I run therefore I am

Louisa Hibble - 17 Mar 16

I have become a runner. Accidentally, you understand. My friend was sat eating cake in a local coffee shop when she saw a poster advertising a new running group and casually posted on Facebook that she had joined. Maybe it was that cheeky second gin and tonic that did it for me but within minutes I’d joined (I blame Paypal – it’s far too easy to sign up for running clubs accidentally nowadays. This wouldn’t have happened in our parents’ day. No, they’d have gone on a little hunt for the cheque book before giving it all up as a bad job). Anyway, I signed up and before I knew it I was stood in the park on a cold and dark Tuesday night in January lunging and squatting like I had the pelvic floor of a 20 year old.

As you can imagine, I’m still a little apprehensive in admitting I run. I’m scared someone will start quizzing me about pace, stride length or speed.  Oh, speed.  The first question anyone seems to ask when you say you competed in a run is “how fast did you do it”.  Aggh.  It’s not ALL about speed you know.  Ok, I’ll admit this, I’m fairly slow, quite frankly, I could probably walk faster (I’ve been known to burn off on an Olympic-worthy power walk if I think someone might beat me to that cushy table seat on the train) but, hey, at least I’m running.

I’ve been quite enjoying it actually. I even took part in my first Parkrun at the weekend.  Yet as I scrolled through the list of last Saturday’s Parkrun results something caught my attention. I noticed strange letters and numbers next to the names of the runners.  Thinking it was some sort of secret code (the Da Vinci code of running perhaps?) I looked in to it.  I wish I hadn’t.  It turns out that my exciting looking “VW35-39” actually translates as Veteran Women 35-39.  Veteran.  Hang on, VETERAN?  When on earth did we start to class 35 as over the hill and what on earth are they classing that 68 year old woman who trotted over the finish line only minutes after me?

A quick Google search brought up a whole new world: “What’s the best training programme for veteran runners?” “Tips to stay motivated in the ‘veteran’ years” “Veteran running: how not to throw your back mid-run”. Ok, so I made that last one up but I bet there’s an article out there somewhere!

So I have embraced the label in the hope that it brings with it a hushed reverence from those young whippersnappers (one of which is my cake eating friend!).

Louisa Hibble

I stitch in exchange for wine money: www.facebook.com/prettythingsforerica

View profile for posts, events and more info