Photo: Go-As-You-Please Run, Lisburn, 1907
The Great Go-As-You-Please Race, comprising 26 miles from Belfast to Lugan took place on a rainy day in June 1907. The 461 competitors, all from amateur athletic clubs, took off from Belfast and ran via Balmoral, Lisburn, Hillsborough, Dromore, Waringston and then Lurgan. There was a six-hour cut off, and the winner was Felix. W. Furlonger, Belfast, who completed the run in 3hrs 8 mins. The current world record (May, 2020) is just over 2 hrs! He won an additional prize for being the first man past Duncan’s Drapery Store, Market Square!