Dave Bedford-10,000m.European Record,Portsmouth,1971.

[RussTube59]

Wow - I was there that day aged 12 and for some reason had no idea it had been broadcast, let alone to appear on YouTube forty-one years later. Thanks for uploading!

[ARRISIPPY]

@RussTube59 Absolute pleasure...never saw him run except on telly!I'm rather jealous! :)

[RussTube59]

@ARRISIPPY Haha. I've my then 20yo brother to thank for persuading me to go along with him on that hot July afternoon - I wouldn't have known David Bedford from Adam. He must have had a growing reputation already by then as my brother specifically wanted to see how he'd do that day. Commentator Ron Pickering also suggests he had during the early stages. We're stood or sat on the north east bank shown in the first and final seconds of the clip - but alas no firm recognition so far. Thanks again.

[Pihasanddunes1]

Great to see Bedford in moments of triumph. He was one of the great clock runners. Jostling and tactical running baffled him.

[runningshoe1]

The 70's generation gave us so many maverick distance runners of the type you rarely see today, runners not afraid to have a go, win or lose. Prefontaine, Foster, Bayi, Malinowksi and of course Bedford.

[lachmont]

cinders track! Awesome!

[FinnMove]

Bedford was really brilliant. Sad he had no success in the big games.

[woozle1954]

I remember this - well done David Beford - but where is Ian Mccafferty... and where is Phill Brown?

[ARRISIPPY]

@woozle1954 Phil Brown...dunno,but McCafferty came second at the 1970 Commonwealth Games 5000m....it's somewhere on my video thingy list if you want to see him...

[woozle1954]

@ARRISIPPY .... Phil Brown did his best stuff as anchor man in the 4 x 400s.. notably in the '82 euro championships - - the '84 olympics - and '87 world championships.... each time winning silver (just looked it up) -- would love to see again... great man!

[ARRISIPPY]

@woozle1954 Yeah..I remember thinking he ran the last laps of those relays with the tactical brain of an 800 metre runner,which was unusual...p'raps he should have given the longer distance a go?

[samanthalisonmarconi]

Great video of those wonderful British distance men of the early 1970's.Those of us here in America could only read of their exploits on the pages of track&field news magazine. Any chance you have video of one Dick Taylor running against Ian Stewart and Steve Prefontaine over 5,000 meters in the USA vs England dual track meet(remember those!) I think it took place at Crystal palace in 1970.

[ARRISIPPY]

@samanthalisonmarconi

Afraid not! I find these videos as hard to find as anyone (Rono vs. Ovett in 78 ,anybody?),but if I get them,I'll be putting them on here.