A Lifelong Passion for Running

By Andrew Coe (Hf 55)

I “found” running at Uppingham. Annoyed not to be selected for the 1st XI cricket at 15, my thinking was that if I won races, they would have to select me! Giving up all thoughts of cricket, I won the 880 yards and mile and was Captain of Cross Country and remember being in the Highfield team that won The Routh.

I still have a film of me winning the school mile by half a lap. Rules were strict. No running unless it was representing the School, but I learned that rules could be broken! My mother drove from Norwich to pick me up after lunch taking me to Norfolk to win the Norfolk Junior Mile, and got me back in time for the evening meal. No one at Uppingham ever knew.

Dick Smith, the Uppingham milkman and “maybe poacher”, used to do the same on winter Saturdays and take me to run for Kettering Harriers. I hid in the back of his van and drank his recommended magic potion consisting of sherry, milk and an egg! With the long spikes and cinder tracks wrecking my Achilles and the need to earn a living, my running career did not last long, but my passion remained. I attended the magical Rome Olympic games in 1960 with an Uppingham friend, John Margetson (WD 56), and running became an all-consuming passion for the rest of my life.

I have been at every Olympic track and field session since 1988, nine Olympics, apart from the last in Tokyo. In Barcelona ‘92 and Atlanta ’96, I was the official photographer to the British Olympic team.

Andrew Coe (Hf 55) torchbearer at

The London 2012 Summer Olympics

Although my event competing was hampered due to work and family commitments, I always promised myself that one day, when I retired, I would run again (I still haven’t retired). Time passes quickly and it was not until four years ago I thought it’s now or never! At 78, I began to train for 800 metres for international races in my age group. To begin with, nothing more than a very slow jog for a few minutes was possible. At least half the time out with injuries. The competition is mind-blowing, some opponents having been doing nothing else for 25 years.

At last, I think I may be fast enough to compete and begin in the European Masters in Finland. My target is to win races in my age group at 85 in three years’ time.

The health benefits of the training are enormous. I find I can run 5km, play golf, drive an hour for business meetings and walk our dogs, all in a day. I know that I am extremely fortunate and am very grateful and humbled to be able to do this, experiencing the exhilaration and thrill of running I first found at Uppingham.

Highfield Routh Team, 1959

L to R Richard Rayworth (Hf 55), Richard ‘Andrew’ Coe (Hf 55), Edward Horsfall (Hf 54) and James Lodder (Hf 54).

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There are many more inspirational runners throughout the OU community, and we were delighted to hear from some of this year’s London Marathon participants, including Wyn Fanshaw (WB 65), Ashley Grote (Hf 95), Lily Johnson (L 12), Eliza (Sa 13) and Imogen (C 13) Ross-Smith and Phoebe Aldrich (Fd 13)

Read their stories in our extended content on the OU website via the QR code.