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| “I Also Ran by Mike Who?...” | by: Anon. 15th Aug 2010 11:19:51 |
 I Also Ran by Mike Who ? Book available for sale in the next 2 weeks. This has been printed and will be dispatched in the next week.(7th June) “Mike Who?” is the pen name of Mike Fleet, former International Athlete and Loughborough trained Physical Education Specialist. He topped the UK 880yds/ 800m rankings in three separate years, as a junior, as a senior and finally as an age 30 runner. He was an international “half miler” in the 1960s, racing as often as he could and sometimes winning too! He reached the final of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games 880yds in Perth Western Australia in 1962, but failed to achieve his ambition of Olympic selection for the Tokyo Games in 1964. He is now a coach, starter, field judge and announcer. He maintains the keenest of interest in the sport, travelling the world in support of Team GB, with a particular interest in 400m star Martyn Rooney whom he coached from age twelve to eighteen. Seemingly non-stop with his camera, Mike retains a vast photographic archive of the action, from which he regularly raises donations for Cardiac Risk in the Young. He served on A.A.A., Surrey A.A and Croydon Harriers committees, the latter his only English athletics club, for 42 years as General Secretary and still sits on committee as team manager and press officer. A great believer in motivation, Mike does not always pursue the traditional path. His quirky sense of humour is exemplified by the fact that while teaching geography at Trinity School in Croydon, he never awarded stars or merits for good work, but gave imaginary feathers instead! At the end of each term the student credited with the most feathers won the right to wear a resplendent Red Indian head-dress, hired from the charity theatre props outlet at the local children’s hospital. Similarly in the athletics squad context, Mike rewards the top weekly achievers in his training group, the MFG, by nominating them as Ferrari T shirt winners, earning the right for a photograph to be taken for posterity. As one who has travelled the world extensively, to Africa, Asia, Australia and North America and nearer to home Europe and the home countries, Mike the son of a salesman, is well aware of what sells things. Without wishing to implicate himself or any others who feature in the main body of the book by the mention of sex, Mike simply wishes it to be known that he ran against Essex, Middlesex and Sussex, and that he remains eternally grateful to Alan Sexton who unwittingly inspired him in absentia, the legendary athletic Old Boy of the Whitgift Middle now Trinity School of John Whitgift in Croydon. His response on official forms in the section devoted to sex has never been a banal yes, but steadfastly male! On the question seeking nationality he steadfastly deletes irrelevant options and proudly declares that he is English. No longer a sexagenarian, Mike ever dynamic aims in this book of advice, anecdotes, coincidences, experiences, forecasts and records, to entertain, motivate and sell sport in the widest sense possible. His message is that it must be used to the full as the route to wonderful experiences and lasting friendships. Read on soon….. The book will be available for sale later this year. More information regarding reserving a copy in advance will be known shortly. | |