2011: Royal Parks Foundation Half

After my success of the Great Scottish Run (yes it was hard, exhausting and slow, but I finished it and I have the medal to prove it), I started to run a lot more. Although I enjoyed running then, I was still quite self-conscious about my lack of speed, excess volumes sweat and incredibly reddened face and used to run only in the dark. I was living in Harrow, in the north-west London, and ran up the famous Hill and down the other side on my way home from work. From the hospital, there were a few different routes I could take – medium runs, longer distances and short cuts if I was feeling tired after a shift- but they all at some point involved climbing the Hill to get home. I ran all over those suburbs that Winter and finished with a little yoga on my tiny balcony when I made it back to base. A few times I encountered a running club, but was too intimidated by their matching neon kit and hill sprinting routines to join them. I was then, and remain, a committed plodder when it comes to running. I try to have minimal awareness of how far I’ve run and how long it takes me- I just like getting out, feeling the strength in my legs and clearing my head.

As Winter edged into Spring, I decided to run another race- nothing like a countdown to motivate you through the miles. After all my hill-training I felt ready for a longer distance and signed up for the Royal Parks Foundation Half. The RPFH has a beautiful route, taking in four of London’s Royal Parks, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and a run along the Thames. But unfortunately that Summer DISASTER STRUCK- I was cycling to work one day and had an HORRIFIC BIKE ACCIDENT!

Okay, horrific might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it was a bit grim. Two hundred metres from the hospital entrance I wasn’t paying attention, got a bit clipped on my wheel, hit a stone in the road and that re-directed me straight into a lamp-post. I didn’t have enough time to adjust my trajectory, but just enough time to realise that it was going to hurt. I hit the lamp-post shoulder first, then flew sideways off my bike landing hard on my knee and then I forgot what happened for a bit until I realised I was lying on the pavement.

A wonderful samaritan tried to help me up, pulling on my arm that had just received the full force of the hit and I screamed at him. Then he called am ambulance and told them he didn’t know where we were and that I looked “about 35 years old” – for the record I was 25. I told him to give me the phone and directed the ambulance to come and get me as I couldn’t get off the ground. They soon arrived, slid me onto a stretcher and gave me lungful of gas and air, which sent me into a panic about not being able to feel my face anymore. The EMT rolled her eyes at me and told me to stop hyperventilating and drove me up the driveway of my hospital to the A&E department.

In A&E I asked them to phone my ward and tell them I wouldn’t be at work today, as I was pretty bashed up downstairs. My manager duly came down to make sure I was okay, but not before I’d been filled with morphine and was dribbling my tea. After a bunch of x-rays and some painful prodding they decided I was fine and sent me home to search for my next hit of morphine alone. Shame really, I loved that stuff. Worst still, my iPod didn’t make it out alive. RIP iPod.

After all that drama, an AC joint injury and a several months of physiotherapy I decided I would still try to run the RPFH that October- again unprepared and unsure I would make it all the way round without crying for more beautiful morphine. In the end it was a stunning autumnal day- clear, crisp and perfect for racing.

This time I paid for my own charity place, running for InKind Direct, to raise awareness more than monies. In my own inimitable style, I plodded along through the sun-dappled parks for 12ish miles and then went for my signature sprint/dry heave finish. Another “success” and another medal! Being a groovy, hippy, park run sort of race the RPFH people take sustainability very seriously and FSC-certified wood is used for the leaf shaped finisher’s medal and the T-shirts are made out of bamboo and recycled plastic bottles which is all for the better.

I really enjoyed the RPFH and have heartily recommended it to other runners, the route is so beautiful you barely notice the miles.

 

And if you’re interested, check out www.inkinddirect.org for ways you can donate surplus stock to be redistributed to those who need it.

*****

In memoriam: Since I ran this race three years ago, one the physiotherapists whom helped me get me back in shape and a good friend, unexpectedly died in November 2013.
This medal will always remind me of you, Tom Yule.