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Started by default ( see my blog) running for my school back in the 60's, discovered I was quite quick and as a result got moved to the wing playing Rugby. Won school athlete of the year 3 years running and ended up as school sport's captain, I only realised years later that was quite an honour. Went on to play play senior first team rugby when I left school, still on the wing (it was the safest place to be), and even managed to play at representative combined counties level.
I'm a chartered designer, commercial interiors and leisure facilities (hotels, restaurants, night clubs, sports centres, fitness clubs, that sort of stuff). My first good job was in the architects department of a major brewery and that's what nearly finished me off. I stopped playing Rugby at 26 through a series of injuries and for the next six years went on the booze. Realising I was behaving like an idiot and probably going to kill myself I did something about it and stopped, it wasn't easy but it can be done and I did it. I needed something to fill the gap, I'd always been sporty and I liked running so that's what I did. For the next 18 years I ran anywhere and everywhere I could but my real love was trail running, up and down mountains and along high ridges. On my 45th birthday I ran up Snowdon in the morning, drove down the coast, and ran up Cader Idris in the afternoon: it nearly wiped me out but I felt good about it.
On advice from my doctor I stopped running when I was 50 because I was getting severe pains in my right groin and hip. I took up tennis and now play 6-8 hours of singles tennis a week, 4 hours caoching and 2-4 hours competitive.
My wife is a fitness instructor and we have a home gym so I keep fit by training regularly with her. One of her clients entered a 10K earlier this year and asked her to train her which she did. This meant my wife took up running so I decided to give it another try. I train in the week on a treadmill and just do one long run at the weekend, usually 10-12 miles, as yet the old hip injury hasn't come back. It's brilliant.
I love running and do it for fun, it's addictive though as are other sports but I love it and the sense of well being it brings with it. I also enjoy hearing other runners stories. What I really like is it's an all inclusive sport. Whenever I see someone out running I'm pleased, it doesn't matter how quickly or slowly they're going, they're out there doing it and we all know what they're going through. Coarse rugby is like that but that's another story.
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M70
