FOREWORD BY FRANK HORWILL.
founder of the British Milers Club.
co-author of THE COMPLETE MIDDLE DISTANCE RUNNER,
author of OBSESSION FOR RUNNING.

Ray Roseman was the catalyst required to rouse British middle-distance runners from lethargy and complacency in the 1960s to respectability in the 1970s to world domination in the 1980s. He started his crusade in the AAA Championships of 1963 by assuming the lead early in the race and turning around to the loafing pack and ordering them to,"Come on!" immediately after that race the British Milers Club was formed and 17 years later Coe, Ovett and Cram dominated world middle-distance running.
Ray had a magnificent obsession, to break 4 minutes for the mile. For some it occurred around 25 years of age, for Ray it looked as though he was going to miss the boat as he passed 30 years. The British Milers Club had been asked to organise the City Mile at Motspur Park in 1969? and I was entrusted to find the field.?Ray had been sent an invite but had not replied until late and was squeezed in. Up to that point only one or two runners had broken 4 minutes in a single race, on this occasion four ducked under the barrier and one of them was Ray, who ran 3:59.8. On the same night in Stretford, Eddie Powell, the BMC Secretary, organised a sub 4 mile won by Walter Wilkinson. John Rodda writing in The Guardian gave more space to Rays achievement than the winner, John Kirkbride who ran 3:58! This was because Rays battle with the barrier had aroused great public Interest.
The small book will be of great interest to mile connoisseurs, old and young.
His motto was: Keep on, keep on, until a little something inside you says, KEEP ON".