Was this Tad's finest Hour? - Centenary Marathon, July 2008 - Windsor Castle IntroductionTad died suddenly on Monday, 14th March. He had been Club Treasurer since the 100 Marathon Club was re-constituted at the end of 2005. Although not seen on the running circuit as much, Tad was still a very popular and well respected person. Below are memories of Tad from members of the 100 Marathon Club. 1st
Marathon: April 1983 - London Roger
Biggs MORE PHOTOS AT THE BOTTOM Memories of Tadeusz Lancucki I guess I've known Tad for quite a few years, although it was into this century before he started featuring in trips with me. The 1st one I have any note of was a trip to Liechtenstein in June 2001. By then Tad had already been retired 8 years, and as he put it, could afford the extra time to save a little money. So when we arrived into Zurich Airport, Tad had arrived the night before, slept in the Airport, and had the railway tickets all worked out, and that's something with the Swiss system. Without too much trouble, I've found another 12 trips since then, the last being in October 2009 in Bilbao, Spain. He did however bring Nephew Ziggy plus the 2 John's (father & son), to Tenby in September 2010 to celebrate my 100th consecutive week. They only ran the half marathon, but it was great that they made the journey. A stronger friendship with Tad came when we got together in 2005 with Peter Graham, to re-constitute the 100 Marathon Club. Tad has been the Treasurer since that time, myself the Chairman. Tad's house became the regular home for the Committee meetings, while I often found myself round there just for a game or two of snooker. Of course, running & the 100 Marathon Club would never have been far away from a topic of conversation. Committee meetings will never be the same again, in fact, nor will life. I will miss that quiet way he did things, and the way he bounded up and down the escalators, with me struggling in his wake. He was the person I bounced ideas off, and sent my notes for correction. My parents & In-Laws all lived into their 80's, in fact 3 into their 90's. They died when they should have, Tad has not, becoming the closest friend/relation I have ever lost before their time, and it hurts. Tad, you will be sorely missed for more reasons than you will ever know. Roger Biggs ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I had the pleasure of meeting Tad at many strange locations around the world to run marathons (Sahara, Bali). He invited me into his home often when I passed through London on marathon trips. I was looking forward to such a visit this summer and to spend some 'Q' time with a good friend and a wonderful person. I am deeply saddened by this tragedy and will miss Tad dearly. John 'Maddog' Wallace ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ There is only one word to describe any outing or
trip with Tad "An Adventure" It was only after the 100 Marathon Club was passed
to me by my good friend Brian Doherty that I first met Tad. I was running
the club but it was becoming too much and as more and more things needed and
basically I needed HELP !!!! Peter Graham Spent many a good day & nights out with Tad. 1st Pathos Marathon we had a great time trekking off road in a jeep and ended up at a mountain tavana then having a quiz and a singsong on the way back down with Ray Hoyle driving. Watching a live band in Stornaway with me and Claire and having a few beers.also will never forget the time we first met him when he gave me and Martin a lift in his Bristol classic car after the Polytechnic Marathon back in the early 90`s.Great memories will miss him lots. Pete Morris ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I only met him a few times but he loved music and enjoyed himself, shame he never completed his goal of a marathon in every country, nice bloke. Claire Morris ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I was totally shocked to hear the very sad news of
Tad's death. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tad Lancucki – A Good Mate. I first recall meeting Tad at Hereford. We had left our hotel booking a little late and Mary and I booked into what could only be described as a terrible place. There were all sorts of commotion during the night. When we went for breakfast next morning there was Tad tucking in. He did like his food! He was the only person I knew who consistently ate more than me. I immediately struck up a friendship with him. We both were trying to complete our first 100 marathons at the same time so we began to see a lot of each other. We didn’t always stay together. Tad tended to stay "downmarket". But he more than made up for this when it came to eating and drinking. He didn’t mind slumming it with the occasional hamburger and he always brought his own sannies (mountains of them) for consumption on our journeys, particularly on budget airlines! But this somewhat frugal fare was paradoxically complemented by the frequent sumptuous meal. I have had some pleasurable foodie experiences with Tad. Indeed, I often wondered whether the food and drink or running was our primary purpose in travelling to some places! I got caught up with Tad’s fascination for collecting island races. We had many a memorable trip to these, particularly the first Faroes Marathon, Sardinia and Jersey. I remember after the Jersey Marathon Mary and I went off with him to Longueville Manor. I had never heard of the place and Tad had not said any more than it had good reports. We were not at all well dressed. We had a couple of beers after the run before setting off in our hire car. Not sure of the route and without a map, I asked for directions from a lady about to get into her rather expensive sports car. She knew exactly how to get there but quipped that we must be rich! I started getting the message when we arrived at the place and the guy came out to park the car. We then had an umpteen-course meal with a different wine for each course. Tad was in his element engaging a very knowledgeable sommelier in deep and detailed discussion about each wine. He did know his wines. It was a very enjoyable if somewhat expensive experience. Another memorable experience was our joint trip to Bergamo – out Saturday, home Sunday evening. We entered the marathon on-line and presented ourselves at registration to collect our numbers. Consternation as the lady explained that we would not be allowed to run as it was an Italian Championship event and only runners registered with the Italian Association could run. We could however run in the Half Marathon! A couple of French runners were experiencing the same problem. Neither of them could speak English or Italian but the official and I could speak reasonable French. So, we started negotiating in French. Tad couldn’t speak French so he repaired to the café opposite to quaff a few beers, leaving me and our new-found French friends to it. After nearly 3 hours of discussion(!) we reached a compromise. We could all run, we could all get a medal and Tshirt, but we couldn’t appear in the official results. By the time this news was communicated to Tad in the café he had got through quite a few beers!!! Next day he and I ran round together and, rightly or wrongly, we counted the marathon in our totals. Just time on the Sunday evening for a fabulous Italian meal before heading for the airport and home. But, as if we had not had a troublesome enough weekend, we encountered a lightning storm not long after take-off, which scared the living daylights out of me. Tad calmly admired the pyrotechnics. Then there was our trip to Le Maraton de La Meuse, that started and finished in Visé in Belgium. The course took us up and down opposite sides of the river to and from Maastricht over the border in Holland. Tad booked us into a room in Visé that had eight different wallpapers! One of the features of the race was the option of a tipple of Belgian beer at each 5Km. If you imbibed you had your number stamped. I resisted till the 40 Km mark. I finished a short distance behind Tad. Then I saw him! You couldn’t distinguish his number for stamps!!! Visé was only a small place with one restaurant. So, we decided to reserve a table for after the run. We had to pre-order our meal from the French menu. I laboriously translated what was on offer and Tad was most enthusiastic about the Chateaubriand de Poulain (tenderloin of pony) so the order was duly placed. I am convinced that there was a pony, whether it be Shetland, palomino or whatever in each field that we passed on our run so that by Sunday evening I simply couldn’t face eating one of these creatures. I had a small sliver of meat but Tad managed the rest! Another occasion when drink and running got mixed up was our trip to the Marburg Nacht Marathon in Germany. I was running a little way behind Tad and as I approached one of the drinks stations I jokingly asked if I could have a beer. Quick as a flash the young lady dived beneath the table and produced a bottle of German beer. I declined, explaining that I had only been joking, only to be told that my English friend who had passed moments before had not refused the offer!!! I constantly ribbed Tad about his being Polish. While he was proud of his Polish ancestry and heritage he was very insistent that he was English! I always found it hilarious when we were running abroad how he used to wave in a regal manner to the crowd and shout "Thank-you. Thank you very much. Thank you for your support." Very much the Englishman abroad…. No concession to the local language! Everyone understands English. But I very much doubt whether the crowds in St Petersburg or Seville knew what he was saying! Tad was nothing if not innovative. Many will remember his superbly organised run through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel and the run from Windsor to White City to commemorate the centenary of establishing the classic 26.2 mile distance in the 1908 London Olympic Marathon. Tad had another couple of enterprises in mind. Hopefully, someone will take up the challenge and step into the breach but Tad’s imprint and flair will surely be sorely missed. I have served on the 100 Marathon Club Committee with Tad and his good humour and balanced opinion will be a sad loss there. I feel privileged to have known and been his friend over the years. He and I both ran at roughly at the same pace, even lately, when we both sauntered round marathon courses at little more than snail’s pace. I will miss the fun that I had when running with Tad when we encouraged each other with friendly banter! He leaves a big hole! Peter Burns ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tad had an infectious enthusiasm for marathons,
and he happily shared his passion with others. He was very generous. In
January 2005, Goodenough College organized a Garden Marathon to benefit a
school in a Sri Lankan village that was affected by the tragedy. The race
was run in the name of Marko, a Finnish ultrarunner, who perished along with
his three children. Tad gave above and beyond the entry fee. At a time in
his life when he could have been happily retired or focusing on his own next
race, he gave his time generously as a leader in the 100 Marathon Club. Tad
is a wonderful spirit and has probably already finished his first marathon
in heaven now! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The first time I met Tad was on a sunny Suffolk Essex Borders Marathon and he showed me his Bristol car with a glow of pride, looking forward to the marathon with an air of confidence that a man, fit with well-toned muscles could enjoy. Despite his calm nature he could run so easily and was difficult to keep up with, but really great to share conversation with. Nice guy. Neil Fennel ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tad, we hope you are enjoying running perhaps the greatest marathon of them all in the Kingdom of Heaven. We will miss you , members of the 100 Club will miss you, but you will always be remembered. Rest in Peace ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I'm really sorry to hear the terrible news about
Tad. He was a top bloke with a great sense of humour. He will be sadly
missed by all of us who knew him, both for his contribution to the 100 Club
as well as for the his warmth of his personality. Jim Manford ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Susan and I are extremely saddened by the loss of
Tad. You are quite right, life will never be the same again. Losing a close
friend like Tad makes us all look more closely at our lives and our
relationships and we must all remember him for all his inspiration and
friendship he gave so freely. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ We met Tad at various events. Life is a very fragile thing and often we forget how important things like friends and family are and it is only when one of those precious people are no longer with us, that we appreciate the things that really matter. For friends, the adjustment of life without someone who meant a lot will begin but if you remember the good points about Tad and look to see if you have those in your life then he will live on. Pauline and Bill Howes ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I am devastated to learn of the death of Tad. He
was a dear friend and was the life and soul of any party and marathon. Tad
always had a smile on his face and had a jolly personality for all. I met
Tad at many marathons, especially in Europe Mainland. Peter Ferris MBE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I enjoyed the times I ran with Tad and in particular when we ran the Cork Marathon together. I enjoyed Tad's great sense of humour and the freedom to make fun of each other. He was great fun to run with and I appreciated all the help he could give him. Paul Watts (Blind Runner) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I didn't know Tad well but we did share a considerable number of laps of the Crawley track together a few yeas back. He was very easy to talk to, had a great sense of humour, was warm, friendly and generous. It is testament to his character that he will be missed by someone who only knew him briefly. Peter Rogers ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Only few members knew Tad and I will inform them.
Barbara and Lothar from the old staff pased away some years ago, who also
participated in the Greenwich-Tunnel Marathon (100th aniversary). Tad
organised the trip and most of the German participants slept in his home. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ On every meeting with Tad, we found both his humour and outlook on running, humorous, good natured and informative. He inspired us to visit new places and was a unique conversationist. As a founder committee member of the 100 Marathon
Club I personally enjoyed the healthy debates Tad would inspire about the
direction the club should take and we members should be ever grateful for
Tad's efforts, views and clear thinking. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tad seems to have been around the circuit as long as I have and that goes back to the early ‘80s. Seems like that anyway. Good memories on the 100 club committee with his wit and wisdom and that didn’t change much on the runs either. Always had a smile, comment and wave to any onlooker. Guess he’ll be looking down on us now and wishing us well See you one day up there pal. Dave Phillips ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The most time I spent with Tad, was running the Daffodil Dawdle with Tad, Christian Hottas, Dave Moles and Patsy. We spent the whole time laughing and joking and wallowing in the mud. It was a good day out in good Company, and I am glad I had the opportunity to spend a day with Tad. I will always be grateful to Tad, for organising the Centenary Marathon in 2008, and giving us such a great experience and a memory that will last forever. Tad was without doubt a kind man, and it is tragic that he has been taken so soon. Rest in Peace Tad. Carol Ann Plater x ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I’ve known Tad for nearly 11 years right now and I can say that he was one of the very few real and close friends I have. We first met at the pasta party the evening before the 1st Helgoland Marathon in May 2000 and about a fortnight later my (Polish) wife Barbara Szlachetka and I had been his guests in his house for the first time. It was great to sit and talk because "Basia" only spoke German and Polish, Tad English and Polish and me German and English. So we all had to translate everything into a 2nd language… Since that time I had the pleasure to be Tad’s guest at Vauxhall for many times and his house has always been my British home place in all these years. At least two times I could stay even there before and after the GUCR while Tad was travelling and running in Scotland and Ireland. In 2002 many German and Italian friends and I enjoyed his hospitality during the Greenwich Foot Tunnel Centenary Marathon and the whole weekend. Tad also used to stay at my home for many times, e. g. around his participations in the Elbtunnel marathon, the North Sea Seabed Marathon in 2005 and some other extraordinary events whose RD I was. In April 2005 Tad invited Barbara (who died of cancer in November that year) to come to London and run the London marathon. She was his and the club’s guest during the whole weekend and returned to Hamburg very happy after some really great days with Tad and all our English marathon friends. Tad and I both had the same ideas and loved to run, but also to organize unusual marathons. Some of the last marathons we ran together were the Christiansö (island) Marathon and the M/F Povl Anker ferry marathon in the harbour of Rönne (Bornholm). It always was a pleasure and privilege to share the time before and after a run with him and I learned a lot from him about English people and English running events. In most points of his personality Tad seemed to me very English. However in at least some points he was nevertheless also very Polish – in his love for his parents’ native country Poland and for Polish beer, his family sense, his warmth and his hospitality. The last time we met was in the morning after last year’s GUCR when two German running mates and I sat together with him in his kitchen, talking and enjoying life after another great English race. We still had a lot of ideas where we wanted to run some more marathons together. It’s hard to realize that Tad is not anymore among us. He was a great guy and one of my closest friends and he will be sorely missed. Christian Hottas ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The last trip Tad and I did together was in October 2009. We met late at night at the ferry terminal near Copenhagen and went across to the island of Bornneholme. After sleeping on the floor during the crossing we arrived early morning and then ran a marathon around the car deck of another ferry consigned for scrapping - 158 laps. We were then taken to the running clubs headquarters where we were fed - and again we slept on the floor. The next morning was another marathon around a horse trotting tack - only 35 laps this time. That night we got the ferry back - slept on the floor. Totally mad and not the experience for Olympic hope fulls but great fun. I was so glad Tad invited me along, he was such good company and had a good sense of humour and we had plenty of banter with another friend over from Germany, Christian Hottas. That weekend I got to know Tad much better. He was a caring, determined and intelligent individual who lived a full life enjoying his travel and marathon running in particular. He will be sadly missed by a lot of people. David Vaughan ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ After both finishing London to Brighton us walking...bit of a funny walk(it was 55 miles), to the post race tea party together and Tad wearing a wonderful t/shirt - Mongolia Midnight Sun 100k (the rest of us having to be content with just London to Brighton). Dartmoor Discovery,Princetown,Tads eye for a bargain - return to Exeter for £10,weekend travel card over Dartmoor £5 and bunkhouse accommodation at £8 per night - and of course after we finished the event we had a beer or two into the wee hours (bunkhouse guests classed as residents). The others that come to mind are the great events he organised for us - Greenwich Tunnel(does anyone believe we ran a marathon under the Thames) and then the Olympic centenary marathon with that finishing line and the medal. Tad, a good friend, a real gentleman with a wonderful smile and a great sense of humour. Tad - thanks for the memories, it was a great pleasure and an honour to have known you. Gilbert John ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And to finish, a thought: "Death is nothing at all, I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, you are you. Whatever we were to each other, that we still are. Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference in your tone, wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was, let it be spoken without effort, without the trace of shadow on it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner. All is well." Supplied by Gilbert John
April 2005 - Sardinia 
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