Conversations with Larry Podcast: The History of John Disley and the London Marathon

John Disley was the 1952 bronze medalist in the Olympic steeplechase. In 1955, he paced his friend, Chris Brasher, to the Olympic qualifier for the steeplechase, en route to breaking the British record for the steeplechase. His friend, Chris Brasher would go on to win the 1956 Olympic race of that distance and name. Disley and Brasher co founded the London marathon in 1981. That year, 7000 ran, and in 2016, nearly 39,500 started. The memorial service held for Mr. Disley on April 14 gave me just an idea of how full and rich his life was, from his mountaneering to his involvement in orienteering, as well as a husband and father. Here is my take on one of the men who founded the London Marathon. John Disley is, as one vicar noted, “The Welshman who got all of Great Britain running.”