page_title: Arthur Keily
section_title: Competitive career
hierarchical_section_title: Arthur Keily / Competitive career
caption_attribution_description: Arthur Keily's Running Shoes
context_page_description: Arthur Patrick Keily was a British marathon runner. Originally an amateur footballer, Keily served during the Second World War and, upon his return to England, was placed on the reserve list of his former team and never again made it to the field. He took up long-distance running at the age of 28 and finished twenty-seven marathons during his career, finishing first in eleven of them and on the podium in six more. He set nine world records. After unsuccessful appearances at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and the 1960 Summer Olympics, he retired from active competition, but re-entered the sport at the master's level in the 1990s.
context_section_description: Keily did not take an interest in competitive running until he was 28, after one of his brothers joined the Derby and County Athletic Club. In 1949 Arthur joined the club as well (as did, eventually, all six of his male siblings), but did not participate in his first marathon until 1953, finishing 12th in an event that spanned from Doncaster to Sheffield. One year later, however, it was in this race that he recorded his first victory, completing the course in 2:30:45, five seconds ahead of the previous year's champion. Between his first victory and his appearance at the 1960 Summer Olympics, he competed in twenty-seven local and international marathons, winning eleven of them and placing within the top three in an additional six. He was soon chosen as club captain and helped them become national champions in 1960 after instituting a more difficult training routine. He was stricter still with himself and, in his prime, ran more than 130 miles a week as part of his training regimen.
  After failing to qualify for the 1956 Summer Olympics, Keily participated in the Košice Marathon twice, finishing 12th in 1956 and 6th in 1957, and then attended the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games as a representative for England, completing the marathon in 12th position after falling ill shortly before the race.
  His final stop was the 1960 Summer Olympics marathon in Rome, and he led the pack through twelve miles. The fast start resulted in an eventual world record for winner, Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila, though Keily faded to place 25th in a field of 69 competitors in the marathon. He blamed his performance on the team's arrival too late to acclimate to Rome's conditions. During this period Keily also participated in twenty-one British national road relays, helping set new records in thirteen of them, but he retired from active competition following his sole Olympic appearance. He had set nine world records during his career: the half marathon, the track marathon, 15, 30, and 45 miles, 45, 50, and 60 km, and the furthest distance run in three hours.
caption: Arthur Keily's running shoes
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