Still Running (weakly). Issue 58

PAST – inspiration – Joss Naylor died on 28th June. He was quite simply the greatest ever fell runner. It is difficult to sum up exactly why this is undisputed, but you can read his various obituaries to get a sense. He set records back in the 70s and 80s that top runners – with the advantages of better shoes, better clothing, better weather forecasting, better nutrition and more time to train than this sheep farmer – took decades to get near.

He was known as the King of the Fells, or Iron Joss. He was awarded the MBE. The myths about him were legion: “Joss broke his leg on Thursday and still won the race on Saturday!” being typical. He raised thousands of pounds for charity through his runs. A real fellsman, he would turn aside from record attempts if there were a lamb stuck in a bog.

I like Richard Askwith’s take on him in ‘Feet in the Clouds’: “Few people have ever conquered themselves so completely, or so utterly subdued the weakness of the flesh to the will of the spirit.”

PRESENT – perspiration – On 3rd July, Mark Cavendish won his 35thstage of the Tour de France. Cycling aficionados will know what this means. The Tour is cycling’s biggest event, and an overall win is rated higher than an Olympic or World Championship gold. For those who do not possess the all-round capabilities of time-trialling and climbing to contend for that, the next best would be stage wins, the record for which Cav has shared with Eddy Merckx since 2021.

What is remarkable is that the Manx Missile (aged 39 now) kept the faith across some very difficult years. He won 4 stages in 2016 but then was either not selected or did not take a stage until he won 4 more in 2021. He was then not selected in 2022 and crashed out in 2023, being tied with the Cannibal, Merckx, until last week.

FUTURE – suggestion – I have talked before about keeping the faith.

At school, I was an average long and triple jumper, and several times I came 4th or 5th in the Croydon Schools Championships for my year – not good enough to fulfil my dream of representing Croydon in the Surrey Champs. Until my final year, when I came 3rd and got the nod!

At university, I was an aspiring race walker and thought I ought to be able to win a medal at the annual British Universities Sports Federation Championships. After all, how many students did something as uncool as race walking? In my first two years, I was 5thand 6th. Finally, just before my final year exams, I travelled up to Gateshead and won a silver medal… Catching chicken pox in the process and thus having to take my finals in isolation. But it was worth it.

So, keep the faith – and you never know!