Still Running (weakly). Issue 97

PAST – inspiration – “You know, Steve, I’ve been looking forward to this cup of tea for the last four miles,” said Roger Mills. It was a couple of days before Christmas 1978, and we had just finished a 10km walking race out in Essex.

We had showered in the pavilion and happened to be walking round to the village hall for refreshments at the same time, when Roger struck up that conversation with me.

He was my hero: he was European bronze medallist in the 20km walk in 1974; I had seen him break the world mile walk record (6:08.9) at Crystal Palace that year (I had even asked for his autograph afterwards); and he had just won that 10km. He was my hero and I wouldn’t have dared start the chat.

But he had been looking forward to a cup of tea! He was human! Just like me.

PRESENT – perspiration – Flavour doesn’t make you fast,” said George Mills, in explaining why he eschews any seasoning on his plain, boiled chicken and rice.

That was part of Mills’s monastic regime at high altitude in Dullstroom (named for the simple lifestyle it offers perhaps?!) in South Africa, which naturally included 120 miles a week of running and a 10 o’clock bedtime – with blue-light glasses, earplugs and eye masks to help him nap during the day.

Such dedication has taken him to third on the UK all-time mile rankings, behind Cram and Coe, as well as silver medals in the European 5000 in 2024, and European Indoor 3000 in 2025 – both behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

He is also famously the son of ex-England footballer, Danny Mills (19 caps, 2001-2004), who has admitted that his son is far more dedicated than he ever was!

FUTURE – suggestion – And talking of lazy ex-professional footballers, Dave Mills, the mortgage advisor in my networking group, played in goal for Brighton, West Ham, Sheffield Wednesday, Bournemouth and the Tulsa Roughnecks.

Come to think of it, also in that group are the telecoms lady who kept goal in the England hockey team, the insurance guy who was All-Ireland Kickboxing champion, the builder whose daughter was in the Wales Diving Team for the Commonwealth Games, the charity lady whose husband played in the Premiership for Southampton, as well as your correspondent’s efforts for GB ultrarunning.

They walk among us! And they are just like us. They are different only in degree, not in kind. So, the next time you see someone do something special, and you think to yourself, “Why can’t I do that?” Well, why can’t you? All you need is some chicken and rice, an eye mask, a bit of dedication – and perhaps the prospect of a cup of tea at the end of it all!