Alfred Shrubb
Encyclopedia
Alfred "Alfie" Shrubb was an English
middle distance runner
. During an amateur career lasting from 1899 to 1905 (when he was barred from amateur competition for receiving payment for running) and a professional career from 1905 to 1912 he won over 1,000 races of about 1,800 started. At the peak of his career he was virtually unbeatable at distances up to 15 miles, often racing against relay teams so that the race would be more competitive. On November 4, 1904, at Ibrox Park, Glasgow
, he broke the one-hour
record as well as all amateur records from six to eleven miles, and all professional records from eight to eleven miles, running eleven miles, 1,137 yards (18.742 km) in one hour. This record was not broken until 1951. Altogether he set 28 world records.
He raced ten times against the great marathoner Tom Longboat
, winning all the races shorter than 20 miles and losing all the longer races.
In 1908 he became coach of the Harvard University
cross-country team, leading it to a national title. From 1919 to 1928 he coached the Oxford University Athletics Club.
In 1928 Alfred made his home permanently in Canada. He died in Bowmanville, Ontario
in 1964 and is commemorated by the annual Alfie Shrubb Museum Run in Bowmanville.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
middle distance runner
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
. During an amateur career lasting from 1899 to 1905 (when he was barred from amateur competition for receiving payment for running) and a professional career from 1905 to 1912 he won over 1,000 races of about 1,800 started. At the peak of his career he was virtually unbeatable at distances up to 15 miles, often racing against relay teams so that the race would be more competitive. On November 4, 1904, at Ibrox Park, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, he broke the one-hour
Hour run
The one hour run is an athletics event in which competitors try to cover as much distance as possible within one hour. While officially recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as a track event, it is rarely contested apart from occasional world record attempts.The event...
record as well as all amateur records from six to eleven miles, and all professional records from eight to eleven miles, running eleven miles, 1,137 yards (18.742 km) in one hour. This record was not broken until 1951. Altogether he set 28 world records.
He raced ten times against the great marathoner Tom Longboat
Tom Longboat
Cogwagee was an Onondaga distance runner from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation Indian reserve near Brantford, Ontario, and for much of his career the dominant long distance runner of the time...
, winning all the races shorter than 20 miles and losing all the longer races.
In 1908 he became coach of the Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
cross-country team, leading it to a national title. From 1919 to 1928 he coached the Oxford University Athletics Club.
In 1928 Alfred made his home permanently in Canada. He died in Bowmanville, Ontario
Bowmanville, Ontario
Bowmanville is the largest community in the Municipality of Clarington in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario about 75 km east of Toronto and 15 km east of Oshawa along Highway 2...
in 1964 and is commemorated by the annual Alfie Shrubb Museum Run in Bowmanville.