The 100-miler - Part 6 (1927-1934) Arthur Newton

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By Davy Crockett

In the 1920s one of the greatest British ultrarunner ever appeared, who made a serious impact on the forgotten 100-mile ultrarunning history before World War II. He was Arthur Newton of England, South Africa, and Rhodesia was a rare ultrarunning talent who had world-class ability in nearly all the ultrarunning distances from 50 km to 24-hours. Newton learned most of his serious running on a farm in remote Africa and was bold enough to step onto the world stage and beat everyone. His dominance in the early years of South Africa’s Comrades Marathon (54 miles) helped the race get off the ground to become the oldest and largest ultramarathon in the world.

But Arthur Newton’s best distance was 100 miles. With few 100-mile races to compete in during the 1920s, he resorted to participating in highly monitored solo events to prove that a farmer from Africa was the best in the world, and he was. His 100-mile experience will be shared, but also a good portion of his life story needs to be explained to understand the man, the ultrarunner, one of the greatest, Arthur Newton.

Early life

Arthur Francis Hamilton Newton (1883-1959) was born in Axbridge, Somerset, England. His father, Henry, was at first a civil engineer and then went into religions ministry and served as a clerk in the Church of England. The family moved to Brighton, England when Arthur was two years old. At age seven he started to live in boarding schools fulltime, first at Lady Matron School, and then as a teenager at Bedford School, a school for boys. He finished up in a private school in Banham, England. During his school years, he was active in soccer, cricket and tennis but never had any particular interest in running.

After graduation in 1901, at the age of 18, he thought he would become a teacher. His father instead wanted him to be a clerk and sent him to South Africa to join two older brothers who were living in Durban. He tried the clerk career for a couple years but it was not for him, so he began teaching in the province of Natal. He played the piano, was an avid reader, and loved riding motorcycles. But he also was a regular smoker living a rather sedentary life. He explained, “I sacrificed the exercise necessary to a young man in order to dive deeper into metaphysics and allied subjects. Common sense soon came to the rescue and I knew I should be able to make a better job of my mental work if I made certain of a healthy physique. So I started a daily walk, whether I liked it or not.”

The running teacher in South Africa

Newton began walking to his work and progressed to jogging distances up to six miles. “Sometimes people would stare quizzically at the eccentric Englishman running down the road.” He became bothered by these reactions and so moved his exercise during the early hours when few people were out. He began very fit and demonstrated his abilities to the schoolboys he was teaching. He once organized a 300-mile round trip to the Drakensberg mountain range that involved bike riding and hiking.

Newton’s first running race took place when he was age 24 in February 1908. It was a 11-mile “Go as you please” race in the small rural town of Howick. The town was the site of a sad British internment camp where many women and children died a few years earlier during the Anglo-Boer War. He was one of eight runners who took part and he finished in fourth place with a time of about 90 minutes. He soon started to win some races. On a long excursion to the mountains he ran out of cigarettes and was convinced by a friend to start using a pipe instead.

In 1909 his father found him a job as a tea planter in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where the family had previously lived when his father was working as a civil engineer. So he returned to England. By the time he arrived, the opportunity was gone and at age 26, he was without permanent work. He joined the Thames Hare and Hounds cross-country club, the oldest such club in the world. He finished third in his first race and continued to excel in others. For years Newton would wear the cross-country “X” on his racing jerseys.

He said, “Several weeks at home just idling around proved too much, and I told my father that I wanted to get back to South Africa. He said he had guessed as much, and perhaps I had better go. So back to Natal I was sent and accepted a position as a tutor on a farm near Harding.”

South African Farmer

By 1911 Newton became a farmer. He bought 1,350 acres from the government with the help of his father. “I had a desperate struggle to make both ends meet. Assistance from home helped me to tide over the worst and at last there came a time when I had learnt enough to be able to get along on my own.” He worked hard in an environment of solitude and also did some cross-country running. His farm initially was ten miles from the nearest road and only connected by foot paths. He would frequently run to and from his mailbox several miles away from his house. Black indigenous Zulu lived on “his” land and paid some rent.

During World War I, starting in 1914, Newton desired to serve and was assigned to a detachment called the Natal Light Horse fighting against white Boers who had sided with the Germans. He became a military messenger and used his own motorcycle to deliver messages. “I offered to take my motorcycle at my own expense, as I realized I was far more likely to be useful as a dispatch rider than anything else, being a competent and experienced motorcyclist.”

When his service ended, he returned to his farm in 1918 and found it in a state of neglect being grazed by Zulu cattle herders. Grass fires had destroyed about two-thirds of his grazing land. Newton wanted to convert his land to be more profitable, to cultivate cotton and tobacco. But the Zulu tenants on his land objected changing their centuries-old lifestyle. They did not want to become farm laborers earning wages and his tenants would disagree with him about nearly everything. On top of that it became increasingly difficult to collect rent from them. It was a clash of culture, race, and politics.

The government started relocating more blacks to live in the area around Newton’s farm and the with current conditions in the country, they did not trust the white Englishman. Newton also did not trust the government or the Zulu to help find a way to make his farm work.

He asked the government to exchange his farm for another farm in a “white area” but the Department of Native Affairs refused. This led to a standoff between the farmer Newton and the South African government. He realized that it would be impossible for him to become a successful cotton famer and find willing local laborers.

Decision to become a serious runner

Newton became convinced that the reason the government was treating him poorly was because he was unknown to them. He decided that he needed to make himself famous. “Evidently I should have to make my name and the circumstances known to the public. I should then be in a position to show my fellow citizens how settlers should be safe-guarded.” He came up with a bizarre idea. He decided that his route to be famous was to become an elite runner. He believed, “Genuine amateur athletics were about a wholesome as anything on earth. Any man who made a really notable name at such would always be given a hearing by the public. I took up long-distance running solely with the object of focusing public attention on the treatment to which I had been subjected.” He set his sights to win the new annual 54-mile Comrades Marathon that ran between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. In 1922, Comrades would be run for the second year.

In January 1922, at the age of 38, Newton seriously thought he could win Comrades with less than five month’s serious training after nearly of ten years without consistent training. He said, “Knowing through my studies that any average man could do as well as other average men if he were really determined and was in possession of an average physique – and with the Comrades Marathon already in existence – I decided that what with my age, it would be quicker and probably easier to achieve publicity through long-distance running than by any other methods.”

The Comrades Marathon

The first Comrades Marathon had been held on “Empire Day” on May 24, 1921. It was the idea of Vic Clapham (1886-1943) a train driver from Durban. Clapham had been inspired by the 52-mile London to Brighton races before World War I (See Part 5) and wanted to create a similar race as a living memorial to fallen soldiers of the war. The inaugural Comrades race with 34 runners, most of them former infantrymen, received good newspaper press coverage and Newton noticed.

For the early Comrades Marathon years, runners were followed by friends on bicycles or automobiles to provide support. Farmers set up aid station along the route and picnic parties were held by spectators who also handed out food to the runners. The first year was won by a farmer, Bill Rowan, in 8:59. Sixteen runners finished by the 12-hour limit on the mostly dirt road course.

Training for 1922 Comrades

In preparing for the 1922 Comrades race, Newton, age 38, established a serious training program using any literature he could find on the subject. He knew that he had to be able to run 54 miles at roughly nine-minute mile pace to win. This ultra-distance would be much further than his cross-country races of previous years and he believed he was old, so thought it would be hard on him.

Because farming had been rendered useless to him, he devoted most of his hours each day for five months in training. He knew that the previous winner, Rowan had trained doing 20-mile runs on his farm. Newton said, “My condition was quite reasonably good. I could walk 15-20 miles in a day over rough country without becoming exhausted, so I was surprised to find that two miles of running were altogether beyond me. After that I was so abominably stiff that I cut out running for a day or two and walked instead.”

He finally admitted to himself that if he was to succeed, he would have to put aside his smoking after 20 years of the habit. Going cold turkey was too difficult and he finally decided to allow himself two pipes a day including a post-run pipe as a reward for hard training.

Running started to come easier. He timed all his runs, trying to improve them on particular routes. By March, with race day just ten weeks away, he attempted a long run under race conditions. His competition was the local train that went on a route through the hills with several stops. He wanted to race the train for about 40 miles. All was going well until he experienced serious pain in his chest on a steep climb. Fearing that it was a heart problem, he backed off and did not beat the train. He wrote, “I was driven back to my farm and sat down to think the position out. Evidently my training had not been on the right lines, and I decided to ignore practically everything I had read and start all over again with sound common-sense methods.”

Newton went away from his time-trials, ignoring his watch. Instead he concentrated on distance, not speed. He discovered the benefit of the long, slow run. His runs worked up to 25 miles and he dropped his weight by ten pounds to 132 pounds. After more than a month, he returned to race that train and beat it. It was his longest run during his training and he knew that he was almost ready.

1922 Comrades

More than 100 men entered the second Comrades race to be held on May 24, 1922. They came from all walks of life, with some experienced runners. A few days before the race, Newton traveled to Durban on the train and did some light running to stay loose. He slept very little the night before the big day, being nervous and restless. “When I arrived at the starting point early in the morning, I kept away from the great bulk of the competitors so as to be able to sit quietly and rest instead of being called upon to talk loudly amidst the general bustle and noise.”

There were 89 runners who started at 6 a.m. for the long run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, the “up” version of the course in the Drakensberg Mountains. They were cheered on by crowd of 2,000 people. The mayor of Durban fired the starting pistol and they were off followed by helpers in cars, rickshaws, bicycles and motorbikes. Newton held back his pace and was made fun of by some spectators for being in the back of the pack. But soon he started to move up and pass runners. By 20 miles he was passing undertrained runners who were walking. He was mid-pack by the halfway point and still not worried about the front-runners.

By mile 30, he passed the previous year winner, Rowan, who went out too fast and was battling cramps. Only three other men were ahead. The race director, Clapham received word that an unknown runner “77” was among the front-runners. He said, “There was a scramble for programmes to see who this number 77 was. It turned out to be a chap called Newton, from Ihluku. All I could say about him was that he was a farmer.”

By mile 32 he moved into second place, passing a runner who had been 45 minutes ahead but now was stopped on the side of the road being massaged. By mile 38, during a grueling climb, Newton spotted the leader, Purcell, as a white speck going over the top. Newton soon went into the lead. He quickly built a large 30-minute lead over the runners limping behind him. With four miles to go and Pietermaritzburg in view, he knew victory was his. After some brandy at a hotel, he attacked the final stretch.

Newton wrote, “With a swarm of cars and cycles behind, I guessed there would be a crowd ahead. The moment I was sighted, I saw people beginning to run and in less than half a minute there was a dense crowd. The people swarmed up so suddenly from every side that I was only just able to get through with the aid of the police.” At the Sports Ground he ran on the track and thousands cheered him on as he ran the last stretch around the track. He said, “At last I saw the tape ahead and ran to it in a tumultuous roar and cheering from all sides to get a handshake from the city mayor.”

Newton finished in 8:40, nearly 20 minutes faster than the first year’s winner. A crowd lifted him off his feet and paraded him on their shoulders off the field. Reporters followed and photographed. His friends took him away to recover. By the time the second place runner finished, Newton had already had a bath and dressed in every-day attire. He told reporters that he did not think he would try to run that far again. “After all, I’m 39 and getting on in years.”

The local newspaper took up his cause and wrote that it was deplorable how the government treated Newton, a former soldier, in regards to his farm difficulties. He became a national star overnight and quickly became determined to continue competing and lobbying the government. But he had to put away his farming dream in order to train. For finances, Newton mortgaged his farm to a government bank.

Full time Runner

He competed again at the 1923 Comrades, this time running the “down” course. A reporter wrote, “He still maintained the same steady trot, appearing wonderfully fresh and well, though smothered in dust from head to foot. The road was clouded with cars and motorcycles. Every mortal thing was blotted out, including speech, for you dare not open your mouth. Even the side of the road disappeared.”

Newton dominated and reached the finish faster than anyone thought possible. The officials were not yet prepared for his arrival. “One man, however, happened to spot me shortly before I reached the Sports Ground and diving through a broken fence as a short cut, was able to gather another man inside and arrive at the finishing post just in time to hold up the tape and read the watches.” He finished in 6:56, nearly an hour ahead of the second place runner. Newton’s fame started to spread to England.

But the fame was not enough to produce the results he hoped for. He said, “I took stock of my position, felt that I had by no means established myself as a well-known public character, and decided that more training work, even harder work, had to be the order of the day. It looked as though nothing less than world’s records would bring me the publicity I knew was required.” His weekly mileage was consistently more than 100 miles and reached as much as 253 miles in a week. With this high mileage, he managed to avoid serious injury but was kept off the road for six weeks due to a muscle strain.

50-mile world record

In 1923 Newton wanted to go after the amateur 50-mile world record of 6:13 but didn’t want to run on a track because he thought that the monotony of running circles on a track was awful. So instead, a 25-mile length was measured on the road from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, the same road used by the Comrades Marathon. He knew every inch of the hilly road and felt confident on it.

Newton’s attempt was made on June 29, 1923, just five weeks after Comrades. He was crewed by friends who escorted him in a support vehicle. He started at 7 a.m. in a cool mist and said, “I was glad to get to work, though more than a trifle nervous.” The official cars had to stay well behind or in front of him to avoid kicking up large clouds of dust. To counter skepticism about the measurement with automobile odometers, he stunned officials by running an extra 200 yards at the 25-mile turnaround.

At the finish a large crowd gathered and the police kept a lane open for him to run for the last half mile. The stands were full at the showground and they made a mighty roar as he came into view. He increased his pace to six-minute-mile pace to push for the record. He succeeded and broke all world fastest-known 50-mile times with 5:53:05. The previous fastest time was George Cartwright’s professional mark of 5:55:04 set indoors back in 1887. But weeks later, he received a letter from London from the Amateur Athletics Association stating the since he ran on the road rather than on a measured track, that his time would not be recognized as a world’s best. Fowler-Dixon, the author of the letter, suggested that Newton come England to run London to Brighton. The British sporting press scoffed at the idea of accepting a world record on a dusty road in Africa. Despite all the monitoring and verification that was put in place, even today the performance would not be recognized as a world record because it was not part of a competitive race. Nevertheless, it happened. For 1923 Newton ran a staggering 9,168 miles, an unprecedented total.

First 50-miler in England

Newton made no progress with his disputes with the government and his South African supporters were seriously worried that the greatest long-distance runner ever from South Africa would leave the country. Before the 1924 Comrades Marathon, the government again rejected his requests for compensation for his farm losses. At Comrades, Newton dominated the field again at Comrades on the “up” course. He won for the third time in a row, with 6:58;22. But he made the decision to return to England.

Newton wanted to prove to British skeptics that his 50-mile record was valid. Before he left South Africa, the government officials changed their tune and promised to repair the wrong he had experienced if he would come back. Newton said he would. He returned to England on a ship and each evening when the deck was less crowded, ran 20 miles.

In England, he adjusted to training on busy English roads. The harder road surfaces gave his joints problems. He had to reduce his weekly mileage to about 120 miles until he felt better. He wrote, “Thinking I was now pretty safe, I let out for a couple of weeks in the old style, 251 and 295 miles. The latter was certainly rather more than usual.”

He was finally ready to attack 50 miles again. Arrangements were made for a solo London to Brighton run by representatives of the AAA. He was bothered by a swollen shin and ankle but went ahead with the run.

The London press were introduced to Newton’s running strategies. At five-foot-nine and 140 pounds, he was described as “hard as nails.” He ran in the lightest shoes possible with thin soles and ran with a shuffle. He didn’t receive heavy massages like the other runners of the time, just a quick rub-down along the way with a towel. He fueled mostly on cups of tea. At times he would use a “magic drink” of lemonade, sugar and salt which helped prevent cramps.

Newton’s attempt for the London to Brighton record was made on October 3, 1924. The current London to Brighton course record holder, Len Hurst, followed along in one of the timekeeper automobiles giving him encouragement. He was described as “adopting a shuffling gait, Newton made his running appear effortless.” He proved his point and finished in 6:11:04, which was faster than the course record by about 23 minutes. He passed through the 50-mile mark in 5:57:48, a bit slower than his time in South Africa.

Second 50-miler in England

British skeptics thought due to recent road improvements that the route had been shortened, but remeasurements found it to be 52 miles, 200 yards. He became “the talk of the town” and was interviewed on BBC radio. Not satisfied with his performance, wanting to break six hours on the course, Newton, age 41, repeated the run the following month on November 13, 1924 in bad weather that was proceeded by 36 hours of continuous rain.

Newton had to splash through many unavoidable puddles along the way and his legs started to feel terribly cold. He said, “At twenty miles I found it was getting actually painful to put each foot on the ground. I had by this time lost all control of my fingers and began to feel really uncomfortable.” At Crawley the cold became too much and he stopped for refreshment for the first time and to try and warm up. Unfortunately, his thermos of tea was cold. His arms were blue with cold. At mile 33.5, thankfully he was given wonderful hot tea.

After the rest he pressed on and finished with a time of 5:53:43 and a 50-mile split time of 5:38:42 crushing his world best 50-mile time. An excited crowd at the Aquarium in Brighton roared. News of his amazing accomplishment was published widely across the world and thought to be a record never to be broken. But the British Amateur Athletic Association surprisingly announced that neither of this London to Brighton runs would be officially recognized as records because they were solo runs not accomplished in a race. This greatly annoyed Newton who said, “It would have been a mere farce to invite self-confessed insufficiently-trained athletes to compete.” He pointed out that the timekeepers were both vice-presidents of the AAA and added, “The British AAA took not the slightest notice of either run. As far as they were concerned, no runs took place. The times were correct and quite above suspicion.”

Back to South Africa

Newton left England on November 27, 1924, sailing on the SS Bendigo bound for South Africa. With changes politically in the government while he was away, the promises made to him were gone. Unable to pay the interest on his mortgage, he decided to sell his farm. Appeals for help from the new government went nowhere as he was considered as just an English settler who was a vocal government critic. He said, “Once more my funds were exhausted and consequently there was nothing for it but to clear out of South Africa and make for the nearest country where reason and justice were understood and valued.” Newton decided to start making plans to leave South Africa and go to the nearby country of Rhodesia which was a British colony.

In 1925 Newton won Comrades for the fourth straight year, lowering the “down” record to 6:24:54. As a final farewell, on July 25, 1925, he ran a solo “down” Comrades route in his best time ever, 6:14:30.

Just 36 hours later, Newton left Pietermaritzburg where he had lived for seven months. He did not want to make a public fuss, so left privately one night with the quest to walk 770 miles to Rhodesia. He was poverty stricken, had been living on the kind charity of a hotel owner, and knew that the arrangement could not continue. He would go into exile. He wrote, “Six years of a real sporting fight had changed me from an active and prosperous farmer to an energetic and all-but-penniless tramp.”

The South African news soon noticed that he was gone, initially worried about him, and speculated why he disappeared until several days later he was seen on the road. After a few days he started to accept offers to ride in cars and receive kind room and board. It took him nearly three months to arrive at Rhodesia. The Natal newspaper in South Africa was so sad to see him go and organized a “shilling fund” of donations for Newton and sent him 1,200 pounds which he humbly accepted.

When competing, Newton started to wear on his jersey “Natal” to honor his former long-time South African home and “Rhodesia,” his new home. He first worked as a foreman at a mine.

First 100-miler – Rhodesia

In 1927, after two years in Rhodesia, Newton went back to South Africa and won Comrades for the fifth time. With the encouragement of a running friend of the Bulawayo Harriers club, he set a goal to run 100 miles. He had never run further than the 54 miles at Comrades and knew that special training would be needed to do such an “extra-long run.” He first attempted 60 miles on an out-and-back course that began and ended at the King’s Grounds Gates in Bulawayo, Rhodesia. He started at 3 a.m. in order to finish before work and reached 60 miles in 7:33:55, 50 minutes before the fastest known amateur time.

Newton knew that in order to accomplish an exceptional 100-mile time, he needed other runners to complete against. He could not find any willing competitors to race 100 miles, so for his attempt, he recruited a relay of six runners from the Harriers club. “As they were all men whose normal distances were between one and ten miles, they were taking on just about as big a job as I was, and they knew it.”

For his 100-mile run, he chose a flat 100-mile road course from Gweru to Bulawayo in today’s Zimbabwe with only about 1,500 feet of climbing along the way. The course was carefully measured using a measuring wheel and Newton added a quarter mile just to make sure he reached 100 miles.

On July 11, 1927 at 6:10 a.m., Newton set off to run 100 miles for the first time after eating a large breakfast. He gave the relay runner a head-start so as not to distract him. He said, “It was dark at first but an official car about fifty yards behind me flood-lighted the road which had quite a decent dirt surface, and I ambled along at a serenely easy seven miles per hour.”

Between miles 25-45 the temperature rose to an uncomfortable level. He stopped to cool off in a roadside pool. At the half-way point he stopped at a hotel for a pre-ordered lunch. “My fodder was soup, chicken and vegetables, and fruit pie. Twelve minutes later, I was on the road again, climbing a gentle gradient on my way to Bulawayo.” On the road he was fueled by hot tea from thermos flasks.

After 70 miles, the sun began to set. He wrote, “The car floodlighted the road while I crept steadily on, feeling that there was still a chance that I might reach the end, though I was in for a real bad time.” He drank piping hot tea every three miles or so and pressed on in a steady ten-minute-mile pace. He said, “Every nerve and fiber seemed to be crying for rest.”

A crowd of 300 greeted him at the finish at King’s Grounds. He had beaten his relay team by a few minutes and finished in 14:43:00 which was believed to be an amateur 100-mile world record. He had improved the fastest known amateur time of 16:07:43 held by Sidney Hatch. (See Part 4). The world’s best 100-mile time overall was 13:26:30 set by Charles Rowell in 1882, indoors at Madison Square Garden (See Part 2).

At the finish, Newton placed his feet in a bath of hot water, smoked a pipe and drank some drinks. He recalled, “I found it difficult even to talk and answer the many questions fired at me.” His 100-mile run was not recognized by the British Amateur Athletic Association because of doubts over the expertise of the Rhodesian officials. This was a disappointment to him. He wanted Rhodesia to claim a world record.

Skeptics in England made noise again which bothered Newton’s friends in Rhodesia. “The improvement on the record was so unbelievable to many of these good people that they there and then decided to take steps to send me to England to attempt a better time under more favourable conditions. Feeling that I now knew something of what was needed for this type of race, I willingly agreed.”

Funds were raised to allow him to travel to England. “I wanted to make good the time or perhaps even beat it, on some well-known course such as the Bath Road. As I was more than willing to do anything I could to show my appreciation of all the kindness I had met with in this splendid country, it wasn’t long before I found myself sailing to England”. He left during the autumn of 1927 and turned professional, having an eye on perhaps entering C.C. Pyles 1928 race across America.

100 miles on Bath Road

Joe Binks of News of the World sponsored arrangements for Newton to make a 100-mile record attempt in England on Bath Road (A4) from Box to Hyde Park Corner. The old Bath Road was an historic route marched by Roman Centurions between the two famous cities. It also had been used by stagecoaches and the professional pedestrians of the past century.

Binks recruited a four-man relay team to run against Newton and made sure the press and public were aware of the event. Newton hoped to break 14 hours. Weather leading up to the run was poor with much snow. Newton recalled, “I remember one day when I gave up training entirely. I had managed to flounder part of the way through a 4-5-foot deep drift that blanketed the path from the house for 50 yards or more.” Four days before the 100-miler, rain came which resulted in severe flooding.

Newton started his 100-mile journey on January 7, 1928 at 2 a.m. from Bear Inn in the village of Box, near Bath. Olympic sprinter, Harold Abrahams (depicted in Chariots of Fire) was at the start to watch Newton begin. Despite the early morning start, many men on bicycles followed after him. The snow was mostly gone but some fierce winds with rain made the going rough. Still, many people in each town came out to loudly cheer and watch the spectacle.

About his running style it was observed, “He glides along, feet no more than two or three inches off the ground, and noiseless. Not flat footed, but more on his heels, and astonishing silent breathing.”

He kept pace with the relay runner who was only going the first 25 miles but then he started to struggle, feeling ill. By 40 miles his illness was pretty evident to his crew but he was still ahead of schedule. Hot tea helped and he stopped for ten minutes to eat a breakfast of minced beef. The sickness continued and the relay team had a big lead. He tried drinking his “magic drink” often but could not take in any solid food.

It was reported, “His lower half was by now filthy from the muddy water splashed up by his own feet, and he became wetter still when going through Maidenhead, parts of which were completely underwater.” Temporary wooden walkways had been put in place over the water which Newton used.

“At seventy miles Newton was sick and his progress over the last thirty miles was unusually slow. He kept plugging away doggedly though obviously distressed.”

Coming into London some enthusiastic spectators slapped him hard on the back as he passed, sometimes spinning him completely around. Soon he was able to speed up. By 12 hours he reached 87 miles and was accompanied by many bicyclists. At mile 95 he called out, “How far?’ He was mobbed by the crowd which the police tried to hold back. Dozens of noisy kids ran along close behind him. These received irritated looks from Newton, worried that they would clip his heels. At about 4:30 p.m. he approached the finish at Hyde Park. Movie men filmed and the road was packed with people, cars and horses.

“Before reaching the official finish line, he appeared to falter. He was then seized by two or three enthusiasts but shook them off and ran on to cross the line in 14:22:10, breaking his previous record. He was disoriented and swept up, taken to the nearby hospital. The crowd chanted, “We want Newton.” Some tried to storm the hospital entrance to see him. After ten minutes of recovery, he came out the doors and thanked everyone.

Later he explained, “I was pleased enough to get through it in twenty minutes less time than the 100 in Rhodesia, but that was all that could be said about it.” He had never experienced such severe stomach trouble. He wore wool clothes to keep him warm but they caused him to sweat profusely during the day. He likely had an electrolyte imbalance. He knew that he could run 100 miles much faster. Congratulations poured in, including from the chancellor of Rhodesia.

It should be noted that the Bath Road from Box to Hyde Park Corner is 100.25 miles according to the engraved
mile stone, in Box. However it is believed that the road in Newton’s time was almost certainly short of 100 miles. The road has been altered through the years.

The Bunion Derby

Newton signed up to run C. C. Pyle’s 1928 race across America, Los Angeles to New York, which the press coined, “The Bunion Derby.” Race details can be read here. Newton, age 44, was the pre-race favorite. After a week in the race conducted in daily stages, he was in the lead. But on the 15^th day he quit because of a severely sprained ankle and a strained leg. Newton ran again in the 1929 version of the Bunion Derby, New York to Los Angeles, but in Indiana while in 9^th place was struck by a car. He dropped out with a dislocated shoulder.

Two runners who ran in the Bunion Derby, later ran solo 100-miles. Peter Gavuzzi of the U.K., who barely finished second in the 1929 Bunion Derby with a controversial finish (see episode 32), ran a solo road 100-miler during August 1935 from Buffalo, New York to Toronto, Canada on the 30/31. His time was 15:25:34. Ollie Wanttinen of Finland, the 5’2″ 90-pound “Mighty Mite,” ran a solo 100-miler in Helsingfor, Finland (now Helsinki) on May 24, 1934, with a time of 15:13:33.

24-hour World Record

In 1931, Newton organized his own event in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to attempt to break the 24-hour long-time world record of 150 miles set by Charles Rowell back in 1882. With the Great Depression raging around the world, Canada was initially affected less and many of the elite ultrarunners went there to compete. The 24-hour race was an invitation only event. America’s best, Johnny Salo could not make it, but other Bunion Derby veterans, including Paul “Hardrock” Simpson came. (see episode 3).

Newton put together an event similar to the Madison Square Garden events of the former century. It was held at Hamilton’s ice-hockey and skating arena. He hired an orchestra to play non-stop and boxers and wrestlers to perform inside the track. Cyclists were hired as warm-up acts. The press said the event would include “fights, hikes and bikes.” The wooden track covered with felt and paper was tiny, 13 laps to a mile, in an odd square-shape with banked corners. Track etiquette asked that the slower competitors step aside as a faster runner passed from behind.

On April 4, 1931, an indoor 24-hour event took place. They ran surrounded by mostly empty seats. Mike McNamara from Australia reached 100 miles first in 14:09:45 and then decided to quit. Newton had hoped that McNamara would continue, giving him someone to battle for the 24 hours. Two others were still running but far behind. He wrote, “Quite unexpectedly, I was left alone to try for the 24-hour title.” He tried not to look at the clock and pushed ahead at about 8.5-minute-mile pace. As he got close to the 150 mile world record, he increased speed up to an astonishing six-minute-mile pace.

When time was called, Newton set a new world 24-hour record of 152 miles, 540 yards, circling the arena 1,926 times. His record would last for 22 years until broken by South African Wally Hayward.

The event was a financial disaster and Newton lost a bundle. “It takes courage for a man to run 24 hours, especially when he knows that, instead of being rewarded for his efforts, he must lose money.”

1933 100-milers on Bath Road

As his 50^th birthday approached in 1933, Newton wanted to try to break the 100-mile world record again before retiring. He felt that 100 miles was his best distance and wanted to run it on his birthday, May 20, 1933. It was reported, “He will run for nothing but the glory of the sport and will make this his final race.”

For training in March 1933, he ran an amazing 1,084 miles including a 270-mile week. But he postponed his race when invited to run in France for a large sum of money. Instead postponed the 100-mile run to the heat of the summer on July 1, 1933. He covered the first 50 miles on the Bath Road in 5:56:30, 45 minutes ahead of schedule. But a mile or two later, the wheels started to fall off and he began limping. He reached 60 miles in 7:15:30 which he was told was a new record. But Newton’s Achilles hurt and his stomach went south in the heat. He reached 74 miles in 9:41:50, almost an hour ahead of schedule but was on a downward spiral.

Newton refused to think of giving up after covering more than 80 miles. He reached 85 miles in 11:24:30 during mid-afternoon, the hottest time of the day with temperatures in the 80s. Soon he started to sway and his crew insisted that he quit. He had no choice and it was the first time he ever quit a record attempt. He reached 86 miles in 11:33:00. He was diagnosed of having sunstroke. After recovering, he agreed that his health was being put at a serious risk.

Unwisely, Newton decided to try 100 miles again just three weeks later on July 22, 1933. He was desperate to “make amends.” His Achilles became inflamed with a week to go, but he was determined. He started at 3:00 a.m., again at Bear Inn in Box. More than 100 people were at the start. Things went well early, but by mile 25 he was noticeably limping. By mile 30 it was clear that he wouldn’t make it and could not run through it. He was very distressed and close to tears and quit again. He said, “I was quite shocked at the disaster and at having given the officials so much work and travel for nothing.” His injuries would last for a long time. He limped for the next ten months. He used the down time for coaching and writing.

1934 100-miler on Bath Road

Finally recovered from his injuries, Newton wanted to try for the 100-mile record one last time in 1934. July 20^th was the day chosen. He wrote, “I went to Bath once more. It was neck or nothing this time and I knew it. Already 51 years old, I couldn’t expect to keep up 700-800 miles a month on my feet indefinitely.” He had run about 95,000 miles during the past 13 years as a runner. Friends came from as far as Africa to watch.

At the end of his run, the time was 14:11:30. Historian, Andy Milroy explained, “This irritated Newton because at the 24-hour indoor race in 1931, Mike McNamara of Australia had reached 100 miles in 14:09:45. Because the Bath Road was believed to be 100.25 miles, Newton claimed that for 100 miles his time would have been five minutes faster, 14:06:00, because of the extra quarter mile.” (But since the Bath Road was laid out a century earlier, because of changes, the entire distance was actually short of 100.25 miles, and short of 100 miles.)

But Newton was also disappointed that he did not break 14 hours. He knew at 51, his age was now a slow-down factor. He knew that would be his last 100-miler. He said, “There remained only one useful alternative, and that was to put my experience at the disposal of other athletes so that they could carry on where I had left off.” Others did come in future years and broke his Bath Road 100 mile record.

News spread around the world about his accomplishment. One journalist remarked, “A committee of medical men should go into a huddle over Arthur Newton and find what he eats, what he drinks, and all about his habits of living. There must be a valuable lesson in all this for mankind in general.”

Retirement from competitive running

Later in 1934, Newton announced his retirement from competitive running. He had run more than 100,000 miles during his career. Even though he no longer raced, he continued to give back to the sport through coaching, writing books, and helping other ultrarunners break records. An old friend, Walter George, who once held the mile world record wrote, “Newton is unquestionably the most phenomenal distance runner the world has ever known. No man in the past has succeeded in doing what he has done and it may be centuries before his records are surpassed.”

By the late 1940s, Newton was still running for pleasure. At age 65 he had cut his daily runs down to less than ten miles. He had taken up cycling and would often ride long distances to Wales and Scotland. He experienced health problems with his eyesight and high blood pressure which began to limit what he could do. In 1951 he was a driving force for reviving the London to Brighton run. He was still revered in South Africa, a legend of the Comrades Marathon.

By 1955, Newton health was seriously failing including increased blindness making any running impossible. At age 72 he was still able to go out for long walks. He received many visitors from people wishing to spend time with one of the all-time great distance runners of the world. Arrangements were made for him to visit South Africa and Rhodesia one last time. He greatly enjoyed the trip. By the late 1950s, Newton was still walking as much as 90 miles per week. During the summer of 1959, it was evident that his time was coming to an end after suffering a minor stroke. He died on September 7, 1959 at Hillingdon Hospital at age 76.

Sadly, Newton soon became forgotten by most. In South Africa he still is referred by some as “Greatheart” in recognition of his many donations of trophies to deserving causes. But he is remembered the most for being a founding father of the Comrades Marathon.

At the course’s halfway point near Drummond, there is a landmark that runners look for called, “Arthur’s Seat.” It was known to be Newton’s favorite resting spot during his five Comrades wins. A Comrades legend is told about Arthur’s Seat that if a runner leaves a flower, tips their cap and says, “Good morning Mr. Newton,” that they would experience a strong second half of the race.

The parts of this 100-mile series:

Sources:

Arthur Newton, Running in Three Continents
Rob Hadgraft, Tea with Mr. Newton: 100,000 Miles – The Longest ‘Protest March’ in History
Mark Whitaker, Running for their Lives: The Extraordinary Story of Britain’s Greatest Ever Distance Runners
Comrades Marathon results
Ian Champion, Arthur Newton’s 100-mile Road Running Record
John Cameron-Dow. Comrades Marathon: The Ultimate Human Race
The Guardian (London, England), Oct 4, 1924, Oct 4, 1924, Dec 10, 1927
The Boston Globe (Massachusetts), Nov 15, 1924
The Bridgeport Telegram (Connecticut), Jul 12, 1927
Hartford Courant (Connecticut), Aug 16, 1927
The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington), Mar 20, 1925
The Province (Vancouver, Canada), Apr 6, 1931
The Iola Register (Kansas), Jan 17, 1934
Sioux City Journal (Iowa), Mar 4, 1934
The Windsor Star (Ontario, Canada), Aug 17, 1934
The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada), Sep 8, 1959

59: The 100-miler – Part 6 (1927-1934) Arthur Newton

By Davy Crockett

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