The Forgotten Winner

The Notorious Vancouver Marathon 1954

Joe McGhee, Scotland’s gold medal winner at the notorious 1954 Vancouver Empire and Commonwealth Games marathon, gives his personal account of the race. In this previously unpublished memoir he reveals the huge demands, dedication and joys of a long-distance runner, while providing inspiration and advice to aspiring runners.

Scottish gold medal winner Joe McGhee gives his personal account of the notorious 1954 Vancouver Empire and Commonwealth Games marathon, and lifts the lid on the life of a 1950s long-distance runner.

The 1954 marathon has been called one of the ten greatest races of all time. Run in extreme conditions, with only six competitors finishing, it is remembered for the collapse of England’s Jim Peters. Little recognition has ever been given to the winner, Joe McGhee, one of Scotland’s most outstanding record-breaking marathon and distance runners of the 1950s.

In this gripping memoir you will find:

• Joe’s own account of the race, the build-up to it and its aftermath, dispelling various myths
• How Joe’s gold medal-winning race was overshadowed and largely forgotten because of the terrible collapse of England's Jim Peters
• The highs and lows of a record-breaking career in Scottish Athletics in the 1950s, with three successive Scottish titles
• Insight into the joys of running and the people who inspired and influenced Joe throughout his athletics career
• A first-hand account of the dedication and unwavering commitment needed to be a long-distance runner while coping with injuries and trying to juggle the demands of work, training and a social life
• A ‘then and now’ comparison, plus a frank look at the disparities within Amateur Athletics

Published for the first time to mark the tenth anniversary of Joe’s death, this book describes first-hand what it feels like to run alongside an elite field of athletes, while providing inspiration and advice to aspiring runners.

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