A little (true) story: dijep posted... - Bridge to 10K

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A little (true) story

Yesletsgo profile image
YesletsgoGraduate10
6 Replies

dijep posted regarding how we would describe our running style, and as I made my way across the chilly fields this morning I gave it a bit more thought. Someone came to mind who I hadn't thought of for years. (I just amended this as I'd accidentally tagged MissUnderstanding)

I used to live in NW London. There was an older man, in his 60s or 70s, who would run the streets year in year out wearing nothing but battered trainers and a very tatty pair of shorts/trunks. I assumed that he lived on the streets as he always seemed to be in his own world. His skin was weathered and leathery, his back twisted with scoliosis, but he would run and run, in the high street, along the main road (A41), everywhere.

It turns out that he was an eminent psychiatrist who lived in a massive house on one of the most expensive and desirable roads in the area. I've heard conflicting stories of why he ran, there was even a documentary made, but it left most of the questions unanswered.

Anyway, returning to what prompted this ramble, some days, especially if I'm slow and achy, I channel the Edgware Runner. Rain or shine, body failing, running running running slowly slowly, like a driven man.

RIP Dr Hassan

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Yesletsgo profile image
Yesletsgo
Graduate10
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6 Replies
RunningJ123 profile image
RunningJ123Graduate10

Aww.. That's really nice! Poor little man. Interesting how we can judge the book by the cover and be so wrong!

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate10

imdb.com/title/tt0428482/

en.everybodywiki.com/Edgwar...

Yesletsgo profile image
YesletsgoGraduate10 in reply to nowster

Thanks, I always think of him as the Runner, not the Walker. He was running.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministrator60minGraduate

Just great! I missed dijep 's post.....I need t take a look...!

Yesletsgo profile image
YesletsgoGraduate10 in reply to Oldfloss

Thank you, dijep 's post is well worth a look

dijep profile image
dijepGraduate10

What a great post. It reminded me of a similar aged man I'd see probably 20 years ago running while I was dog walking. He wore rather old fashioned skimpy shorts and his running was always rather laboured, but I usually saw him on a hill so no wonder. Quite a few years later I was talking to a fellow dog walker and realised the man was her husband and he'd sadly recently died. Apparently he'd done a lot of competitive running in his younger days and had kept going into his 80s.

Definitely something to inspire me when it's feels like it's getting tough

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