Walkers and Runners
By Barbara Elton.
Here are just a few reminiscences from some of the sportsmen and women of Totteridge..
David Harris from Priory Close ran the London Marathon two years ago at the age of 60 in 5h 20m. “I ran the first half in 2h 20m and then pulled a muscle in my leg and spent a lot of the second half hobbling and walking, though I managed to run the last mile or so. Somebody told me to get my name printed on my running vest and it does give you tremendous encouragement when people call out ‘Come on David’. I am glad I did it and think it was a pretty good achievement at my age. It was very gruelling and as far as I am concerned it was very much a one-off.” David and his son raised £15,000 between them.
Lorna Phillips, aged 72, from White Orchards has completed the North London Hospice Big Fun Walk eight times – this year will be her ninth. The seven-and-a-half mile walk starts in east Finchley and finishes in Westminster. On one occasion Lorna, who is a volunteer receptionist at the Hospice, walked with the aid of a walking stick only 14 weeks after having a hip replacement. “Most of the walk is through parks including Highgate Woods, Parliament Hill, Primrose Hill and Regents Park. When the weather is good, it is really beautiful. About 1,000 people take part and it’s a thrilling day out.”
For more information see www.bigfunwalk.co.uk
Linda Powell, 54, from Oaktree Drive also ran the London Marathon in 2004, raising £4,000 for research into leukaemia, an illness that had already cost the life of a young cousin and was later to claim that of one of her daughter’s closest friends. “When I first started training in October and only covered a half a mile I thought there was no way I would do a marathon, but I was committed by that time. By Christmas I was doing five miles a week and by January I was up to ten miles. The marathon itself was the best experience of my life. The weather was awful and I was running on my own but I made friends with whom I have stayed in contact. You go into an underpass feeling very low and when you come out there are people calling out from the roadside, from balconies and hotel windows. I would encourage anybody to do it. It’s amazing.”
Richard Stock from Horseshoe Lane did the London Marathon in 1986 to mark his 30th birthday, ran again in 2000 and at the time of writing is planning to repeat the experience in 2006 to celebrate his 50th birthday. “Once you have done it once it has a lifelong effect on your fitness. Returning to the right level of fitness is easier the next time.” Richard, a GP practising in Crouch End, loves running around Totteridge. “It’s beautiful and there are so many different routes to choose from.” He completed the 1986 marathon in 3h 55m and the 2000 marathon in 4h 35m. “How you run depends very much on how you feel on the day. From Greenwich to Tower Bridge was a pleasure the first time, and I flew over the bridge on an endorphin high which wore off as the event went on. It’s a fun thing to do and very good both physically and psychologically.”
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