Running

Sport mirrors life and vice versa, the great highs and lows, constant changing of emotions,the feeling of achievement and utter despair sometimes experienced in the same moment of time.

I was always keen on watching sport, but never had much opportunity to play at school, probably because of my lack of social skills and inability to mix in team environments. Perhaps it was therefore no surprise that in later life running (the loneliness of the long distance...) was to prove my forte.

It all started out as a pastime to meet new people in an area which I wasn't familiar with and didn't know anyone. It was meant to be fun and sport can be and in some respects should always be, but when you have a competitive nature, then this can mean transcending the divide between fun and competition.

Sport takes all you to all sorts of different places, mentally as well as physically, it can be character building and it can also destroy a person, for those unable to conquer the demons inside. How much success is down to mental strength and how much is based on natural divine talent can be difficult concept to measure. But it is unlikely that there will be one without the other, no matter how small the percentage split.

I look occasionally in awe at the medals, cups, trophies, certificates etc... that I have won and wonder how I came from being a skinny kid who couldn't even to do forward role to being county champion in my respective age group, winning races and receiving the trophy from one of my boyhood heroes leading to running a 2.53 marathon in London 2010.

Great days, happy memories, something to be proud of, although I wish someone special had been with me to share the joys of sport with. I thank those who helped my in my early days of running Martin W, Bob D, Chris T, Steve E, without whom it would have been all to easy to give up and go back to watching the TV.

But most of all I am glad I did it my way, on my own terms, through my own efforts and auspices - a job well done... next

Work

I do admire young people who develop a sense of purpose early in life and then have the character, diligence and sheer perseverance to achieve all that they want from a career or work based environment. Me, I left school, not having a clue about what I wanted to do, in fact, not having much of a clue about anything in the big outside world.

Just applied for local jobs for something to do, seemed a better idea than breaking into the local store. I had a spare stamp and thought Post Office I'll try them and so that is where I ended up. Shoving money into a machine which wrapped it into coin rolls, sorting letters into a little slot, cleaning coins after someone had pissed into the telephone box - dead end jobs the lot of em.

The only good thing that came out of it was that for the first time I was exposed to some pretty decent human beings probably for the first time in my life. Good people, proper values, they taught me respect, how to interact and talk to others. So to Frank H, Alan D, Pete M and George G I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking me under your wing, letting me learn from you and helping to develop me as a person - you were great role models and teachers. I am truly grateful to have met you all and shared a small part of your lives.

Who would have thought from such humble beginnings many years later I would end up writing for The Times, a published author of technical books retailing at £300 a throw, starting up my own business, employing people... Without that initial support, I doubt I would ever have attained those heights...

For the rest, well my mates never believed me when I said I could do more, I had the last laugh - up you all.