Still Running (weakly). Issue 76

PAST – inspiration – “Foster will line up in lane 2, and Capes will occupy lanes 4, 5 and 6.” The crowd laughed as the announcer introduced the protagonists for this one-off distance runner (Brendan Foster) versus shot putter (Geoff Capes) 200 metres challenge. The big man won, though, proving his remarkable speed and mobility.

Capes, who died on 23rd October, was a dream for headline writers, with any major games preview invariably asserting, “Capes of Good Hope,” whilst his disqualification at the 1978 Euros elicited the predictable, “Capes of Wrath.”

The British Athletics powers-that-be for once played fair by an athlete when, recognising Capes’s need for more competition, they brought George Woods (silver in 1972 Olympics) and Al Feuerbach (5th) over from the States in 1974 for a series of events. They also moved the shot circle from the outer darkness at the end of the back straight at Crystal Palace in front of the main stand!

I believe Geoff set a succession of GB records in those meets. And I remember, with amusement, him graciously offering a hand to "Wee" George Woods (22 stone) to help him down from the victory podium on one occasion!

A great and very popular character.

RIP Geoff.

PRESENT – perspiration – The training schedule of Phily Bowden, who broke through with 2:25:47 in the Berlin Marathon, published in Athletics not-Weekly, highlights the current trend for “double-threshold days.”

These may be a good idea for pro marathon runners, but those of us with full-time jobs, full-on families and part-time energy levels might struggle to fit in her morning 3-mile warmup, 6-7 x one mile, 2-mile cooldown, and (the same) afternoon 2-mile warmup, 4-5 miles of reps starting with miles, 1-mile cooldown, but it is something to think about.

The general takeaway from this, I believe, is that, when you’re hot, you’re hot. When you are warmed up, why not go for it, do a bit more? It is hard to do those last reps, or those last miles of a tempo run, but not as hard as getting out of the door in the first place. So, at the end of a good session, perhaps consider if you couldn’t do another hard mile, or a few all-out hill repeats, or a few accelerations – just to seize the moment and maximise the benefit.

FUTURE – suggestion – “You won’t be seen dead in our leggings!” read the caption on the 1980s ad for the ‘Steve Ovett’ running tights, which featured a small reflective panel. Sums it up really.

We all know that winter running is different, that the falling temperatures and the lack of daylight challenge our logistics, our motivation, our wardrobe – and our safety.

But, let’s face it, we don’t live in Siberia, where a champion marathon runner once got lost in a blizzard and had to keep running hard for five hours to avoid freezing to death.

So it’s fairly simple to stay safe – isn’t it? – though I still see runners, dressed completely in black, out on the darkened streets and unlit lanes! Light colours are good, reflective material better, front and back lights best.