Thursday 13 January 2011

Resolution Update


When I were a lad, apart from dreaming whistfully of a future filled with flying cars and iPhones, I used to read the "Victor" and the "Hornet" as light relief from the conjugation of Greek verbs and translations from Horace that were so much part of the daily grind at our Council Estate primary school.

One of my great heroes was Alf Tupper, aka "Tough of the Track", who was a wonderful role model for the power of the human spirit. He would make coal briquettes by day and in the evening run in International Athletic events and beat poshos and foreigners alike with his working class northern grit and determination. Being from the North (of Kent) I looked upon Alf as a role model.

My dreams of athletic prowess never came to anything and at Grammar School I just about made the "Chuckouts" in Rugby and hated Cricket. It wasn't until my 40's that I started proper long-distance running as an antidote to working for arses and ended up doing the London Marathon twice, the second time overtaking Sir Steve Redgrave in a career highlight on London Bridge. He'll deny it of course.

Since moving out to the Countryside and going self-employed I gave up running completely... until last week. I've entered a 10k Road Race in April prompted by the fact that all my children and some of their partners are going to be in it. Having sent off £17 I'm now financially committed and am having to start thinking about doing some regular running.

I'm up to 2 miles at the moment but only ever one step away from a running injury (my nickname used to be "Ivor Niggle" in running circles) so will have to take it steady. Alf Tupper is still my inspiration.

19 comments:

Geoff said...

I thought Tough of the Track was Mary Peters.

I never used to pull anything when I went running. Probably because I didn't look very sexy in shorts.

savannah said...

so there you are on my sidebar "resolution update" and of course, i had to come and read since i had no idea you'd even made a resolution, sugar! first roses, now you. i really am going to have a good think now. ok, i know, i need to just do it...i'm just not sure what! xoxoxo

p.s. good luck with the run!

Z said...

Thinking about doing some regular running is more than I ever did. Well done, in an ongoing sort of way. and if it's a sponsored thing, I've got a JustGiving account, and am prepared to use it.

Dave said...

You are my inspiration, Rog. I would love to be as fit as you, when I am as old as you.

Richard said...

But do you sleep under our workbench and live on fish and chips?

Richard said...

I mean your workbench, obviously.

Ms Scarlet said...

*Slaps Dave for you*
Sx

Dave said...

Undeserved. I was being entirely genuine in my admiration.

Rosie said...

Take my hat off to you. I'm only up to twenty minutes jogging with the Wii before i collapse.

Rog said...

Geoff: I thought you were a Lord Coe fan ... Toff of the Track.

Savannah: I was wearing my Nike Just do It t shirt.

Z: Thanks for the offer but that would be an even bigger hostage to fortune!

Dave & Scarlet: You should be a couple with this double banter thing you have going. Just sayin...

Richard: No but I like the idea. Probably flies in the face of modern Sports Theory though.

Rosie: I've only run 56 seconds longer than you then! I did have to stop for a wii mind...

broken biro said...

We never had this sort of stuff in 'The Bunty'

Christopher said...

How does your chin compare with A. Tupper's?

I prefer not to mention those shorts.

Rog said...

Biro: I think the staff of that comic got fed up with no running adventures and walked out. Mutiny on the Bunty they called it.

Christopher: I'm less of the Bruce Forsyth myself but it must have been useful to Alf in those close finishes.

broken biro said...

Aaaargh.

Actually, I l always thought it rather exotic. You know... Bunty - a taste of paradise.

Roses said...

You strange, strange man.

But you know what? If this is what you want to do, I'm right behind you....a long way behind you.

Go Rog! Go Rog! Run faster! No pain, no gain!

Tim F said...

My role model was always Harold Abrahams, which gave me an excuse to a) run very slowly and b) go to the beach.

Annie said...

You used to run away from the arses?

Woohoo! I take my hat off to you. Good luck, don't knacker your ankles or your knees. Us couch potatoes never get injured, that's why I believe Exercise is Bad for You.

Rog said...

Biro: I've always thought Bounty tasted a bit plasticky. A taste of pair of dice.

Roses: I hear you're doing the New Year bit anyway. See you at the Norwich Half Marathon.

Tim: ...and he went on to star in the Smurffs singles.

Annie: Yes I did. And I agree about injuries. It's like only short sighted people wear glasses.

Roses said...

Wash your mouth out with soap. There is no running involved. I only get mildly warm.

The only way you'll see me at the Norwich Half Marathon is if I volunteer to hand out bottles of water to the runners as they puff and wheeze past.