Dave Bedford was the only British runner ever to break the 10,000m track World record with 27:30.8. It was at Crystal Palace on the 13th of July, 1973, exactly 50 years ago on the 13th of July 2023!
Perhaps, the next most sensational British run to follow that, was by a younger Shaftesbury & Barnet AC clubmate Julian Goater, like Dave, was advised by that great enthusiast Bob Parker.
For Julian Norris Goater (born 17/1/53) it was a sensational run in the National senior 9 miles cross-country Championships, on the 7th of March 1981, at Parliament Hill Fields.
It was on the muddy, three lap course and he came in first by a huge margin of 1min 55 seconds, mud spattered. Some of the names behind him included Dave Clarke, Mick Mcleod ,Dave Moorcroft, Steve Jones (who had beaten him in the Inter-Services; RAF Champs & in Italy) ; Steve Binns; Ken Newton, Kevin Forster; Bernie Ford; Andy Holden; Bob Treadwell; and Roger Hackney. That was the order following him home out of the large field..
Straight after the race Julian told me “It was one of the biggest races I ever wanted to win. It means an awful lot to me’ He continued ‘I took the lead very early on, after 600 to 800 yards completed—I did think twice before I took the lead because you think 9 miles is a bit far to go on your own but I was never finding the pace difficult and they just fell back. I did not increase the pace or anything to pull away. I had it extremely easy all the way round and I was never puffing or felt I was tired. I could not understand why the others did not go a bit faster.” In 1992 we spoke again and he said about his training before that 1981 race
“ I averaged 59 miles a week. Some weeks I was up in the 80’s, other weeks down in the 40’s with a couple of illnesses and so on also, the reason the mileage was so low was because I was up in Harrogate and my home was London, and I had commuting, so the days were like enforced rest days—that was really a blessing in disguise. But, I don’t think you can look on the National result and say, that was achieved on 59 miles a week. I think you have to look on the previous years when I was averaging 90 to 100 miles a week or putting quite heavy chunks of training in at that sort of mileage that was obviously building for a year or two later.’ On March the 28th, the same month as his National win, in Madrid Julian Goater was a very good 4th in 35:13 in the World cross-country Championships behind the winner Craig Virgin (USA) who won in 35:05. The following year in 1982 Julian was 3rd in the Commonwealth Games 10,000 in Brisbane, Australia in 28:16.11 Gidamis Shahanga of Tanzania won in 28:10.15. London Marathon winners Charlie Spedding and Alister Hutton were 4th and 5th.
As RRC members might like to know about Julian Goater on the roads. He did several 10 miles road races between 47 and 50 minutes in the UK and won 5 Hillingdon 5 mile very competitive road races; three times he was 2nd fastest in the National road relay and on the 9th of February 1985, he was 3rd in the Gaspirilla Distance Classic road race over 15k in the United States, at Tampa Florida in 43:05, not far behind the winner Mick Mcleod who did 43:02. Two special personal best times on the track for Julian were 13:15.59 for 5000 on 11.9. 81 in London & 27:34.58 for 10.000 in Oslo on the 26:6.82. He was twice a World ‘Age’’ Duathlon Champion and now he is just in his 70’s and, enjoys extensive cycling in the UK and abroad, which keeps him very fit. He is an inspirational coach and fitness consultant in schools.
Julian Goater’s Father was a teacher and had run 1:53 for an 880.
Back in the ‘90’s Juliana’s wife Sue, had a full time job and three children to look after. Going back to the start of it all Julian Goater, was at Haberdashers School in Elstree. He showed promise as a youngster winning the English schools cross-country and 5000 titles and had a World age best for a 17 year old of 8:14 for 3000. I can remember when writing up the North of Thames cross country Junior race, for the old AW, when Julian won. In fact in 1972 I ran for Highgate Harriers in the notoriously ‘Arctic’’ conditions in the National senior cross country at Sutton Coldfield and Julian Goater, ran in the Junior race in a blizzard. He ended up third in his event in 31.32 behind the winner David Black (30:45) of Small Heath.
Regarding his career. He had just one year in insurance before joining the RAF . He was a supply officer with the RAF. The RAF sponsored Julian for him to go to Oxford University, where he obtained a degree in politics, philosophy and economics.
He did do some teaching on his subject to the lower sixth form at Wellington College before going on to do other things.
When he was coached by Bob Parker at Shaftesbury Barnet he pointed out to me about his clubmate Dave Bedford “Dave was there for me to train with and he made it fun apart from training. He was tremendously exciting to be with. There was something always to look forward to, not just another run, but socially.”