History

For me running has happened largely by accident and the course my running has taken is as much due to luck and chance discussions as any overall plan.  I’ve somehow become a regular marathon runner and fairly high mileage runner, despite having very poor running form and a style that’s been likened to a duck or a crab.

I started running in January 2011.  Having never enjoyed running at school I was as surprised as my friend Dave was when I actually accepted his offer to go for a run on a wet and cold evening around Furzton lake in Milton Keynes.  It was awful and I was undoubtedly awful.  So I kept at it.  I’m still not sure why.

Like most new runners I started with a run/walk approach and gradually built up.  I then heard of the amazing and awesome organisation that is parkrun (free weekly timed 5k runs originally UK based but now spreading across the world) and decided to aim for a 5k run.   Then I was talked into doing the seemingly insurmountable distance of 10k by the same mate Dave and in May 2011 I completed the Bupa London 10k.  Training had gone well and without realising it I was starting on a slippery slope to marathon running.

Within my first year of running I built up the distance, training on my own, largely running in the dark so as not to scare people with my heavy breathing, waddling, sweating mass passing them in great discomfort.

After running two Half Marathons I signed up for my first Marathon and in November 2011 popped my marathon cherry at Luton.  It was awful.  My plans of a 4:30 marathon faded as my pace did and I was reduced to a jog/hobble as the mileage took it’s tool.  Only the prospect of being disqualified by the 5hr time limit convinced me to press on with what little energy or enthusiasm I had left and I dragged myself over the line in 4:57:16.   The marathon had kicked my arse and a sensible person would have left well enough alone.

Stubbornness runs in my family (running doesn’t).  I’d been overtaken at mile 20 by a very elderly gentleman, dressed as Superman, sauntering along at what seemed an effortless pace.  We briefly chatted and I asked about his club vest.  It was a fateful few minutes as I learnt not only of the existence of the 100 Marathon Club but in the back of my mind I think a decision was made that I would be joining them.

I passed the 100 Marathon mark in September 2017, and briefly managed a Good For Age for London until they moved the goalposts, having run everything from 1 mile on the track to 145 miles down the canal.

No	Date	Event	TIME
132	06/10/2019	Bournemouth Marathon 2019	03:33:32
131	10/09/2019	Enigma Need for Speed Big Cats	03:33:14
130	01/09/2019	Dunstable Downs Marathon Challenge	04:01:58
129	26/07/2019	Lakeland 100	36:44:07
128	12/07/2019	Centurion Running – Wendover Woods 50k	06:27:43
127	22/06/2019	Greensand Ridge Relay 2019 – Solo	07:07:18
126	15/06/2019	Redway Runners MK24 – 104 Miles	22:39:50
125	19/05/2019	321 Go Running – Sycamore Challenge	03:14:17
124	06/05/2019	Milton Keynes Marathon 2018 – Pacing 3h45	03:44:34
123	06/04/2019	Go Beyond – Rose of The Shires Ultra 54	09:58:07
122	29/03/2019	Enigma Show Me The Money – Caldecotte Reverse	03:22:58
121	15/03/2019	Enigma Week At The Knees – Furzton	03:33:41
120	12/03/2019	Enigma Week At The Knees – Willen	03:28:26
119	22/02/2019	Transgrancanaria 128km	26:08:53
118	10/02/2019	Enigma Quadzilla Day 4 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:30:20
117	12/01/2019	Country to Capital	06:58:20
116	18/12/2018	Enigma Christmas Cracker – Willen	03:30:21
115	25/11/2018	Colworth Hair & Tortoise	03:31:38
114	04/11/2018	Enigma Fireworks – Caldecotte Reverse	03:27:35
113	07/10/2018	Bournemouth Marathon 2018	03:25:11
112	16/06/2018	Greensand Ridge Relay 2018 – Solo	05:50:43
111	26/05/2018	Grand Union Canal 145	38:00:00
110	07/05/2018	Milton Keynes Marathon 2018 – Pacing 5h15	05:14:12
109	05/05/2018	Thames Path 100 – Centurion Running	22:51:42
108	24/04/2018	Big Bear Events – Salcey Forest	03:57:37
107	13/03/2018	Enigma Week At The Knees – Willen	03:22:59
106	04/03/2018	Running Miles Dorney Lake Marathon	03:13:47
105	07/01/2018	Enigma Winter Marathon – Day 2 Caldecotte – Icy!	03:24:55
104	26/11/2017	Colworth Hair & Tortoise	03:45:54
103	21/10/2017	Autumn 100 – Centurion Running	22:59:42
102	08/10/2017	Bournemouth Marathon 2017	03:17:39
101	23/09/2017	Enigma Automobiles – Caldecotte	03:17:59
100	27/08/2017	Enigma Trains – Caldecotte Reverse	03:28:25
99	30/07/2017	Enigma Planes – Caldecotte Reverse	03:22:01
98	10/06/2017	South Downs Way 100 – Centurion Running	22:22:19
97	01/05/2017	Milton Keynes Marathon 2017	03:27:04
96	10/04/2017	South Downs Way 50 – Centurion Running	08:49:10
95	09/03/2017	Running Miles Eton Dorney Lake (started late officially 3:31)	03:27:43
94	05/02/2017	Enigma Quadzilla Day 4 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:51:29
93	04/02/2017	Enigma Quadzilla Day 3 – Caldecotte	03:45:48
92	03/02/2017	Enigma Quadzilla Day 2 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:54:28
91	02/02/2017	Enigma Quadzilla Day 1 – Caldecotte	03:40:42
90	21/01/2017	Ranscombe Winter Challenge -SVN	06:55:55
89	08/01/2017	Enigma Winter Marathon – Day 2 Caldecotte Reverse	03:36:51
88	11/12/2016	Enigma Christmas Day 2 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:36:07
87	27/11/2016	Colworth Hair & Tortoise	03:38:29
86	06/11/2016	Enigma Fireworks Day 2 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:28:25
85	27/10/2016	Enigma Three Lakes – Caldecotte Reverse	03:39:39
84	23/10/2016	Abingdon Marathon 2016	03:28:11
83	06/10/2016	Running Miles Eton Dorney Lake	03:24:20
82	02/10/2016	Bournemouth Marathon 2016 – After the HM	04:51:19
81	24/09/2016	Enigma Rocky 40th Afternoon – Caldecotte Reverse	03:30:08
80	17/09/2016	Chiltern Wonderland 50 – Centurion Running	09:35:05
79	30/07/2016	Enigma World Cup Marathon Day 1 Afternoon Caldecotte	03:27:43
78	03/07/2016	Enigma Need for Speed Day 2 – Caldecotte	03:35:43
77	18/06/2016	Enigma Shaken Not Stirred – Caldecotte	03:26:52
76	14/05/2016	Bewl Water Ultra 37.5	05:50:11
75	02/05/2016	Milton Keynes Marathon 2016	03:26:50
74	03/04/2016	Paris Marathon 2016	03:27:52
73	20/03/2016	Enigma Week at the Knees Day 7 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:15:31
72	20/03/2016	Enigma Week at the Knees Day 7 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:27:27
71	07/02/2016	Enigma Quadzilla Day 4 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:40:31
70	24/01/2016	Dymchurch Marathon – SVN	03:32:40
69	03/01/2016	Enigma Winter Day 2 – Caldecotte Milton Keynes	03:32:23
68	09/12/2015	Enigma Empire Strikes Back – Caldecotte Reverse	03:24:32
67	08/11/2015	Enigma Fireworks Day 2 – Caldecotte	03:26:21
66	29/10/2015	Enigma Three Lakes – Day 3 Caldecotte	03:25:23
65	21/10/2015	Back To The Future – Phoenix Running (official time 04:56:50)	03:43:10
64	04/10/2015	Bournemouth Marathon 2015	03:25:37
63	27/09/2015	Enigma That Bloody Lake – Caldecotte Reverse	03:26:14
62	30/08/2015	Enigma Shaken Not Stirred – Caldecotte	03:36:02
61	05/07/2015	Enigma Summer Marathon – Caldecotte	03:42:06
60	20/06/2015	Enigma Back to Front (Back) Caldecotte	03:49:56
59	04/05/2015	Milton Keynes Marathon 2015	03:38:22
58	26/04/2015	Virgin London Marathon 2015	03:36:24
57	03/04/2015	Enigma Good Friday Marathon – Caldecotte	03:35:10
56	22/03/2015	Enigma Week at the Knees Day 7 – Caldecotte	03:28:58
55	08/02/2015	Enigma Quadzilla Day 4 – Caldecotte	03:55:28
54	07/02/2015	Enigma Quadzilla Day 3 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:52:57
53	06/02/2015	Enigma Quadzilla Day 2 – Caldecotte	03:52:28
52	05/02/2015	Enigma Quadzilla Day 1 – Caldecotte Reverse	03:48:47
51	04/01/2015	Enigma Winter Marathon – Day 2 Caldecotte – Icy!	03:52:15
50	14/12/2014	Enigma Christmas Day 2 – Caldecotte	03:37:15
49	10/12/2014	Enigma Blues Marathon – Caldecotte Reverse	03:48:37
48	09/11/2014	Enigma Fireworks Day 2 – Caldecotte	03:35:35
47	05/11/2014	Bournemouth Marathon 2014	03:38:49
46	19/10/2014	Abingdon Marathon 2014	03:45:47
45	14/09/2014	Tallinn Marathon – Estonia	03:27:22
44	31/08/2014	Enigma Reverse – Caldecotte Lake	03:33:45
43	05/07/2014	Enigma Summer Marathon – Caldecotte	03:34:54
42	21/06/2014	Enigma Back to Front (Front) Caldecotte	03:52:49
41	12/06/2014	Enigma Superhero Marathon – Caldecotte Lake	03:38:45
40	31/05/2014	Kent Roadrunner 2014	03:44:10
39	05/05/2014	Milton Keynes Marathon 2014	03:33:44
38	19/04/2014	Easter Around the Reservoir – Northampton	03:31:31
37	23/03/2014	Enigma Week at the Knees Day 7 – Caldecotte	03:38:26
36	08/02/2014	Enigma Quadzilla Day 3 – Furzton Milton Keynes	03:45:53
35	26/01/2014	Peter Griffiths 100th Marathon	03:48:06
34	15/01/2014	Enigma Willen (Furzton due to floods)	03:57:09
33	04/01/2014	Enigma Winter Day 1 – Furzton Milton Keynes	03:52:05
32	11/12/2013	Enigma 9/10/11/12/13 – Caldecotte Lake	03:41:42
31	24/11/2013	Enigma Track Marathon 2013	03:37:05
30	03/11/2013	Steppingley Step – LDWA	05:44:00
29	02/11/2013	COD RC Pumpkin Marathon	04:23:20
28	29/10/2013	Enigma Three Lakes – Day 1 Willen	04:05:22
27	20/10/2013	Abingdon Marathon 2013	03:45:46
26	06/10/2013	Bournemouth Marathon 2013	03:58:20
25	18/08/2013	Enigma Reverse – Caldecotte Lake	04:20:59
24	25/07/2013	Enigma Night Fever – Furzton Lake 2013	04:38:58
23	22/06/2013	Enigma Back to Front (Front) Caldecotte	03:57:46
22	01/06/2013	Kent Roadrunner 2013	03:54:55
21	06/05/2013	Milton Keynes Marathon 2013	04:06:38
20	22/04/2013	Virgin London Marathon 2013	03:47:31
19	14/04/2013	Brighton Marathon 2013	03:43:02
18	10/02/2013	Enigma Quadzilla Day 4 – Caldecotte Milton Keynes	04:06:17
17	09/02/2013	Enigma Quadzilla Day 3 – Caldecotte Milton Keynes	04:05:08
16	08/02/2013	Enigma Quadzilla Day 2 – Caldecotte Milton Keynes	04:06:54
15	07/02/2013	Enigma Quadzilla Day 1 – Caldecotte Milton Keynes	04:04:09
14	06/01/2013	Enigma Winter Day 2 – Caldecotte Milton Keynes	04:14:57
13	16/12/2012	Christmas Enigma Day 2 – Caldecotte Lake	04:02:33
12	11/11/2012	Enigma Fox @ 40 – Marathon Day Two – Caldecotte Lake	04:00:57
11	04/11/2012	Rutland Water Marathon	04:04:36
10	06/10/2012	Enigma Reverse – Caldecotte Lake	03:58:13
9	23/09/2012	New Forest Marathon 2012	03:49:00
8	09/09/2012	Dunstable Downs Marathon Challenge	05:22:56
7	27/08/2012	Enigma Gold Ultra 30m – Caldecotte Lake	04:54:10
6	25/07/2012	Enigma Night Fever – Furzton Lake 2012	04:00:03
5	15/07/2012	FAIRLANDS VALLEY SPARTANS CHALLENGE 26.4 Marathon	05:01:00
4	24/06/2012	CYM Marathon with Charlie	04:18:06
3	29/04/2012	Milton Keynes Marathon 2012	03:51:51
2	22/04/2012	Virgin London Marathon 2012	03:54:02
1	20/11/2011	Luton Marathon	04:57:16