Neil Featherby: No barriers to entry in becoming a runner

In fact, I said to him that I wasn’t in that race as I spent most of that year injured although I did know most of the names listed in the results, particularly those from my then club, the Norfolk Olympiads. 

However, he pointed out that Cambridge Harriers’ D. Bradley, who finished in 100th place at Nene Valley, finished in exactly the same time as this year’s Dereham 10-mile race winner Mitchell Bunn in 55:22. 

Now if I am honest, going on about how runners back in the day (certainly when it came to faster times in terms of the depth of the race field) raced to much quicker times is something that I do try to avoid talking about these days particularly as I have written about this on more than one occasion before. 

I also think that the Dereham 10 miler, which of course is part of the Grand Prix Series, was superb, be it by way of organisation, Mitchell’s race winning performance, or the very last person crossing the finish line. 

Whilst we are now in an age where the elite and top club runners wear the ‘must have carbon plated race shoes’ which undoubtedly buys you extra seconds and even minutes in the longer races, running is now so very different and apart from those top guys and girls, there are also lots of people who just want to be part of a big event whilst also just being happy to run for their own wellbeing. 

And why not?  

I have also said this in the past, but the truth be told, back in the day we had to run fast what with having to incur lots of cat calls by way of ‘get those knees up,’ ‘nice legs, shame about the boat race’ or ‘you are going the wrong way, London is that way.’ 

When I first made my comeback to running in the early 1980s, despite the marathon boom, I used to go out and train when it was dark. The winter months were always my preferred running time of year. 

Trying to avoid and not be seen by neighbours for one what with getting strange looks when leaving home in a tracksuit. 

Now the likelihood is that your neighbours also run or cycle and no one gives you a passing look anymore what with it being such a huge activity these days. 

At the same time, not everyone is like my highly competitive weekly running column colleague Mark Armstrong, who feels like he has to achieve PBs every time he goes out to race! 

“We are always getting customers coming in whose opening words are: I’m not really a runner, but I am doing C25k,” said Karen Davies, the store manager at Sportlink. “They are almost apologetic which I find sad as you don’t have to be built like a racing snake or smashing out 50 miles a week to be classified as a runner. Running offers so many differing benefits to people and should not be considered a sport just for the elite.” 

From my own personal point of view, I love all aspects of running. Yes, I am old school when it comes to competition, but whatever your level, if you want to be the best you can be as a runner then that is absolutely brilliant. 

At the same time if you want to run for mental and physical well-being, that is also excellent. That is what I do these days. 

Have a great running weekend wherever you are running or racing…. 

David Minister 

I only recently heard of the passing of local runner David Minister. I met David several times when he came into Sportlink and of course he was also well known to staff and the local running community. My sincere condolences go out to all of David’s family and friends.