Still Running (weakly). Issue 121

PAST – inspiration – “Aye, it takes a hard man to do both,” said John Eddershaw of Sheffield United Walking Club, as I pulled out of the 1983 National 50km race walk championships, two weeks after just about completing the Surrey 100-mile event.

That comment cut deep – I thought I was hard!  That race was my first DNF.  It was followed, in 1992, by a tactical withdrawal from the Harlow Marathon at 18 miles.  I knew I wouldn’t get a sub-3 there to extend my annual streak, but I thought I might have a chance to do so in Harrow two weeks later, if I retired early now.  A 2:58 duly followed.

I was injured in 1997 before the National 24-hour championships at Tooting, but had a go anyway, having to pull out after only 10 miles.  And in 1999, I managed to reach marathon distance at the Barry 40-mile track race, before the same dodgy knee stopped me.

And that’s it.  4 DNFs in 1,745 races since 1976.  I have a current streak of over 1,100 completed races now.  And no DNFs so far this century – despite flirting with the cutoffs in the 2008 Swiss Alpine 78km and the 2011 Cader Idriss race.  But those four still hurt!

PRESENT – perspiration – “I think he should just stop.  There’s nothing going to happen for him there,” said Steve Cram, as Josh Kerr suddenly started to limp and hobble in the World Championship 1500 final last week.  What does Cram know about the 1500?!  What was going to happen for Kerr there was a finish, rather than a DNF.  I think he wanted to finish every global 1500 final for 5 years – 3rd, 5th, 1st, 2nd and 14th, rather than “and DNF.”  The Scotsman later told a British official, “It’s my job,” but I think he really meant, it’s my pride, it’s my reputation, it’s my self-respect.

Kerr’s bravery brought to mind Derek Redmond of course, memorably completing his hamstrung 400 semi at the 1992 Olympics, physically supported by his father.

Farther back in time, some may recall Gabriela Andersen-Schiess of Switzerland completing the 1984 women’s Olympic marathon, staggering round the track to the finish.  Roger Mills of Great Britain wove from side to side of the track in the last metres of the 1974 European 20km walk to finish fourth – fittingly upgraded to bronze when the Russian ahead of him was found to have been doping.

Two runners tangled in the early stages of the 1972 Olympic 10,000 final: Lasse Viren got up to win and set a world record; Mohammed Gammoudi did not.  Etienne Gailly of Belgium was on the verge of collapse as he entered the Olympic stadium (Wembley) in London in 1948, leading the marathon.  Two runners overtook him on the track, but he somehow managed to make the finish to claim the bronze.

Jim Peters by contrast, of course, did not make the finish to the Empire Games marathon in Vancouver in 1954, collapsing repeatedly on the track in front of thousands of traumatised spectators.

And Dorando Pietri of Italy ‘won’ the Olympic marathon 40 years before Gailly’s effort, again in London, but had to be almost carried across the line by officials at the White City in 1908.  He was disqualified but was later presented with a special gilded silver cup by the Queen Alexandra for his bravery, Arthur Conan Doyle praised him in his race report, and Irving Berlin wrote a song about him!

(By the way, I think that Busang Collen Kebinatshipi’s celebration of his World 400 win by doing push-ups may have been in tribute to his Botswanan countryman Issac Makwala doing the same in 2017.  Makwala had initially been banned from the 200 on medical grounds, the authorities relented, he had to run a solo 20.2 in the rain to prove his fitness and advance to the next round, and then he did his push-ups in celebration and defiance!)

FUTURE – suggestion – I think that it is important to finish every race if you can.  Of course, if you are suffering with an injury, and to finish would mean making it considerably worse – thus curtailing or even jeopardising future endeavours – perhaps it might be wise to pull out.

On Sunday, I witnessed many runners struggling to finish a very hot Berlin Marathon.  Those with the necessary physical training, mental resolution and emotional toughness – like my daughter – finished in good times, having the mindset to carry on when only pride and self-respect, rather than personal bests and podium positions, were at stake.

The willpower required to finish a difficult race can be developed.  It is like a muscle and exercising it will make it stronger.  If you get into the habit of always finishing, you are more likely to do so even when the going gets tougher than normal.  If you get into the habit of pulling out when things aren’t going your way (“no chance of a PB now” / “I’m not going to win this race”), then the path of least resistance will also seduce you in the future.

Anyone can finish when you feel positive and you’re having a good race.  It’s what you do when you “are not feeling it today” that separates the sheep from the goats.  It is about developing yourself to have the sort of mindset that does not quit.  It’s about becoming the type of person who does not drop out of races.  In the end, it is about finishing, whatever the circumstances, never being in doubt.

Over the years, in this way, I have tried to make myself into the sort of person who finishes things – be they races, sessions, projects, or even email newslett