The Great Billy Butlin Race

<p>How a Russian doctor and Billy Butlin brought Britain to the side of the road</p><p><br></p><p>I very much enjoyed this book. A wonderfully accessible look at the development and history of marathons with particular emphasis on the difficult and enigmatic Barbara Moore. Wishing Shelf</p><p><br></p><p>In 1960 Britain was swept by a craze for marathons embodied in an eccentric 56-year-old Russian: motorcycle champion former Leningrad death row inmate radical dietician Dr Barbara Moore. Keen to exploit this new fad holiday camp pioneer Billy Butlin organised the first and indeed only walking/running race from John O'Groats to Land's End. Despite opposition 715 participants started off with the hardiest captivating the nation during that drab winter. A fascinating and quirky story of daring entrepreneurship and good old 'British pluck': a story that deserves re-telling for the modern audience.</p><p>The first chapter of The Great Billy Butlin Race (titled The Footsloggers) was shortlisted for the inaugural Writers &Artists Working-Class Writers' Prize.</p><p><br></p>