I can only assume that the daunting prospect of having to spend Saturday mornings in my company again prompted my wife, Jessica, to suggest I try a running group like Penkridge Runners, as she’d heard glowing reports from people at work (our very own Paula and Shaun).
After a lot of gentle coaxing and relentless persuasion, I finally messaged Martin, sent in my application form, and soon found myself standing awkwardly in the corner of a school car park, nervously worrying that I’d signed up for an hour of pure torture with a group of runners who were only obsessed with setting new PBs every week. Instead, what I discovered was an incredibly warm and welcoming group of people and a coach who was genuinely passionate about helping people achieve their own personal goals. The main drawback was that I had to forfeit my “I told you I wouldn’t enjoy it” moment and admit that, actually, I’d quite like to go back again the next week.
Since that first session, I’ve been consistently amazed by the incredible variety that Martin and the run leaders put into each session, keeping them engaging and enjoyable for everyone. I soon found that my on/off approach to running had transformed into eagerly anticipating the next Saturday session and genuinely missing it when I couldn’t make it. Saturdays quickly became synonymous with Penkridge Runners, and Sundays with the “Sunday Club,” who, like so many of the wonderful people I’ve met over my 8+ years at Penkridge Runners, have become cherished friends.
In 2017, Martin announced that he had six coveted places available for Penkridge Runners for the Birmingham Marathon if anyone was interested. A marathon had always been an intimidating challenge that I’d wondered if I could ever conquer, but I remembered, very soon after I first joined, Jamie and Lee both completing the London Marathon and the unwavering support the club had given them. So, I put my name down, partly hoping I’d be the unlucky seventh person for the six places. (Un)fortunately, I got my place, as did Paula, and we diligently followed Martin’s training plan to get us ready for the big day. The incredible help and encouragement that she and the Sunday Club gave me got me through the gruelling training for Birmingham. Proud as I was to cross the finish line, I did have a Steve Redgrave “I am never doing that again” moment, as those last 8 miles were a brutal experience I never wanted to repeat.
Despite all those dramatic protestations, this year I completed marathon number five and ultra-marathon number two, and it’s proven three things to me: firstly, don’t speak too soon (never say never again); secondly, how astonishingly far you can go with the right support and belief; and thirdly, don’t let your life be governed by a board game – thanks, Gavin.
Since that first marathon, running (and more importantly, running with the amazing people I’ve met through PR) has become a massive part of my life. I originally started running both for my fitness and for the challenge (I’ve managed to run further and faster than 25-year-old me could have ever imagined), but it has since become a therapeutic escape for me as well, making me feel so much happier and more balanced in general. Jessica can always tell when I’ve missed a run and am in desperate need of my PR fix.
This year, Jane and I accomplished the extraordinary feat of completing the Shrewsbury to Church Stretton 50k, which is something I wouldn’t have even dreamed of attempting before PR, let alone enjoying the experience of running for 8 hours over challenging hills.
Jessica and my daughter, River, have both recently joined PR too, and they are loving it just as much as I do. Looking back on the last eight years of running, each of the runs that stands out in my memory has been because of the incredible people with whom I’ve shared them, and it’s very much an on/on relationship now.
