Running

I was never into sport. I hated team sport. I hated competitive sport. I did manage to get away with doing long jumps and triple jumps at school but missed Sports Day. I got no kick from any of that stuff. Playing Rugby League at school was a torment: I never knew what was going on. However, towards the end of my Rugby League ordeal there were two consecutive Wednesday afternoons when I managed to grab the ball and run. Fellow players were so amazed that they stopped and watched me. I didn't run again for over forty years, until my nephew Joseph was staying with us in about 2008 and as a joke we had a short race. I think I might have managed one hundred metres. I was curious though, and about the same time my son was running, often getting up at daylight whilst at home with us, and going for a run up over the hills through Fordton to Whitestone. Soon after I started running in the morning too, doing a three mile loop through Fordton past Hookway. I would feel radiant afterwards. I went back to Trieste in the summer and, even though quite overweight (I'd reached 16 stone, over 100 kilos) I would run along the Strada Napoleonica from Opicina. On my return to Exeter I joined the Exeter Road Runners, running from the Exeter Arena around Exeter, and after a shower I would cycle the ten miles back to Crediton, or sometimes walk to the bus station and catch a bus.

I made good friends at the running club, in particular nurses from the dialysis unit at the hospital, with whom I would then run on a Sunday morning, continuing this practice for several years. 

Exeter

Just after Xmas, in January 2009, I ran my first race, the club's First Chance 10k, for which I received my first medal and a towel that I still use, but I completed the race in 48 minutes 39 seconds, which encouraged me. I came 198th in a field of 486 runners.

Brighton

This encouraged me to enter other races, with the support of my friends from the Dialysis Unit. This was the Sussex beacon Half marathon which took place in Brighton on 22nd February, 2009. We all went down as a family and stayed at the Travelodge. Unfortunately on 6th February, whilst in London, I had my second major seizure whilst staying in the Travelodge near Centre Point, and spent a week in hospital in London. I took a risk and decided to continue with my entry—after all, I'd already paid my entry and no refund was possible for our hotel room. I did complete the race, and was very pleased with my time of 1 hour, 46 minutes 25 seconds—and I had no problems with my health. However, because of my two seizures I always had to mark my running number with a large cross, rather like a leper.

Brighton Half Marathon, 22/2/2009: 1:46:25

Taunton

My next race was my greatest success, the Taunton Half Marathon on 5th April, 2009. I was surprised and pleased to complete this in 1 hour, 39 minutes and 53 seconds. Beating the 100 minute barrier was a great surprise. What I liked about running was that I was competing against myself.

Yeovil

I followed this Half Marathon with the Yeovil 10k 'Easter Bunny' on 13th April, 2009. Although I completed the course in nominally 48 minutes 39 seconds, this race was not accurately timed: there were no electronic counters, just a gun at the beginning, and it took quite a while to get to the starting point. Still, it was marginally better than my first 10k.

Exeter

A few weeks later I entered the Great West Run, the Exeter Half Marathon. This was a more difficult course, hillier, and a warmer day. However, my time was only 66 seconds slower.

Manchester

In May I went up to Manchester to visit my parents, and ran the Great Manchester Run, a 10k race, on May 17th. Buses seemed to have vanished from Cheetham Hill Road that Sunday morning, so I ended up walking all the way to central Manchester for the start of the race. I did improve my time though, completing this 10k in 44 minutes 35 seconds. I remember that there was a near miss when a runner stopped suddenly dead in his tracks immediately in front of me almost causing a pile up of runners. I narrowly escaped having a tumble and finished the course.

 Torquay

 A month later I ran the Torquay Half Marathon. This was on 21st June, 2009, a hot and sultry Sunday, with quite a few hills, but kind people spraying us with hosepipes from their gardens. With a time of 1 hour, 50 minutes 54 seconds, this was eleven minutes slower than Taunton, reflecting the course and the heat.

Paris

I had a break from running over the summer, when Half Marathons don't take place anyway because it's often too warm, but cycled instead from London to Paris, as a means of celebrating my 60th birthday. I practised and prepared for this by going for long cycle rides around Devon on a Sunday, travelling via Eggesford to Barnstaple, then returning via Bideford and Torrington. Then in the week of my birthday I set off for London with my bike, stayed the night in Blackheath, then left together with many other riders raising money for charity, and raising our own self-esteem. I quickly made friends with Jack Powell, and also with Clive Ward, and we have stayed friends ever since. I celebrated my birthday whilst on the ride, and my fellow cyclists were mostly very kind about it, though one did have a dig, feeling that I should have kept quiet about it. My real friends were much more supportive, and it showed.

The entry to Paris on the last day of the ride.

My birthday welcome, with Clive Ward.

The 'Last of the Summer Wine' team.

One of our regular stops for food and drink. Although not the fastest, me and my fellow team members (we called ourselves 'Last of the Summer Wine') were often amongst the first to arrive because we were good plodders.

Roadside break at a café.

With Clive Ward.

With Clive Ward and Dave.

That's Jack Powell on the left, whilst I am over on the right.

A pause before we entered Paris.

Riding up the Champs Elysées.

Our final goal: the Tour Eiffel.

Bristol

Nottingham

London

My last race of 2009 was the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London on 11th October, 2009, which I completed 1 hour, 45 minutes 20 seconds. After this entry prices for races started to increase considerably, so I stopped entering races, but I carried on running on Sunday mornings with my friends, Rob, Cathy and Sue. They still come round to see me after a Sunday morning run if it happens to be in Crediton, and have come to see me in hospital too.