All Entries in the "Personal Stories" Category
The Blonde, The Brunette and Their Blisters
January Blues.
Even a new pair of ultra-technical running shoes cannot beat the January Blues. The extra weight of mince pies and turkey trimmings can be disastrous for the long-distance runner and ultra-demoralising at the beginning of the long uphill trek back to fitness. The weather has changed from ‘Christmassy cold’ to ‘wintry wet’ and dirty [...]
Two Women – Two Stories!
Read the following inspirational articles by two of our Members, Cathy Thomas and Wendy Higson, who tell us how running has transformed their lives.
Our Day With Liz Yelling by Wendy Higson
On 14th June I travelled down to Leicestershire to meet up with Cathy & Liz Yelling. We had a fantastic day and I thoroughly enjoyed [...]
The Blonde, The Brunette and Their Blisters
Part 7 Cont
It took 20 (long) minutes to shuffle over the start line. As we had given ourselves a predicted finish time of four hours, we had been landed in the most congested pack of people, something that would later prove one of our biggest obstacles.
We started running to the sound of Frank Sinatra singing [...]
The Blonde, The Brunette and Their Blisters
Part 7
Sunday 7th November … THE BIG DAY.
Everyone was talking about the race, even before we left the country. Whilst checking in baggage at Heathrow the men behind us were discussing their training schedules.Going through airport security, the woman in front panicked because she had forgotten her trainers. And as we boarded the plane, some [...]
The Blonde, The Brunette and Their Blisters
Part 6
The clock is ticking …
There are 5 days to go and I’m in bed with flu. After six months of training, through every element, day and night, this was not part of the plan. True, we were supposed to be taking it easy this week, but this is ridiculous. I’m shaking like a leaf [...]
The Blonde, The Brunette and Their Blisters
Part 5
The Windsor Half-Marathon …by a whisker!
I was having an awful flashback. I was ten years old, standing in a pair of polyester athletics pants’ at the far end of the hockey pitch. It was the last Tuesday of term, which meant the inaugural House Cross Country Race. I loved cross country, but I hated [...]
The Blonde, The Brunette and Their Blisters
Part 4
Porsche Pickup.
Sometimes, even the most style conscious runner has trouble co-ordinating a decent work-out outfit at the weekends.
And so I found myself one Saturday afternoon, pulling on my ‘back-up’ gear … most notably my oldest dri-fit leggings, somewhat suffering after my well-meaning flatmate tried to attack them with an iron! As I greeted the [...]
The Blonde, The Brunette and Their Blisters
Part 3
RUNAWAY RICHMOND
It had been an eventful 24 hours. The week ended with One of Those Fridays. Starting, as normal, with a brisk 6 mile trot around Hampstead Heath, I was feeling on top of life, looking forward to a productive day and the weekend ahead. From 8.30am things started to go wrong. The promotion [...]
The Blonde, The Brunette and Their Blisters
Amy’s running commentary around London.
PART 2
After an indulgent weekend in France, feasting on croissants and fine wines, it wasn’t just my conscience telling me to get active. My trainers had accompanied me to Paris, but remained sulkily in my bag for three days thanks to the exhausting heat. The normal ‘weekend run’ had been relegated [...]
The Blonde, the Brunette and Their Blisters.
Amy’s running commentary around London.
Part 1
Once upon a time there was a blonde, a brunette and a big city. The setting is London, and the year is 2004. The theme is running, and how it can fit into the twenty something lifestyle. Working long hours for a successful marketing agency in Camden, finding time to [...]
