From The Foreword by Peter Wood (South Africa)
In 2009 the last British veterans of the 1914-1918 War died, and the Great War moved from the realm of living history to that of legend.
In 1909, just over a hundred years ago, thousands of spectators lined Main Reef Road in South Africa and packed the stands of the People‟s Stadium in Main Street, Johannesburg, to watch the progress of two hard-fought road races – the “Stadium” Marathons. One name was on the lips of all the spectators – the name of the frontrunner in both races, “Wilson”. As “Wilson” entered the Stadium at the head of the field with both races, the crowd roared in appreciation. As “Wilson” broke the tapes at the end of the races, the crowds went wild, cheering their approval..................“H. Wilson” was the professional pseudonym used by Arthur Preston, a miner and athlete from Dalton in Furness..........................Unfortunately athletics authorities keep record only of the times that athletes set-up while running as amateurs. After Dorando Pietri, Johhny Hayes and Charles Hefferon all turned professional, their subsequent careers went unrecorded, just as the career of Arthur Preston has been forgotten.
Ray Hewson has consulted numerous sources and has looked especially at the role that altitude plays on the performance of long-distance athletes. Ray argues that the altitude of the Witwatersrand where the “Stadium” marathons were run is significant in assessing the times recorded. Ray claims that especially the time that “Wilson” or Preston recorded during the second Stadium marathon of 1909 puts him in the same group as Dorando Pietri, Johnny Hayes and Charles Hefferon.
Read the evidence that Ray Hewson has assembled and you can judge.
Tom McNab : who has written several best selling novels, including ""Flanagan's Run"" which reached number one on the list ; The Technical Director of the Oscar-winning film ""Chariots of Fire"" says:-Very interesting . Your explanation of the 26.385 distance is the best that I have read.....