Running Wild

Ok, I’ve written blogs twice before about specific trips to Dominican Republic, and in both instances, I ceased continuing to write for no other reason than that I forgot my password!

This time, I’m writing simply as a therapeutic download. Work is tough, our country is changing, my body is ageing, my kids are no longer kids. This is simply me writing about me, my observations, views, joys, hurts, rants, frustrations, successes, failings, inspirations, bug bares. There are no rules. It’s just for me, but I warmly invite you in.

I have many joys in life, if I were looking to impress a reader I would doubtless put my family, my faith, my work as a trustee with a Christian charity working with the poor, and, yes these all bring me much happiness, but I believe that from the days that Adam and Eve partook of the apple, we’ve become more broken, and I am in need of fixing as much as the next man, and therefore I have to confess to a selfish streak which manifests itself probably most in my delight for running. It keeps me fit, it keeps me calm it keeps me vain! I’m no elite either, but that’s the beauty of it. I can be running surrounded by 50,000 other marathon runners, and it’s just me against….me.

As the years progress I know I will find it harder to maintain my fitness levels, but as long as I can get out there, I’ll be happy. My fear is witnessed in many people who you meet who say ‘I used to run, but then my…knee/ankle/hip packed in’ or some sorry tale that involves the words ‘cartilage operation’

I’ve run loads of half marathons, and my pb is 1:41;57 which I achieved at the Mablethorpe Half in 2010. I got close to beating it in December last year at Bedford, crossing the line at 1:42:03 but I’ve no idea where that came from as I was plateauing at around 1;45 before that. Halves are fun, tiring, but you’re never going to stop because it only starts to really hurt after ten and then you’re as good as home. Marathons on the other hand remain my nemesis. I have completed five and have felt dissatisfied and dejected on each occasion, albeit I did manage a 4;13 at Rutland. I’ll do another because I don’t intend to go to my grave without a sub four on record.