July challenge: Sqkr: Please attach a... - Fun Beyond 10K & ...

Fun Beyond 10K & Race Support

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July challenge: Sqkr

Sqkr profile image
SqkrHalf Marathon
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Please attach a picture, doesn't have to be of you if you don't want - but tell us here: what is the picture about?

A: It's from the Winter Run in early January this year (that's me on the left not the big green fellow). It is notable because it was my first race, for my running three monthiversary, though I had to take one of those months off for bronchitis because my lungs went small and pathetic 😫 It looks like I have terrible form, but in my defence I was coming down a steep hill and caning it as much as I could to reclaim some time!

Q: Tell us a little bit about you!

A: I'm mostly known as Squeak, my former roller derby name—before I got the fear of breaking a limb, having it pinned together and not being able to work any more. My day (and sometimes night) job is in TV post production, factual docs and entertainment mostly. I'm currently making programmes for CBeebies, so if you've got a small child you'll see a lot of my stuff. On repeat. Sorry. I live in Edinburgh, after having had enough of my London job nearly ten years ago and deciding to pack it in to try living somewhere else less grey and polluted. I'm doing another degree in software development just now for fun, it's not fun though, it was a silly idea and takes up too much time but I am halfway through so I guess I'll have to keep going. I play the viola and the saw. I tried to learn Gaelic and failed.

Q: How long have you been a runner?

A: Ten months, it feels like lots has changed since I started. I've certainly got a lot more lycra.

Q: Did you start running with a C25K programme? Why or why not?

A: I did, because I'd not run before and it was recommended by lots of people as a good way to do things. Then I broke all the rules by just running the lot in week three, then I broke the rules again and did 10k two weeks after. I'm trying not to break the rules for a marathon but sometimes it's tempting to just keep going... I'm impatient and get bored easily and am not good at sticking to rigid routines so it turns out podcasts and plans aren't for me—I either get stuff done really quickly or not at all, because I've drifted off and started something else.

Q: But what made you want to start running races?

A: A friend of mine died suddenly and at his funeral in August last year I rashly promised his running club I'd do the Great North Run. They told me it was 'only 10K', and then I got home and found out they fibbed. Nonetheless, I bought some shoes, started running, and got my ballot place on the Great North Run. Told you I'd do it, Tony :p

Q: What's it like to run in your area?

A: Beautiful, but worth having a head for heights and no qualms about going off road or running with a bit of a chill in the air. Of course, you can stick to the tarmac but I can't imagine why you'd choose to. Scotland is just perfect for running, it's got everything I love—coastlines, forests and highlands, and also an invigorating wind to blow all your cobwebs away.

Q: What is your favourite race event so far? And why?

A: I've not done enough to really know yet! I do masochistically enjoy a good hill though, and nice scenery. I don't think I'm an urban runner.

Q: What are your favourite mid-race snack, and post-race meal?

A: I've not yet properly snacked in a race as I don't much like carrying things—I'm averse to pockets in running clothes—but do enjoy a pasty or cake (or both) when I'm done. I have also discovered an ice cream stop is good motivation on a training run. And to be honest, if I spot a whippy van on a race course I might join the queue then too.

Q: Name a favourite running website (plus link, please!):

A: I don't really look at running websites, unless you include this one! I don't know much about the science, I just move my legs until I think I've run far enough.

Q: What's next for you, running-wise?

A: Keep running up and down stuff I guess. I've a 10k and two halves this year, I've been invited to the Marrakech half in January next year which sounds fun...though this summer I've learnt I'm not much into warm weather running so perhaps it's a bad plan. My pal wants to do the New York marathon for our birthday in a few years so I'll probably give that a go, but at the moment I mostly just enjoying being out and about in the elements 😊

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Sqkr profile image
Sqkr
Half Marathon
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6 Replies
roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon

Rules?? In a knife fight??! No rules!!! 😁

A fabulous read - thank you for posting, Squeak! So interesting, and that photo is wonderful too, I am so sold on Scottish running!

Looking forward to hearing about GNR, Marrakech, New York and all. Hope it's ok to link here from my challenge post? Helps me admin things :)

Sqkr profile image
SqkrHalf Marathon in reply to roseabi

Oh of course! I'm really looking forward to reading the other posts that gather there 😀

pinkaardvark profile image
pinkaardvarkHalf Marathon

A wonderful post, thanks for sharing your background. I love reading where other people are from and how they got to where they are with their running.

I'm a software dev and yeah it's boring hehe. I love that you have tried learning gaelic, I too would love to some day but suspect it is just a pipe dream. I used to watch donnie murdo(a fellow Sqkr) as a kid on the northern broadcasting(Alba or whatever it was called) when I lived in Morayshire and tried to learn a few words here and there :)

Your 'do it your way' attitude is refreshing and I hope you never change that, I want to hear you ran a marathon because there was good ice cream at the end :)

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon

Here's a link to the Challenge post:

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Marathon

So fab to read your story... I bet it’s just amazing running in Scotland?! What a lovely pic too... 😺

Loved this post, and you look amazing! I would love to run where you are some time, so inspiring, and your descriptions captured the essence very well.xx

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