When I began teaching I lived in a ‘Spoons for 6 weeks. They had a 2 for 1 deal in dinners. I got massive. So I started running after seeing a pair of Kayano X’s. I had done a bit of running at uni but I could only afford some Gola tennis shoes with soles as cushioned as those ink rubbers we had in school: hard, unyelding, and ruined things.
But I ran. I was good at it. At school i was top at long distance. I planned a plan and did a 10K. Then I did some more; ran further; got faster. I even bought the first Mp3 player for running (before Nike and Apple), a special pedometer by Nike that went on the laces and looked like a torpedo. For my 30th I had personalised Nike Vomeros for races.
Family changes, job changes, torn knee ligaments, they all took their toll. The last run I ever did was Park Run about 4 years ago (I was even one of the first to run the Lynn Park Run): I came home and found my son crawling about in the hallway and my wife trapped on the stairs between the stair gates. I then realise that I was soon going to be missing time with my son. The days of running 3 hours 5 times a week were over. At the end of it all: 3 Round Norfolk Relays, 23 half marathons, god knows how many 10ks, 8 GEARS (inc the very first that started in the Walks), and around 40 Park Runs. Ive even coached people, helped them train. Running was a crucial part of my life
Done.
More recently I developed a pain in my toe that even prevented me walking.
That has sort of subsided now. And tonight I ran. I ran the very first run from that first 10K running plan: 20mins of 1min on 1min off.
Toe doesnt hurt. Knee is fine. I ran.
I ran
runningnogi 