Keith and I became friends as part of a group of youngsters who were members of our local athletics club.  Being both dark-haired, spectacle-wearing lads of similar size and stature, we were often referred to “the twins”.  We trained together and Keith, a talented runner, took me under his wing.  However, after beating me by half a lap in a one-mile run, he soon realised it was a waste of time so I moved into officiating!  Being the only person with a car, I became team manager of the walking section and Keith, who’d been experiencing injuries through running, joined the team.  Even as his ‘second choice’ of sport I still couldn’t manage to keep pace with Keith.

Keith bought himself a convertible sports car (to attract the girls!) and we used to drive around wearing bobble hats to keep our heads warm.  Returning from a race one Saturday afternoon he took his eyes off the road (to view an attractive girl!), crashed into a traffic island at Wanstead flats and ended up getting towed home by a breakdown truck.  

As a group we enjoyed very many social activities in the 1960/70s including a memorable caravan holiday at Perranporth in Cornwall.  As the photo illustrates, there was plenty of tom-foolery going on.  I recall that, having fully buried me in the sand, Keith and his fellow pranksters went off for a walk before thankfully returning to my rescue!

Keith met Pam, also a promising athlete, at my 21st birthday party, and when they later married I was privileged to be the best man at their wedding.  In the years since, Keith spent more and more time abroad so opportunities to meet up obviously diminished.  On one of his trips back Keith and Pam accompanied me to form a 5-man team to compete in the unique Airolo-Chiasso walking relay across Switzerland.  We did manage to keep in touch over the years, initially through direct social contact with Pam who was part of the race walking scene, and in more recent years occasionally exchanging views and news via the wonders of technology.  

So many long-held memories spring to mind of experiences shared with our friend Keith, reminding us of the carefree days of our youth.

My condolences to the family and friends of Keith Phillips RIP.