History page

The race was first run on Thursday 7 July 1977 so it has a long history.  In those days, men were men, and runners wore cotton t-shirts.  A beer at lunchtime was the norm - one of the "losers", Mark Healey is shown here "drowning his sorrows" after the first race, which was won by Geoff Harold.  That first race was outside the Doggett's Pub, but the start moved to it's current position next to Westminster Bridge in the early 80s.  Here's a cutting from that first race.

First started by Stan Allen, the runners were called the Fleet Street Harriers, but the Bridges Race term had been coined by then.  Here's an image used on the certificate for the 25th race on July 1979.

In the early 1980s, Lensbury Athletics Club took over the race, and labelled it the Lensbury Bridge's Race.  You'll still see some people call it the Lensbury to this day.  Here's the image used on the certificate from the 200th race on 9th February 1994.

 In June 2006, John Hanscomb (pictured) donated what was then called the "WJH Trophy", but is now just the "Hanscomb Trophy".  That trophy is, to this day, still awarded to the runner who finishes first in the handicap race - albeit if it's your first run, you can't win.  And, as Peter Torre will tell you, the cup always  requires a clean and polish before the next race.

 The race continued every second Wednesday through the noughties and the 2010s, run by a succession of people from Jeremy Barber, Guy Lawrenson and Terry Dawson, Paul Oakes, and finally Richard Whiting (pictured, left).  Then COVID struck and disaster fell.  The final race before the COVID lockdown was on Wednesday 11th March, when Richard signed off with "Take care! Stay safe! But keep on running!".  Here is Peter Dry, one of the last winners of the trophy before lockdown struck, in January 2020.

The race was finally resurrected with the help of Richard Whiting, when Richard Patient took it over in July 2023.

Michael Hinton reminisces - February 2017

My first appearance in the race was May 1979, when under 20 took part. It had been going for about 2 years, and was started by Stan Allen and a few journalists. It was called the Fleet Street Harriers Bridges Race and was a 2.8 miles handicap.  It was once a month with the start time at 12.30. We started on the south side of Blackfriars Bridge, up the South Embankment to Westminster Bridge, down the Embankment and finished where we started on Blackfriars Bridge, all went off at intervals.

I did 16 runs under this name; the 16th run was Stan Allen's last as he was moving jobs. As a celebration the final run under Stan was arranged for the evening after work. All entrants were asked to turn up in fancy dress and for this last one we were all going to start together.

This was in November 1980, 30 of us on the start line and what a sight we all looked. I was dressed as a majorette in bright green with a sash. Me and one other took it seriously, not realising they were going to be going in and out of establishments doing the conga on the way round.

Me and the washerwomen hared off at race pace, and didn't look round till we got to Westminster Bridge, looking back we couldn't see any one behind. As we were now in a battle neck and neck we carried on, getting some funny looks from late commuters on their way home, must have looked daft, me a majorette at 5' 6 and the washerwomen at 6' plus. I got away from him nearing Blackfriars Bridge and came home for my only win to be told it wasn't serious.

The following month Lensbury A.C. took it on and I did another 22 races before finishing in February 1984.

When Lensbury took over, the start and finish were moved to the South Embankment just before Westminster Bridge. By then it had grown to over a 100 entrants.

Geoff Harrold, one of the originals, writes in 27 March 2006

Hi there,

Just a few words about the race history since my article in Running Fitness was just a bit exaggerated - not a lot, just a bit. As Stan Allen said in his note, we started with six runners. The intention was, initially, to encourage IPC workers to take up running and boost our London Business Houses team - not that we were bad, we had three marathon runners in the team who had notched up 2:20, 2:22 and 2:26.

The size of the monthly field soon expanded throughout the 1970s and class, young runners came from all over London to belt round the 2 1/2 mile (approx) course which headed west past the National Theatre, crossed Westminster Bridge northwards, ran eastwards under Waterloo Bridge and finished where it started on Blackfriars Bridge outside the Doggetts Coat & Badge pub.

There are a number of stories associated with those first four years, a lot of them featuring cub reporter David Cocksedge. One repeatable tale has David driving for home down the northern Embankment, hugging the inside line. Ahead of him is a lunchtime worker who, without being aware of the human drama playing out behind him, is drifting towards the parapet. Gritting his teeth, the crusading journalist rushed through the narrowing gap and was clear!

Unfortunately, David's pumping fists punched office-worker's (probably much anticipated) sandwiches out of his hand and into the river. Everyone at the Blackfriars Bridge finish remarked on Cocksedge's lively finishing speed.

For the 25th race Stan decided every competitor that day deserved a memento and I duly designed a certificate with Bash Street-like figures pouring round the course, avoiding various obstacles - one unfortunate competitor seemed to be handicapped by a tourist who was attached by his teeth to the runner's leg. Well, you know as well as I that these things happen. Also featured on the certificate was Stan, myself, DC and Dave Clark of the then Verlea AC. Stan laminated each certificate with a sixpence trapped inside - it was our silver anniversary, we didn't think then that the race would reach and pass its real silver anniversary!

I have only run the handicap once since IPC moved to Sutton in 1980 - although I didn't go south, I took a handsome redundancy payment and moved on to freelancing and editing Athletics Monthly and then Marathon & Distance Runner. Some of you may remember them. I took part in the 20 years birthday race which was still over the original course but starting and finishing in front of the Shell Building. Stan turned up along with Paul Oates so at least half that original field was present  20 years later - the London Marathon couldn't claim that!

I am girding myself to attempt the race once more, it's a good course, it used to part of one of my lunchtime training runs and I really need to get a few runs in before the 30th birthday next year.

Geoff Harrold

Founder Stan Allen writes: 

We started with 6 on the 7/7/77 and once had over 100 runners. We finished the first series with a Fancy Dress evening run. Ask Tom Everit what he wore! The first series finished when IPC moved from Paris Gardens to Sutton round about 1980. The Highgate Holland Brothers took over and moved the start to outside the Shell building, still using our route. Come the Big Wheel and the race moved to the other side of Westminster Bridge. For the 25th running we presented certificates with a silver six penny piece stuck on. Geoff Harrold designed the certificate.  

Other races that have been inspired by the Three Bridges

There are plenty of other races that have been inspired over the years by this race.  One is http://l2sotm.longparish.org.uk/. Another is an HMRC one - when they relocated from central London to Westfield in Stratford, they found a suitable course inside the Olympic Park and started their own handicap race (also taking place on the second Wednesday of the month).

Another is a paid annual race that uses the same course https://stockexchangeac.org/?page_id=387.

Our roll of honour over time

Here's a link to our roll of honour - people who have won the race going back to 2006.

The old course - warning - course has been changed since the below

The course has been pretty much the same since Lensbury took it over in 1982.  However, there is one important change - before the construction of the Super Sewer began, runners used to go past MI6 on the river side, and then up the steps.  Since construction began, we've gone the other way around MI6.  Here's a great set of pictures probably shot in the noughties, showing the previous route.  Your guide is Jeremy Barber.  Since then, of course, there's been a great deal of development that's changed the scenery of our route.

See some pictures from a race in 2002

March 2009

Conditions were good for Guy Lawrenson's swansong race as organiser though only 8 of the 28 competitors beat their handicaps so something must have slowed us down. If you weren't too tired you may have noticed the unofficial marshal as you cam off the last Bridge. It was Leslie Thomas who has emailed to say, “I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed watching the race, so thank you for organising it month in and out.” Those words are particularly apt because Guy has retired after three years as organiser and Paul Oakes has taken over. Guy improved communications and the way the results are done and he has revitalised the race. The number of runners has doubled and we have a waiting list. Thanks Guy and good luck Paul.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to Guys pewter mug. Your generous support will enable us to buy the real one to replace the dummy John presented and have it suitably engraved. There may even be a bit left to fill it! The last picture includes a random baby because his/her mother kindly took the picture so we could all get in. Finally, congratulations to Andy Robinson who won the cup and there's good news that we'll be able to take a couple of people from the waiting list next time.

If you want to explore more about this famous historic race, including the course, here's the old website - http://thespaceinvader.co.uk/bridges/