191.019km, i.e. 118 miles 1220 yards) and finished 2nd overall in the race, my highest position for 49 years! September : ran M70 WRs for 50km (4:16:12); 40 miles (5:49:50); 50 miles (7:34:32).
- 1998 May : ran (road) M70 BR 100km (9:56:00), June : oldest finisher (and Founder's Trophy winner) in Comrades Marathon in RSA, October : ran M70 BR (track) 100km in 10:08:13, having lost my WR 2 weeks before.
- 1999 April : ran 100th marathon, including in the total one for every Ultra run over 42195m, in the 19th London Marathon (which now has just 40 EverPresents left).
- 1999 June : retained the Founder's Trophy in the Comrades Marathon Down Run, the 90km, 55 1/4 miles, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
- 1999 August: Bronze medallist individual and team gold, M70 marathon, WAVA World Championships, in Gateshead, England.
- 2000 April : One of now 39 EverPresents who finished the 20th London Marathon. But only just. Lost carboload into sewers before Start; hit the Wall at 5 miles; walked from 12 miles. Finished, hypoglycaemic, in 6:17:05; 2nd Half slower than previous slowest marathon, see 5 above. Aaargh !
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