ECLIPSE – I NEVER SAW A THING!!

There are something’s about me that I like - not many, but some. One is the way I see the funny side of daftness. I was working nights last week and at one in the morning one of my work mates excitedly told me there was an eclipse. I went outside and never saw a thing. I get the same feeling with running. I listen to the daftness of some and laugh inside. Some never get the point of why they run because, if they listened to themselves, they should be embarrassed. Never, ever take it seriously. ‘Yes’ enjoy it and ‘yes’ try your best if you want to. I take more pleasure from the social intercourse than I ever do in any race. ‘Yes’ in a race I try to set targets. I try harder when I am running for the club but the race is the starter not the main course. The people I have met through running by far outweigh the pleasure, if that is the word, of racing well. Now as I slip further down the pecking order I enjoy my friends even more, especially the ‘Oh so sociable’ Wednesday night training runs.

If you have never had the pleasure of excellent company while training you don’t know what you are missing. What do we talk about while running? There is always a lot of bitching; we dislike the same people which make the conversation a lot easier flowing. If we are doing a 12 miler, which is up to and around the park, the character assignation is usually finished by B&Q. Then it’s a bit like ‘I Spy’; anything that comes into your head. To start the ball rolling I mentioned that, even for a million quid, I would never dress up in women’s clothes. These blokes that prance around in fancy dresses and Rocky Horror are always a bit suspect to me. At this point Cruse, who I expected to mention something about kilts, shut me up. “Why are you wearing tights then?”

My slow, in every sense of the word, recovery is crawling along but, very soon, the long miles stop and it’s time for some short, sharp shocks!

I have never run well at Dent even when at my best; it is a difficult 14 and a bit miles. Right from the ‘off’ you’re running up and down hills; there cannot be a more undulating course. The real killer is the last 3 miles; those little, killer hills that your memory conveniently erased. I made the journey with Peter as Julie had gone to Sunderland for the National Cross Country Championships. On route, as usual, we didn’t discuss the forthcoming race as it’s just another one that will soon be a memory. We are in plenty of time as I have not pre entered and Peter had not received his number in the post. I am never nervous, more ‘not looking forward to it’ - daft isn’t it? We managed to bump into Kath, Dave and Peter Gleaves as we wandered about. I told Peter what to expect. He said he would take it easy for the first few miles. There was a coach from another running club, whose name escapes me. They obviously knew what they where doing but, as I looked at some of them, I don’t think they knew what they had just paid to enter!!!!

I don’t have a clue any more what I will do in a race; I just live in hope of finding those last two gears. A nice, sensible start, knowing that the 14 miles are a long 14! It was nice and steady for the initial eight with Martin, on the longer straights, just about in sight. At nine miles I stopped at the water station when Peter Gleaves trotted past. Good lad Peter; he is running well with the experience gained; no crazy starts, racing 14, not ‘show boating’, then blowing up and hating those last miles. Those last few miles on very narrow lanes gave me a chance to catch some of those ‘show boaters’.

The following day I had a number for the Stanley Park 10k, which was the race my Achilles went on last year. I never enjoy racing at the Park - far too many twist and turns and ‘K9’s’ with their masters. A much more slower start this year as this time I wanted to finish the race. I always try that bit harder when I know the people who are watching: Jo was with her whippets at one of the gates, Peter and Tim were here, there and everywhere and Caroline was with her kids. The first two miles were hard, my legs where stiff and the last four they were tired - what a whinger!!! I was happy with both runs especially the Park - 41 minutes made me kid myself into thinking that with no Dent it would have been 39. This was one of Ron’s races; a sell out with 320 numbers sold and, other than the Lake overflowing at one part of the race, it went well.

When I write I am happy to take the Micky out of me but I purposely try to adhere to not ‘having a go’ at anybody else. I get annoyed that Ron is ‘open season’ on the Message Board with people ‘having a go’ at his races. I will make a point that, if I am not happy with a race, then I vote with my ‘non-participating’ feet. For the documented record, Ron has raised well over a million pounds for charity and that was before he took up his current job for Rosemere Cancer Trust. If he is lucky enough to make any money from his races then good luck to him. He has been a good friend to Wesham. If it wasn’t for Ron we would have been banned at Bradford - as it was Ron that gave us a character reference and vital time to prove our innocence. It was not Ron who accused us of breaking the rules but it was he who defended us.

I had already started the ball rolling to get interest in the Haigh Hall Relays when Dave jumped on board announcing it at the club. We met at the Fairfield as I abandoned the new friend’s people carrier and scrounged a lift with Carmel and Mike. I was on my best behaviour as the impressionable Beth was sharing the back seat with me. She must have thought she had won the lottery!!!! The conversation was about Cuba - everybody had been there but me so I just listened. Carmel and Mike had been four times and Beth had been on the honeymoon of her current marriage. We had travelled in convoy to cut down emissions - I am now green! I have my low emission car. I try not to vomit outside and regulate my flatulence. Dave and Julie were organising the teams. As we were short to make full teams, Carmel, Dave and Peter ran two legs. They had changed the course and it was tough. It started near the kiddies swing park, on the path that runs to the right of the Hall. The route takes you downhill then it’s back up the way you came, about 3.8 miles. Blackpool almost had their best available team out but came up against Salford. Jonno ran well and had the fastest time of the day. I would have liked to have seen him against Tarus Elley but he had run the first leg against Tom. The girls did really well though but I suspect found it hard. Chris had a good run which will help his confidence and Graham continues to impress with his varied distances. Mike will find it hard after such a difficult year of injuries for him. I hope Carmel and Mike have a really good Marathon in London as they deserve it for all the hard work they put in. I was pleased to see a good turnout from Lytham and a welcome return for Kath and Moz.

This week should be interesting with, hopefully, the Ladies team prize at Coniston and to see how Mrs Betmead does. We ran 11 miles against the strongest wind from Fleetwood to Redbank Road then a lovely tail wind back from Bispham Police station. I know I enjoyed that more than I will Coniston as, like I said, it’s all about people………

Written by: George Kennedy

Submitted: 20^th March 2007

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor