Ulric

Started running as a schoolboy and competed regularly 1980-92. After that I went into semi-retirement and by the end of the 90s I'd stopped altogether. An angina scare in 2000 got me started racing and training again and I've pretty much sustained it since then. Told to have an angiogram in 2006 but refused and finally had an SCA after a race in 2011, followed by bypass surgery. Strictly told no more racing which I of course ignored. Took up biking as a supplement in 2013 which has helped my strength and speed although last year the imbalance between my quads and hamstrings caused my hamstring to tear. Currently struggling with near constant injuries of one sort or another and finding the really fast stuff isn't coming. Hence the recent return to the classic 10 mile race distance (my upper limit for serious racing).
Race history excludes the bulk of my XC career especially races from Chiltern, Wessex, Icknield, Metropolitan, London Colleges and Reebok Students leagues
Ran my first continental races in Leiden in 1983 and also watched the first of three live World XC championshiips in Gateshead. In 1986 I saw John Ngugi win his first world title in Neuchatel and saw him defend it in Warsaw the next year.

In 1984 I saw Zola Budd's first track race in the UK when she ran as a guest in a UL match at Crystal Palace.

Had my first VO2max test at BUPA in 1986, repeated in 1992, 1995 and 2000.
In 1998 I bought my first Garmin, a handheld Garmin III - bit heavy but you could run with it.

In 2000 I bought my first Polar heart rate monitor.
In 2002 had my first LT lab test at UEA.
My favourite runner is John Ngugi pictured above.