The Running Bug

What? running you say, how does this fit in with what's gone before, the other 2 hobbies have both been on the nerdy side!

I like sport, both playing and watching. I don't have much ability and I've never reached a high level in any sport, I'm average at best at most sports. When I was young I loved football. This probably originated from watching my dad play local football every Saturday. I played casually in the local park, almost every day, and at school, although I was never outstanding and only on the fringes of school teams. At school I also enjoyed PE and did a lot of athletics. I played table tennis quite well and won a place at a holiday training camp. In table tennis I was in local teams/leagues, in the top divisions and did ok (although I was never the star of the team). I played cricket, but only at the lowest level, for a works team (I did take a hat trick during a cup final - my greatest sporting achievement). I was also player manager of my works indoor cricket team. During my twenties I went back to football and played in Saturday and Sunday league teams, playing until I was in my 40s (when my knees finally gave out).

I didn't do anything sporty for a few years after this, and I missed physical activity.

My work had entered a team into a local charity 10k event and I somehow got persuaded to take part with a couple of work mates. I knew nothing about running. I joined a gym to get fitter and did some running on the running machines. I somehow injured my leg, calf I think, but still tried to do the 10k. It was a disaster. I hadn't run any long distances, nothing on roads, had no concept of pacing and had an injury. I went out at a newby fast pace (was with the leaders for 400 metres!), aggravated my injury and dropped out after 1k.

However, I had enjoyed the gym running and physical fitness. Also, a good friend of mine David Parker had just returned from living in America and he was a "proper runner". With his encouragement and advice, with the mates who had fared better than me at the charity event, and after a few months recovery, I entered another 10k in Wimbledon. I was still very naive but managed to complete it, and in an ok beginners time.

This was very encouraging and I kept up the training.

A couple of my friends entered the Paris marathon and I went along to support. The size of the event, the number of people, the expo, the pasta party, the warm up run through Paris (which I did), the crowds and Paris itself made it a fabulous trip.

So I decided to do a marathon.

I wanted the big event, so along with my friends we entered the Chicago marathon.

I joined a local running club, WDAC, which gave me the motivation for the Marathon training and the encouragement to get fitter and improve my running.

The whole marathon experience is fantastic. It is a 3 month journey, using a plan, running 3 to 4
times a week, with a gradual increase in distance, running in some local events, with the running club, including my first half marathon in Nottingham. The actual Marathon event was incredible. The trip, the city, the expo, the warm up run (where we gate crashed a shops celebrity event) and the pasta party. I must admit that the marathon itself is a bit of a blur (we ran through the colourful Chinese district and passed a huge fountain, but I have no recollection of either), it was not easy (the last few miles were torture), but the finishing and sense of achievement is amazing. I also did it in under 4 hours, which was beyond all my expectations. Following the marathon we went on a small road trip across to New York and ran in Central Park, so the whole trip was a great experience.

Following this I kept up the running, mainly through the running club. I did numerous events, mainly those attended by the club, the local NRRL and EMGB series, at all sorts of distances, including the Silverstone 10k around the F1 race track. The running club is great, very encouraging and supporting to all the members whatever their ability.

I did a 2nd marathon, another big event, the Rotterdam marathon. This again was a great experience and another great trip. I pushed this one a bit harder at the start and struggled a bit. I was trying for a better time but actually did a bit worse. We also incorporated a trip to Amsterdam.

I have had various injuries (tendon, calf, in growing toenail) which have stopped me from running for long periods of time (I even missed whole years!) and you miss the physical activity a lot. I am also getting a lot older, which means that your performance starts to deteriorate, which is hard to come to terms with.

I am currently uninjured and starting the new season, I also have plans to do another marathon.