I recently stumbled across this montage of photos taken at a Southern League track meeting in Ilford, Essex in 1982 when running for Richmond & Twickenham AC (Ranelagh didn't have a track team). Clearly they could have been plucked from a coaching manual such is my superb technique! Actually I was quite pleased with top left - until one sees how little of the water I was able to avoid - but I'll admit the others leave something for the purists to cringe over and I'm sure the Kenyans don't stick their tongue out when about to jump! In my defence I had already completed a 5,000 metres that afternoon and was only doing the 'chase to garner points for the club. Like everything, of course, it shows that practice makes perfect.
I did have one great experience at this event. At Raynes Park school we had a really good bunch of runners including 'Ants' Orr who was virtually unbeatable on the circuit (he won many county xc champs). He and I ran in the Surrey Schools 2,000 steeplechase at Motspur Park where Chariots of Fire was filmed, must have been 1974, and he very quickly pulled away from the field. On the last lap he was some 50 metres clear and I'd managed to get into a clear second. As most people know I have little knee lift - many contemporaries used to be very frustrated at being beaten by someone resembling a shuffler - but Ants' was worse. As a consequence he, like me, struggled to get over the barriers. The 'chase is unforgiving, especially when fatigue sets in. Add a lack of concentration and the inevitable happens; in the case of the race leader it was total immersion in the water as he stumbled across the barrier. I spotted my chance and although he was and still is a good friend (he's actually a methodist minister these days) and I'm an absolute gentleman, I accelerated, accidently pushed him back under the water as I traversed the barrier in my own inimitable style and proceeded to stride home for a totally unexpected win.
Back to reality: got out four times again this week, albeit not for very long each time. With two evening Farmor's School Governors meetings plus a business trip to London, where I managed to slip in lunch with old chum Simon in The Olde Watling pub, it was a busy week but one can always find time to have a run if organised. Even though the running is pathetic, I'm at least building a routine that may, just may, stand me in good stead as time goes by.
Miles: 9. Weight 13st 0lbs (no change).
