Still Running (weakly). Issue 81

PAST – inspiration – I make no apology for repeating my favourite Christmas running story, which concerns Sebastian Coe in 1979, then at the height of his rivalry with Steve Ovett. (The next year they would share four middle distance medals at the Moscow Olympics.)

On Christmas morning, Coe went out and ran about 12 miles, and was quite pleased with himself while tucking into his roast turkey lunch. Towards the end of the afternoon, however, he began to feel a little uneasy, sensing that his rival might be out training a second time, so he put his gear back on, and went out and ran about another 5 miles with some hill sprints thrown in.

Years later, he recounted the story to Ovett, who replied, “You mean you only trained twice that day!”

PRESENT – perspiration – The holiday period can bring many extra opportunities to race. parkruns (“they are NOT races, Steve”) are held in most locations on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, as well as the traditional Saturdays. Your club or running group may well organise special festive relays, handicaps or fancy-dress races. No doubt other chances to work off the turkey, Christmas pudding and mince pies will come your way.

These couple of weeks are not the same as the rest of the year, but we ought to at least try and keep fit, so these races are a chance to ditch the usual routine, whilst keeping the momentum going in a different way.

FUTURE – suggestion – You will by now be fed up with me saying that my number one running tip is: have a target! Yes, we know, Steve, “it’s so much easier to get out on a cold winter’s morning or wet January night if you know you have a challenge on the horizon.”

What could that challenge be? Obviously, it could be a new personal best of some kind – run further than ever before, or run faster at a certain distance than ever before. Or it could be something a bit different – running every day (the R.E.D. beloved of the much-missed Wally Thorpe), trying a different type of running – trail, road, cross country, track, indoors, ultra….. Or something else entirely – trying to beat that annoying older bloke in the club handicap, seeing how far you can run in your “age minutes,” completing every race in your club’s annual, winter or summer series.

It doesn’t really matter what it is – as long as it’s right for you – aim for, “really stretching but just about feasible”! – it will be the spur your running might need in 2025.