The Ghost Runner: John Tarrant's story of triumph and tragedy
Easter Monday, 1957. A heavy gloom settled over Doncaster as crowds gathered for the half marathon ending in Sheffield.
A spectator huddled beneath a long coat and a large hat had thrown his disguise clear, revealing his racing attire as he jumped, numberless, into the race. The spectators thundered their approval, and the stewards flailed as he skipped around them to join the runners disappearing down the road. However, in 1940, with their mother's health failing and their father called up to man London's anti-aircraft batteries, the brothers were sent to Lamorbey Children's Home in Kent. There they would remain for the next seven years.
"He used running as his psychological help," says Nicola Tyler, who is chair of the Ghost Runners running club in Hereford and was trained by Tarrant's brother Vic for many years.In 1949, aged 17, Tarrant took up boxing and participated in Buxton's inaugural fight night. He competed a further seven times over two years, earning himself a total of £17 - worth about £400 today.
Two weeks later a letter arrived returning his six shillings subscription fee. He was informed that he was now banned from amateur athletics for life - including events such as the de facto British championships and trial races for Olympic selection. He bombarded officials with replies, pleading his case, but to no avail.
As the race began, he attached himself to the leading pack before bursting clear after 11 miles. Rarely one for finesse or race strategy, Tarrant would come with one gear - full throttle - and a relentless, almost reckless approach to competition. And yet, despite the official line, Tarrant had become a hugely popular character who would be cheered on by hundreds, sometimes thousands, of spectators.
His dream of running at the Olympics crushed, Tarrant nonetheless went on to dominate the domestic scene, establishing himself as one of the best long-distance runners in Britain. South Africa's Comrades Marathon, linking Durban and Pietermaritzburg, describes itself as the oldest ultra-marathon in the world, stretching for about 55 miles through KwaZulu-Natal province.
His second Comrades looked like being a complete disaster but was salvaged by a gutsy display that saw him finish 28th after suffering debilitating stomach issues along the way - far beyond what had seemed possible at halfway. The following year the number of white runners doubled, with a 15-year-old Dave Upfold, who had begun training with Tarrant occasionally, also competing."In 1971 we simply weren't allowed to compete together, but there was nothing."By 1975, the Comrades was fully integrated with women and all ethnicities taking part, and Tarrant was certainly part of that."
By mile 60 he was struggling badly, alternating between walking and slowly jogging, with race leader Ron Bentley 17 minutes ahead. The once imperious ghost was fading dramatically and few held much hope of him finishing, let alone winning.
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