Hi Wayne,
Call me a sentimental old fool, but I was just looking at my calendar and realised it was almost a year ago since I first
joined the club. And in answer to your plea for more articles for VPH&THAC News, I penned my thoughts about the club down.
I really do go on a bit, but if you have a spare column that needs filling, feel free to use my corny ramblings. Anna
Sunday 3rd June 2001 will always have a special place in my heart. Not only was it the day when another
crop circle was found, this time in Barrowden, Leicestershire (later found to be a hoax), not only was it the day that
'Atlantis - The Lost Empire' premiered in Hollywood, and not only was it the last weekend before the General Election.
It was also the first time I popped my head round the door of the Victoria Park Harriers clubhouse. I remember it well,
it was a warm Sunday morning and I' d deliberately stayed in the night before to prepare myself for the early morning run,
unbeknownst to me however, the rest of the club had gone out partying the night before. When I turned up at the club (when
I finally worked out where the entrance was!), I was greeted by the sight of Roger with a broom in hand and a dustbin bag
full of empty bottles and cans with the distinct whiff of spilled lager in the air. Not to be put off, I pottered along for
a gentle jog down the canal to Hackney Marshes following some of those club members that either a) had the wonderful ability
to not suffer from hangovers or b) hadn't gone out the night before. I came back glowing after the run and decided that I'd
have to come back on the Tuesday to see what it was really like. Tuesday came and I nervously hovered outside the door
waiting to be let in. When the door swung open, I distinctly remember Tracy Harding's beaming face welcoming me in with
open arms. I felt at ease immediately and Tracy was raving about the club, about running and about cross country. I thought
immediately that I'm going to love this place; everyone was so friendly, but I also remember thinking to myself, "wow, these
people are serious, there's no way I'll be down here three times a week - I 'm not that dedicated. Races? Nah, not for me.
And cross country - no way". Quite how I ended up at Herne Hill for my first Assembly League race that very Thursday - just
four days after I popped my head round the door, still baffles me. It probably has something to do with Tim's persuasiveness,
the enthusiasm from Tracy or perhaps the promise of a drink in the bar afterwards, but all I do know is I forfeited my vote in
the election to run in that race. And while I'm thinking about it, if you ever have the good fortune to run that course, don't
listen to Tim when he says "It's flat, would I lie to you?" I think we all know the answer to that one! A year later and I'm
still here and still enjoying it just as much if not more. I've run roughly 20 races for the club, (half of which were cross country!),
numerous club handicaps, 3 10k's and 2 half marathons. When I joined, I could just about run 3 miles comfortably. I've
developed a competitive edge that I never knew I had and I've even started subscribing to Runner's World. I'm now the
person you see at bus stops stretching, I'm the person who does knee strengthening exercises under my desk at work and I'm
the person who will spend hours in Boots or Superdrug pouring over bottles and cans of ice sprays, heat-enhancing creams and
muscle relief gels. But it's not just the running, it's not just the bar and it's not just the wonderful location that
make VPH&THAC such a great running club - it's the people. Everyone is so welcoming, helpful and enthusiastic. Long may
it last and here's to another great year. Thank you.
