The Friday night screw that could have cost dear

2007 will go down as a very bad year running wise and not just because of the constant injuries. Two people whose company I enjoyed stopped competing and one was through ill health. Roy Pickles always seemed to be around races - if he was not running himself he would be watching. Roy joined Wesham from North Fylde and was a good runner. I used to see him training a lot as he lives very close to my house. When Roy joined, he started training with our little local group - Peter, Lee, Steve and myself. Roy is very self effacing. Yes Steve was obviously way ahead of us but there was never that much time then between the rest of us. Roy trained hard and was desperately unlucky with injuries.

When I am injured I don’t really want any contact with other runners it just makes me feel worse. Roy is different and is more of a ‘people person’. He enjoys company but, other than Martin, no one really kept in constant touch. It is awkward when people are injured as they slip through the social net. Running is the binding force so, when we don’t run, the catalyst disappears. You should never say never and hopefully one day Roy may just turn up and surprise us all.

Another big miss is Jo Frodsham who is one of the bubbliest, nicest people I have ever met. Jo eludes energy - positive energy. Jo has talent she would have eventually run a sub 40 for 10k but she never had enough confidence in her ability. She is confident but not in her running capabilities. When she was racing she was in the Top 10 local girls. Jo like the rest of us has a life and sometimes your life doesn’t allow you to do everything you would like to.

I miss Jo because she is one of those unique people who make you feel good just being around them. She has that energy that radiates a lovely ‘feel good’ factor though, like her racing, potentially she is not aware of it. Now, as I restart trying to get fitter and quicker I will think of Jo and Roy and be glad that through running I got to know them both.

On TV, the start of this year has been dominated by ads for sofa’s and beds. Now the various diets and work out DVD’s have started. The running equivalent must be the “Marathon training plan” which makes as much sense as Russell Grants weekly horoscope! January and February weather wise is a nightmare for runners but the London Marathoners have less than 3 months to get ready. I feel a sense of silliness when I read that someone has been given a plan??? Who devises these plans, are they running, what is their time for a Marathon?

The idea of giving a plan is riddled with potential problems for people like me who don’t want to spend the next 3 months training for one race and missing the ten in between. London is just another race not Everest. Common sense tells you that your mileage has to be increased and that’s what you should do. Common sense tells you that you ease down nearer the 13^th of April. You run when you can it’s not a weight watchers diet plan. I have started going out more and planning runs with others as it is a great way to make sure you don’t miss any runs. Pete and I ran three laps of the Park on Friday - an easy three as we are racing at the weekend. On the second lap I felt a sharp pain in my right foot and stopped immediately. A screw had gone through my trainer at 90 degrees I was lucky so maybe its an omen or maybe this year will be luckier than last!

Written by: George Kennedy

Submitted: 12^th January 2008

Edited by Brenda Earnshaw WRR Editor