On Thursday afternoon a contest of the character now becoming so popular in the country was brought off by the employees of the Rushden Co-operative Society. This was in the form of a road walking race, the course chosen being from Bedford to Rushden. Accompanied by friends, nine competitors left Rushden for Bedford soon after noon, and after a short interval at that town the trial of speed and endurance commence. The nine contestants were well started from the Bunyan statue at 4.36 by Mr. H. Burgess. Each one was accompanied by a cyclist so as to ensure a fair “heel and toe” throughout. All got off well together, but within the first two miles two gave up, one of them having come a cropper over a heap of stones. These and those who “fell out” at later stages were picked up by the brake which followed. It had been expected that the race would commence at four o’clock, so by half-past six a number of people began to assemble near the Green at Rushden, where the trial was to end. A number of others, including several cyclists, went along the Bedford-road to ascertain how soon the leaders would be likely to arrive. Shortly before seven o’clock it was known that one of the walkers was approaching the town, and precisely as the clock struck seven he reached the winning post. This proved to be Mr. W. Marriott, who came swinging along in good style, precisely at if the 13½ miles was an ordinary walk, and he was quite willing to make it much longer. A good crowd had by this time collected, and he was heartily cheered on completing the distance in two hours and twenty-four minutes. Just over five minutes later two others hove in sight, accompanied by a goodly crowd, and it was seen that a sharp content was taking place for second place. The two proved to be Messrs. J. Page and H. Ball, the former finishing with a lead of five or six yards, the latter, however, appearing to be rapidly over-hauling him as the end drew near. Their time was just two and a half hours. Some eleven minutes later two others – Messrs. A. Bilson and J. Haigh – made their appearance, having taken the closing stages in more leisurely fashion, and finishing side by side. The rest of the competitors came in later by the brake. The prizes offered were a silver medal with gold centre for the first and silver medals for second and third. The wind was a head one throughout, which had made the going harder, but the slight storm in the afternoon had laid the dust. Those not completing the course were Messrs. J. Cure, T. E. Wiggiton, W. H. Marriott, and W. Taylor.