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Tom McNab: Flanagan’s Run (unabridged)

Read by Rupert Degas

Tom McNab: Flanagan’s Run (unabridged)

Read by Rupert Degas

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About

During the Depression the ebullient American entrepreneur Charles Flanagan assembles 2,000 runners from all corners of the earth, to run from Los Angeles to New York for prize-money of $150,000. Flanagan’s Trans-America runners face 3,000 miles, across the Mojave desert and the frozen Rockies, running a daily average of 50 miles for three months. The American sports establishment, however, is desperate to crush what it sees as a professional challenge to the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. Every day is therefore a struggle for survival, for Flanagan himself as well as the runners. Flanagan’s Run is an epic tale, and a testimony to the strength of the human spirit.

Contents and tracklist

Chapter 1: Los Angeles
Track length6:25
There were only three miles to Los Angeles…
Track length5:33
'Your name, mister?' asked an attractive blonde girl…
Track length6:12
Chapter 2: Flanagan Meets the Press
Track length5:36
'But the Coliseum, boss? Two thousand men…'
Track length9:02
'James Ferris, The Times of London.'
Track length7:03
Carl Liebnitz, of the New York Times…
Track length7:15
'Munaur, Paris Match. Is there any truth…'
Track length6:44
Chapter 3: The Broo Park
Track length6:34
Then, after two years at the mine…
Track length6:08
Hugh felt the hair on the back of his neck rise…
Track length6:29
'I'd like you to see someone,' said Stevie…
Track length6:21
Hugh did not even glance at him…
Track length4:39
The 'tanner-a-man' matches were desperate affairs…
Track length5:00
Meanwhile Jimmy G. had kept the final part…
Track length5:47
Chapter 4: The Press Meets Doc Cole
Track length6:40
He had gone bald early in middle-age…
Track length6:51
'Carl Liebnitz.' The thin panama-hatted journalist…
Track length6:33
'What do you mean by only racing the last…'
Track length7:19
Chapter 5: The Start
Track length6:15
'… Go!' The explosion of the gun…
Track length5:54
The race had already divided into four…
Track length5:16
The area beyond the bannered finish…
Track length6:16
Oddly enough, they did not act like competitors…
Track length7:55
Chapter 6: The Girl from Minsky's
Track length5:00
'Sit down, Miss…?' said Flanagan…
Track length6:07
Flanagan slowly poured out two further glasses…
Track length6:03
'Well,' said Doc at last. 'You certainly do…'
Track length7:26
Chapter 7: Morgan's Story
Track length6:46
Sharpe blew smoke into the icy air…
Track length5:59
Only his instincts kept him in contention…
Track length6:00
A hush fell upon the crowd. Morgan turned…
Track length6:41
Chapter 8: Across the Mojave
Track length6:06
They were now deep into the Mojave…
Track length5:51
Doc watched the first hundred-odd finishers…
Track length5:55
Kate had never realized that there were men like this…
Track length5:45
Chapter 9: Into the Devil's Playground
Track length4:55
Behind them, in thirtieth position, Doc could see…
Track length3:19
Two miles ahead, Doc decided it was time…
Track length7:12
And Morgan. Morgan did not appear to acknowledge…
Track length7:30
An hour later Flanagan looked out of his caravan…
Track length7:47
There was a moment's silence, then another…
Track length4:57
Doc next drew out from his knapsack…
Track length5:39
Chapter 10: Cross-Country to Las Vegas
Track length8:03
'A real ball-buster,' said Doc…
Track length6:03
Unaware of Flanagan's problems…
Track length5:52
Albert Koch looked up apologetically…
Track length5:51
As the rain lashed down, Kate was glad…
Track length5:07
Meanwhile Doc and Hugh tumbled crazily downstream…
Track length5:10
Chapter 11: The Meadow with Many Streams
Track length4:55
After that things had happened quickly
Track length4:49
Las Vegas, 27 March 1931.
Track length7:06
'Now see here, Mr. Flaherty,' he said…
Track length6:11
'Vegas,' said Doc at last…
Track length5:47
'Christ, you don't know the half of it…'
Track length6:18
In another corner of the tent Flaherty…
Track length9:04
'What exactly do you intend, Mr. Clay?'
Track length8:21
Chapter 12: The Picnic Games
Track length6:02
Half an hour later Flanagan was to find out…
Track length5:43
The tall Texan, Kane, stood up…
Track length5:39
The two hundred miles into the town…
Track length6:53
Elsewhere in McPhee things were going…
Track length4:39
The crowd, composed mainly of Americans…
Track length6:49
The caber itself weighed about a hundred and twenty pounds…
Track length6:24
'I've got to give credit where credit is due…'
Track length5:49
'A song,' he said again.
Track length4:37
Flanagan's mind, though blurred, sensed danger…
Track length5:52
Twenty minutes later all was ready…
Track length6:21
Chapter 13: Moment of Truth
Track length6:41
'So how many do you reckon will make it…?'
Track length6:38
Hugh pulled down his sombrero…
Track length7:27
Morgan looked around him…
Track length7:00
'Sprinting,' said Lord Farne loudly…
Track length6:22
This time Hugh did not sweat at all…
Track length6:03
Hugh shook his head…
Track length6:16
Chapter 14: Across the Rockies
Track length3:05
In Europe, every nation with runners…
Track length6:19
'Bullard,' Hoover mused…
Track length5:53
Muller and Stock, after a fruitless appeal…
Track length5:59
The field was telescoping…
Track length6:29
'And what did you think of the idea?'
Track length5:57
At 10 a.m. next morning, 15 April 1931…
Track length6:01
Eventually the snow started to thin…
Track length8:17
Chapter 15: Denver: A Thousand Miles On
Track length6:05
'Could you be just a bit more specific…?'
Track length6:31
Bill Campbell of the Glasgow Herald…
Track length6:28
Ernest Bullard decided that it was time…
Track length5:30
Doc Cole stood up, pre-empting Flanagan…
Track length6:47
As the conference broke up…
Track length4:57
Hugh stood alone in the noisy, crowded room…
Track length4:38
Chapter 16: King of the Wharf
Track length5:26
Flanagan's mind travelled back…
Track length5:10
'So what's that got to do with the Trans-America?'
Track length6:10
'Perhaps it might help if I tell you…'
Track length7:50
'And that's where Toffler comes in?' said Flanagan…
Track length7:33
The two men walked back slowly…
Track length8:22
Chapter 17: The Gamble
Track length6:38
'I'll tell you so what,' Doc shouted…
Track length9:02
The rhythmic tapping of Dixie's typewriter…
Track length8:28
2 May, 1931: Nine hundred and seventy eight men…
Track length4:27
'Thank God for that,' said Doc…
Track length7:11
Chapter 18: Doc in Trouble
Track length6:12
The cars of local sightseers blew dust…
Track length6:07
He scowled. Only ten miles…
Track length5:47
1 May 1931: It was getting better.
Track length5:33
Two miles ahead, at the front of the pack…
Track length6:38
The boy, who could not have been more than nine or ten…
Track length7:59
Doc was as good as his word…
Track length6:57
Chapter 19: St Louis: Man versus Horse
Track length5:59
Men who themselves lack physical ability…
Track length5:57
Betting was now down to nine to one against…
Track length4:55
1:30 p.m., 10 May 1931.
Track length7:09
1:45 p.m. Thurleigh, Morgan and McPhail…
Track length7:09
He felt the roughness of the grit of the track…
Track length7:47
'Finished,' said Doc a moment later…
Track length7:01
'Prepare yourselves, gentlemen.'
Track length7:44
Another bugle from the hillside…
Track length7:34
All in all, the city of St. Louis…
Track length6:39
'One final matter,' he said…
Track length7:08
Chapter 20: The Big Fight
Track length6:56
Many men went down after the first punch…
Track length6:11
'The booth fight of the century,' he bellowed…
Track length8:15
It was like the old days, only Doc had never…
Track length5:58
He lowered his voice to a whisper…
Track length5:25
The two men gave the crowd…
Track length5:56
Somehow Morgan was able to keep on…
Track length7:03
Chapter 21: Showdown with Toffler
Track length7:20
'Let me get this clear,' said Flanagan…
Track length7:19
Charles C. Flanagan was back in his rocking-chair…
Track length6:19
Lily looked at him…
Track length6:55
Chapter 22: Meeting Mr. Capone
Track length6:51
This time it was different…
Track length6:12
Like all industrial cities of the north…
Track length6:33
On his right, a black Ford limousine…
Track length6:33
At 11 a.m. on the morning of 24 May…
Track length7:55
'Well,' said Capone, 'what else do you want?'
Track length7:05
Chapter 23: End of the Road
Track length6:00
At the top the position changed almost daily…
Track length8:06
'Wait a minute,' said Flanagan…
Track length5:56
'So what are you going to do?' said Willard…
Track length5:31
Flanagan was not found, however…
Track length6:04
Edgar J. Hoover's flat, square face…
Track length6:57
'Charles Rae, Washington Post.'
Track length8:02
Chapter 24: Marathon
Track length6:38
The Dorando marathon triggered…
Track length5:12
His concentration was broken by a knock…
Track length5:38
2:15 p.m. Saturday, 20 June 1931.
Track length5:26
Liebnitz found Maurice Falconer standing…
Track length5:58
Six miles in thirty-three minutes and nine seconds…
Track length5:59
Kate Sheridan saw the figures '220'…
Track length6:37
With five miles to go, as she crossed…
Track length7:30
Postscript
Track length1:50
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