THE ED ’ S DESK the ed ’ s desk by SEAN FALCONER
Sean Falconer
THE ED ’ S DESK the ed ’ s desk by SEAN FALCONER
Taking My Time …
Thanks to my regular work as a commentator at running events on weekends , I am not able to line up in as many races as I would like to . In my pre-commentary days , I regularly used to chalk up around 50 races a year , on both road and tar , but nowadays I only manage around 15 races a year . The funny thing is that I usually get the same reaction from fellow runners when they see me in running kit . Either they are surprised to see me running – “ What , do you actually run ?” – or they leap to misguided assumptions about my running ability : “ Well , you ’ re the editor of a running magazine , so shouldn ’ t you be trying to win the race ?”
You see , I always line up near the back of races . I couldn ’ t care less about my finishing time or position , I ’ m there for the views , the chats and the experience , and there ’ s a story behind why I approach my races this way . It goes way back to 1995 , in my first year of running , when I was still wearing junior age category tags . As a newbie runner , I was posting PBs most weekends as I rapidly got fitter , faster and more experienced , and in the Transnet Half Marathon in the Cape Town Harbour precinct , I clocked a new best of 1:37 . A week later , I lined up for the Elsies River Half Marathon and went out hard , aiming for a 1:35 , but I had not been able to go to the loo before the race , and I soon ran into problems .
By 2km , I was feeling a bit uncomfortable . By 5km I was reduced to a slow jog , for fear of needing to change my pants . By 8km I was down to a slow walk , for fear of blowing at both ends , and by 10km , while stopped at a water table , I was passed by a 70-yearold athlete being followed by the sweep vehicle . That ’ s when I decided to bail . There just seemed no point in trying to walk another 11km feeling that lousy , but I remember the utter dejection as my clubmates came flying back past me , all thinking I was somehow ahead of them and encouraging me to keep going . I ended up taking off my club vest , to show I was out of the race , so that I didn ’ t need to keep explaining why I was walking .
A Different Approach
I admit it , that experience psyched me out completely , so at my next race , I decided to line up right at the back and start slowly , to first see if my stomach would give me hassles again , then speed up if I felt OK . While waiting for the race to begin , I heard somebody say , “ Young man , what are you doing back here ? Shouldn ’ t you be closer to the front .” I turned to see a group of three clubmates , all with grandmaster age tags , and after telling them I just felt like a slow run that day , they said , “ Well then , come and meet the crowd ,” and began introducing me to all their friends at the back of the pack .
I must have met around 40 people , from 30 different clubs , and everybody knew each other . They ran together most weekends , and knew what the others did for a living , about their families , their hobbies and interests , and more … and they never stopped chatting , joking and even singing that entire race . It was so much fun that I ended up running that entire 21km with my new friends , and driving home after the race , I realised that these were ‘ my kind of people ,’ and this was how I wanted to run races going forward !
Nearly 30 years later , I still run near the back of the pack , having a chat and a laugh , stopping to look at the views , enjoying the fresh air , unwinding from the stress of the week . Sure , running fast is satisfying , and I have occasionally chased PBs or fast times through the years , but most of my races have been “ chat-runs .” I have huge respect for those runners that are motivated by going fast , but I ’ m happy at the back of the pack .
Whatever motivates your running , be it fast times or slow chats , make the most of your running opportunities this coming year , and most importantly , just keep lacing up those running shoes . Happy New Year , folks !
Sean Falconer
Happy new year !
Image : Chris Hitchcock & iStock
6 ISSUE 164 | www . modernathlete . co . za