by ajay khandelwal » Tue Oct 21, 2003 4:56 pm
Thanks for your very generous write up Marco!
Huw G was at the start line with his children sporting various pieces of Assos headwear, looking very chic, as part of Addiscombe's asssertive outreach programme for a future generation of cyclists. He was also out at the end handing out paper cups of champagne to quench the thirst of Addiscombe runners.
On the other hand, there was Monty, with his yellow Addiscombe cap, and a pair of drainpipe black nylon track suit bottoms with bulbous outer stitching running down the front, synonymous with Thatcherism (didn't stop him running a scorching 47 minutes) I was also seriously comprised with a pair of synthetic white shorts, and a belly full of croissant and scrambled eggs.
I'd been thinking, theoretically, about doing a run...but had crumbled at the idea of the ball buster. The rumour put about that I'd been running for buses as part of my training is totally false. I always get the tram. In any case, I turned up at Lloyd Park, and entered on the line. I put out a shout for ACC on the mike, and I was approached by a runner who told me he was surprised to hear that we still existed, he used to be a member in 1945!
I started too fast and lots of runners, including a 12 year from Strides running club, and some elderly ladies, with the letters FUN in big writing on their backs, came past around Trinity School. Monty flew past in the racing group, as I continued to crawl. Only later, when my mother and Ninder came past in a surprise support vehicle, did I find a little more rhythm. At the same time Marco hauled up, chatting away and going at a nice steady pace. Now, I know I've a reputation as a wheel sucker on my bike, but the good new is that it works just the same on foot.
Marco hauled me back up to speed, and I was suddenly delighted by thought of being ahead of uber olympic athelete Maria David, as I realised that she hadn't even entered. Hey Maria, you can't win if you don't enter. The thing that worked best was that Marco was chatting easily as he ran, whilst there was silence all around us. This was a cunning psychological trick, and helped me get a grip again. Chat as you run, and people around you droop and step aside a little.
Fantastic to see support from Wendy, and a whole line of MTB maestros made my day. I think we even got a beep from Phil Nash in his car. I was glad to finish, and the medals were quite good. This was my first ever run, and I got the same type of buzz from it as doing my first club run. Marco bulldozed past me on the home run.
If Huw is going for the sub 40 minute group in April, I hope I can run a sub 50 minutes with my running partner Marco.