Well if you hadn’t notice, one of the largest half marathons in the world was run this weekend. The Great north run this year was in its 29^th year. It ran with 42,000 runners and nearly 5 years ago I was lucky to be part of the 55,000 competitors who started when it broke the world record for most number of people in a race. So the question is what drives people on to run these events, well some do it to raise money for charities, some do it for fitness and losing weight, some do it in honor of loved ones they have lost, but most do it for the camaraderie that an event like this creates.

I remember been stood on the start line on a lovely autumnal morning. It was hot weather for England 15 degrees and no rain, which was a nice change from running through muddy forests with rain running down my back. I was doing it for My mums charity, they helped the old people from around our area who couldn’t get out of their houses by buying a mini bus and picking them up and taking them once a week to a local centre so they could meet people and sing songs, even celebrate Christmas as some were completely alone. As there old mini bus was getting old and falling apart, I thought I would try and help them by raising money for a new one and had accumulated over £2000 towards them buying a new mini bus. So I stood there with a good feeling, but the thing is I find it hard to explain what it was like stood there. I was nervous, but with excitement, this was about my 6^th half Marathon, so I was no virgin to this distance and new I could make it to the end. As the swell of people came into the paddock next to me, it was this nervous excitement which had people randomly walking up to you and saying hello, chatting about where they had come from and how much they had or hadn’t trained for the race.

When the gun went everyone was slowly jogging off together, no one was really bothered about the time as we all had chips on and new we would eventually get to the start. The music was booming all around me and me and my friends from the Leeds Dragons were chatting away about how it was going to be and talking about how they were going to celebrate after, mine was obvious as I had made a self imposed ban on fish and chips for over 6 weeks, so had already worked out where I was getting them from.

As the run progressed it was a bit stop start as the people who thought they were good started to puff and pant around me and started walking after 3 miles. This was a little annoying, but I kept telling myself I was here for charity and not for a time. Around the half way stage I suddenly realized the temperature was getting much hotter than earlier and when I noticed a temperature sign it read 23 degrees. It had become very hot over a short time and was rising. Suddenly I noticed that every mile of the course was lined with people and they even was handing people drinks and sweets to help them run. The locals was also out with their hose pipes showering people when they went past, it was great relief.

As the last few kilometers came, it was now baking hot and I slowed to a walk, ‘come on son’, shouted this voice. I looked round and it came from this man dressed as a bumble bee! He looked roasted thought the little air hole he had. This inspired me to push on and as I came up to the last 2 kilometers I suddenly felt I had energy again, so I made a last spurt and crossed over the line in 2 hours 20 minutes.

This was one of my slower times, but all my club colleagues came up and gave me a hug at the end and it was a near tear moment for me as I felt a huge amount of feeling lift up from me.

So I got my fish and chips, Mum’s charity got their new mini bus and I felt good about myself.

This is the same camaraderie I would like to have with our club in Basel and I know we can all have it. We just need to work together more in all aspects as a team and then we will go on from strength to strength in our friendship and in our private lives, in and away from the club.

Keep on running

Martin

Finally people over the world complain of chaffing and blister problem I may have forund the answer to all your problems in a different way.

In Pamplona Spain on July 5^th 2009 there was the Human race naked

city run.

(Wasn’t one of our runners on holiday then in Spain?)

For 2009, had the Naked run demo two days before the 7-days of bull runs which are always started on July 7th during the centuries-old 204-hour-long festival which begins with a ceremony July 6th called chupinazo, where a small rocket is shot from a balcony over the main square to commence the beginning of 9-days of street parties in honour of Pamplona’s patron saint, San Fermin.

The 2009 “Human Race” followed the same short 974-yard cobblestone route that the bulls run which starts in the city’s old quarter at the Santo Domingo Corrals and ends at the Plaza de Toros. 

On the same day in Prembroke UK the annual 5k barn race took place where 200 competitors ran through the beautiful countryside of Devon.

The fastest runner ran in 18 minutes and (although we cannot name names He said it was a bit chilly in the never regions and was concerned about the nettles that were popping up in the wrong places ( Ouch )

So if any of you courageous people want to try and run in your

birthday suit the next race in Europe is the

Carrera Nudista de Sopelana (Sopelana’s Nudist Race) aka Patxi Ros Trophy Race

September 19, 2009 at Barinatxe Beach, Sopelana, Biscay, Spain

For all other stories on this unusual twist to running see www.nuderuns.com