Still Running (weakly). Issue 21

PAST – inspiration – I have a deep affection for the Abingdon Marathon, scene of my personal best marathon (1986), my vets PB marathon (2002) and my 100th marathon (2003), so it was with delight that I saw that Alex Teuten had run 2:19:22 there on Sunday to win his debut marathon.

To add extra resonance, Alex was a star pupil in the ‘Rod Squad’ at Southampton Athletics Club, coached by my oldest friend, Rod Lock, who passed away in January, but whose legacy lives on. One would like to think that Rod was looking down…

PRESENT – perspiration – They walk among us. In my business networking group, to my knowledge, there is an England international hockey goalkeeper, an All-Ireland kickboxing champion, a gentleman whose daughter competed for Wales in the diving at the Commonwealth Games, and a bloke who played professional football (“soccer”!) in the US.

Beneath those poised, professional appearances are folk who have put in thousands of hours in the gym, in the ring, in the pool, on the pitch and on the road.

Alongside our admiration for their achievements, may I encourage you to consider, “I wonder what I could do”? Perhaps not international representation, but maybe just a little further than you thought. Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?

FUTURE – suggestion – To continue the “nights drawing in” theme, torches!! See and be seen. Motorists don’t naturally expect to encounter runners on their travels, but runners must anticipate dealing with cars, so do wear hi-vis and do use a torch.

Not the one on your phone, please!!

Head torches have been popular for many years now, but many runners that I know prefer body-torches, reckoning that headtorches bounce around too much, giving a less than consistent beam, whereas torches worn on your torso make it easier to see the details of the terrain before you.