Bristol Running Resource

14th April, 2005   I have been running 6 years and two days and will be doing the London Marathon for the third time in a couple of days. I have changed from teaching to working in a running shop and am now seated at a large pub table with one other woman and eleven athletic men, old enough to be the mother of most of them and possible the grandmother of a few. I am slightly out of my comfort zone but aware of some benefits of the career-change. Primary school staff-rooms were never like this.

They all make me feel welcome and I realise that I should make the most of the expertise and experience that they have. I can happily plod round 26.2 miles (well, the first time was screaming agony but the second was fine) but would like to get a bit faster so I ask Jamie, who is sitting next to me, the best way to do it. His reply is brief and to the point: track. Panic sets in. Me, on a track? I’m too slow. Too old. I haven’t done it before. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where the track is.

16th June, 2005   My club, Thornbury, has started track sessions at the WISE track in Filton. I have no excuse so I pluck up courage and go. Jog warm-up then “slow-motion” drills. Our coach tells us about track discipline and we’re off on a session of 300 metre reps. It hurts but I realise a great advantage in track training: I actually have someone to follow! In races I’m usually so far behind that I often don’t have anyone in sight. Sometimes I get a word of encouragement from runners as they pass me and from a couple of others I know who are also training there. I do try and chase; not for long but at least it’s someone to look at.

1st September, 2009   After a few stop-start phases with track training I decide to get serious when I set my “train for a sub 2-hour half” target so it’s back to track and by coincidence it’s 300m reps again. There are a couple of regulars who turn up and who are at about my pace so there’s even chance for a bit of friendly competition.

That’s what I need to do next: work on my competitive instinct.

If I’ve got one.

Happy running!