For over a year I’d been plodding along quite happily at a nice, steady 10 minute mile pace. Then, just before Christmas,
the inevitable happened. On my first attempt a London Marathon position was granted. Call it luck if you like but I was
terrified. For one thing it would be extremely lonely having to do all that training on my own. At that time in my life
I’d recently moved to East London and funnily enough there was an athletics club, Victoria Park Harriers, less than a mile
away. Having a phobia with phones I decided to email and explained that although I had previously managed a ½ marathon, my pace was more to the tune of 10 rather than 7 minute miling. After all I had previously made enquiries where I used to live only to be informed that the slowest runners at their club were a lot faster than myself.
Fortunately I need not have worried as the next day I received a lovely response from Paul M, assuring me that my speed, or
lack of it, would not pose a problem. This was even demonstrated by listing the names and times of the women who had
recently competed in a 3 mile race. All I had to do was come along. Now there’s one thing I really hate, more than anything in life, and that is walking into a room full of strangers who all know one another. Thankfully I had nothing to worry about. As soon as I opened the door to VPH I was greeted by Tracey H who filled me in on the club and made it clear that participation, not speed, was their motto. When I came to leave I was bursting with energy. I had a feeling I was going to like it there.
And like it I did. Over the course of the past two years I have run with many interesting women from all walks of life.
There’s Veronica, a scientist, and Barbican Barbie – no prizes as to where she lives. Then there’s Lydia who grew up in a
haunted house. And Sally and Lara, two prosecutors whose daily lives are spent standing up in court saying naughty words.
They are VPH’s classic double act who quite frankly make Ab Fab’s Edwina and Patsy look dull. We also have the two Traceys,
our yoga fanatics, who are regulars on the 6am circuit around the park. And last but not least the Original Georgia, a
total media babe. Lets just say the Mirror’s 3am girls have nothing on the gossip she provides for us. And in case you’re
interested there are now two Georgias at the club and the Original was less than impressed at being referred to as Old or Slow Georgia even though she is one of our fastest women. And so the Original Georgia it is.
And I could go on and tell you so much more about them all but then maybe the word libel would come into play. Oh, and in
case you’re wondering, yes I did manage to complete the London Marathon, yes my pace has now improved greatly and of course
there are men at VPH&THAC but this is a women’s column and that’s another story….
