Greetings,
I would like to point out that the moustache on my photo was for Movember and it has since been removed until next year.
I was not a runner at school, I couldn’t sprint and I didn’t enjoy long distance, however I was very sporty and used to play most other sports, but mainly football!
I got into running after going on a date with a runner who, on our first date, told me about some of the races she’d done (we can’t resist can we?). I said I didn’t think I could run 2 miles non-stop and challenged myself to do it, I barely managed it but the fire had been lit, and I’m still with that same runner!
I’ve only been running about 3 years and have only run one marathon, which was London. I hadn’t been running all that long and did very little training. After my first 20 miler I can remember my girlfriend finding me sat in the bath, in the dark talking to myself with the lifeless crumbs of a demolished packet of custard creams floating on the water beside me. I finished in 3:34, when I was hoping for 3:30 or less, but still enjoyed the experience.
I decided not to enter the next Marathon I could find ‘to put things right’, but focus on shorter distances. Since then I’ve reduced my times and believe I’m in much better shape for another marathon attempt. However, I know the marathon is a different beast, so what I need is a plan and the support/advice to get me over the line. Hence the 26.2 program!
However, I’m not all about chasing pbs, I spent the summer having fun racing on the track and also took part in my first 50k ultra marathon at the inaugural Lakeland Trails 50k, which was brutal but the scenery was stunning. I also took part in the Thunder Run and made a video of our team effort after the 2011 event.
I had a fantastic time at the boot camp, it was great to meet so many others runners from all across the country, we’re such a friendly & sociable bunch. I’d also like to wish Robert and Roger good luck and I’m looking forward to sharing the journey should I get picked or not.
Thanks for reading, any questions?
Paul.
Comments
Hi Paul.
as a new poster what do you think you can bring to the forums
Hello Seren,
Aside from the 'stock' answers of positivity, humour, motivation and advice. I can also provide pictures of my dog in her rather random sleeping positions? everyone likes animal pics, right?
Pdavey - what type of dog do you have? do you run with them?
Cheese - yes/no
Marmite - yes/no
Best joke....
What sort of advice can you give? About anything in specific?
Hi Emmy,
she's a Border Collie cross, we're looking at trying some Cani-X in December! Do you have a dog?
cheese - oui oui, of course! I'm especially fond of cheese on toast with ketchup
marmite, although I haven't tasted it in years, I'm pretty sure that I don't dislike it.
what sort of advice? hmmm....certainly not fashion, probably not relationships or legal, so I guess running and travel would be my strong point.
the funniest joke I heard this year was - 'I heard a rumour that Cadbury is bringing out an oriental chocolate bar. Could be a Chinese Wispa'
like your answers
where the piccie of the dog
This is her hiding in the wash-basket as the hoover was being used. Very safe in there from sucking nozzles.
This is a link to my Thunder Run video in case people don't know what the event is all about. 24hrs - 10k off-road relay, ouch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQrfFr7Kl8U
I'll vote for Paul because he sounds a jolly nice chap, and according to his profile comes from the same part of Birmingham as me where there is a very nice park, with a good athletics track near by.
With the training he'll receive, I'm sure he'll go sub 3
See, now I quite liked the moustache, I thought it gave you character. Very disappointed to hear it is history!
If you don't succeed in winning a place in the Asics team, what will you do instead?
GraemeK, many thanks, I'm also a member of the club that owns that track! And I do all my training in that park too! Mind the donkeys...!
Xyloid - probably write some drunken bitter rant on the forum about how it was a fix and that I've never really liked running and didn't want to win anyway
or
enter another marathon and follow the plan that they design for sub 3, I know I have some friends running Manchester in April (this option is more likely).
If I promised to regrow the facial hair would it earn your vote?
You did look very 'Village People', and what with the uniform and all!
I like the cut of your job, so I have voted for you even without the promise of facial hirsuteness!
you're an absolute gent, many thanks.
I'm going to decide who to vote for by asking one question and the person with the best answer gets it.
What's you favourite Star Wars character ??
Great question, esp as I love Star Wars
it'd be tough to choose between
Salacious B. Crumb or Boba Fett
I have this print at home
http://www.firebox.com/product/6262/Boba-Target-Print-by-SneakyStudios
Again, good answer
Bit disappointing answers Paul, in my eyes...
oh dear...little..bit...awkward now...
subject change!
Good morning! does anyone have any questions, support, indifference or mild insults to throw my way?
You're lucky Paul, I already voted for you last night!
I'll be interested to follow your thread if you make it through, as I have aspirations of a sub3 myself someday. Your 5k, 10k and half times are better than mine, but I have a better marathon time, so would be interested to see if you can take a large chunk off that PB...
Thank you for the vote!
What’s your current marathon PB? Are you planning a sub 3 attempt next year?
I know it’s fairly ambitious to try and knock roughly 35mins off my pb at my 2nd marathon, but that was why the competition sounded so appealing and it seemed to come at the right time too.
Managed to sneak in under 3h15m in my 4th & 5th marathons last year, but have had a couple of rubbish marathons this year. Yet to plan next years marathons, but I doubt I will be aiming for sub3 (too much going on with work and organising my wedding) so just probably looking to get a bit of form back next year and then maybe go for it in 2015...
My first was 3h38m, so if you can knock that sort of chunk off with this coaching, I might be tempted to throw my name into the hat for next year!
Good luck with the wedding prep, I’m sure training for a marathon will seem a breeze in comparison
I'm lagging behind the leader at the moment, who only needs to knock off 1:37 for a sub 3!
Excellent pic of dog in basket. Plus we share a name so I vote sub-3 Davey.
However, I think your earlier answer to Seren Nos about what you can bring to the forums, shows a severe misunderstanding of RW forum posts.
A thorough perusal of the various forums will show that the stock answer (as you put it) should be negativity, sarcasm, random swearing, incredulity at anyone's PB, ignorance of cross-country, ooh and rubbishing of others' training schedules. If you can do all the above, you will fit in nicely...
ahhh well, I've only been here a week or so you see, and I certainly haven't seen any of the above traits...honest
glad you liked the pic of the pooch and thanks for the vote!
You tend to get the sarcasm and negativity when you ask questions like; " I've just stated running. Did a 5k in 35 mins last week. I'm doing a marathon next month and want to do it in 2.59. What training schedule should I use? By the way I can only run at the weekends.
I've used forums before for various things, music & mountain biking to name two for example, so I've experienced all the positives and the few negatives that come with it.
I imagine the RW forums are no different, I was actually expecting a tougher crowd within this 'vote for me' thread, and so I'm thankful for the warm welcome!
I was joking of course. Most people on here seem very supportive. And the banter can be good. Although I stand by my comments on the amount of profanity and general fear of cross-country.
My vote is with Paul... to knock 34 mins off your current time would be an impressive achievement and based on your other distance PBs it would appear that with the right training plan and coaching, you can do it. Roger's currently in the lead though and with only a minute to knock off, it wouldn't seem quite as big a feat for him to do it.
Yay Millsy! With all this motivation and encouragement I reckon I too ought to be able to train and find 8 mins for a GFA in the spring. Clearly I am nowhere near as fast as Paul and all you speedsters and my body dislikes the marathon from 22 miles or thereabouts but if Paul can find 34 mins I WILL find 8 .