Magpie Rob

In Spring 2009 I found myself approaching age 40 and about 3 stone overweight. I decided I needed to do something about it. After watching the London Marathon, I decided to start running and entered the ballot. I started going to Bedfont Lakes with some friends and walking/running on Sundays. I was soooo unfit! Throughout the summer, they stopped going but I carried on on my own.

After a while I found out about the Bedfont Lakes parkrun, joining that in July 09 and found out about FETCH from people there. Along the way, I discovered that running is a social activity as much as a sport.

With help and encouragement from my friends, I took 15 minutes off of my parkrun PB in the first year. Attempting longer races, I got a few 10k races under my belt and I completed the Eastbourne and Reading Half Marathons in March 2010. I achieved a first sub-2hr time at the Richmond Half Marathon (May 2010).

The second half of 2010 was focussed on marathons and by the end of October I had completed 5 - the highlight being a 4:15 at Berlin at the end of September.

2011 was a mixed year where I achieved my first sub-4:00 marathon at Hannover then rather lost my way. I entered Robin Hood to give myself a goal which proved to be a poor decision. Thankful for the social side of Fetch...

2012 was the year when serious, consistent training was applied and brought the desired results, incl. 3:43 Brighton marathon and 1:33 Gosport half.

2013
Sub 3:30 marathon [achieved 3:24 at Brighton]

2014-5
Nothing abnormal detected

Goals for 2016 [recycled from 2013]:
Sub 20min 5km
Sub 1:30 half marathon
70 % WAVA
Sub-3:15 marathon

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