Wednesday 4 December 2013

The Rolling People - The Verve

'Don't ask why, We just know' - Ashcroft, Jones, McCabe & Salisbury

This running lark is second nature after all these years but I've been asked by BBC Five Live for a piece to add to the BBC Website about running and why the heck I do it.

Not an easy task but the words went like this:- 

'I didn't set out to run hundreds of marathons, set nine Guinness World Records and run The Marathon des Sables (the world's toughest footrace) ten times. I just went for a very short run on January 5th 1994 to help me lose weight when I gave up smoking and drinking. 

It proved to be an amazing life transformation and as I became fitter and lighter, my training runs got longer and I wondered just how far I could run. The 1995 London Marathon provided a suitable goal as it had always been something I'd been in awe of but never fit enough to contemplate running. I enjoyed it so much, I ran another marathon the following weekend and I've been running marathons most weekends, ever since. 

Long-distance running gives me an immense feeling of satisfaction and I now make my living teaching other people of all abilities how to run and achieve their dreams. It's such a positive thing to do and I've been to some amazing places and met incredible people over the years, including my partner Jen Salter during the Marathon des Sables, in the Sahara Desert along the way. 

My dream now is to complete my 1000th marathon and keep running for as long as I can.'

Sounds fair-enough to me and when you know why you run, you just know...

More tomorrow from yet another MdS Training Day


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