Red and Black Magazine june 2020 v4

COLUMN

the worst way to spend annual leave. On my
first ever coaching trip with the company I
was three weeks out from my first and to this
day, only marathon, and somehow resisted
the free bar for a whole week in Sardinia.

I began training with Geoff’s group on
Tooting common in 2017, and officially
joined Herne Hill Harriers in 2018, just
before the aforementioned 800m race.
Since then I’ve been well and truly bitten by
the running bug, have loved the training and
racing alike, and may even attempt another
marathon before too long – a far cry from the
average 10m per point covered in a tennis
match!

51

COLUMN

My other sport is / was

Ballet

Evie McDermott may be light on her feet now, but there was a time
when she really floated over the ground...

It may (or may not) surprise you, an open casting!).
but I haven’t always had a At the end, my number wasn’t
monogamous relationship with called and I didn’t make the cut.
running. As my red and black The feedback said I didn’t look
racing ribbons might hint, like I was enjoying myself,
my first sporting love was and, truth be told, I don’t
ballet. I invite you on this think I was. I’d been so
trip down memory lane obsessed with getting my
with me and my old flame leg as high as everybody
as I share how ballet else’s and doing as many
helped shape my attitude turns as whoever was
towards running today. standing next to me, I’d
completely forgotten the
I started ballet when I reason I danced: for fun.
was three and continued From then on, I stopped putting
until I was 18, working my way pressure on myself to be the best;
through all the Grades. Don’t
take that as meaning I was good; on I still worked hard but I stopped
the contrary, being a runner alongside comparing. And you know what? I got a
meant that my hips were naturally tight and I lot better. Don’t get ahead of yourself, I was no
couldn’t lift my leg higher than 90 degrees for love nor Darcey Bussell, but my exam results improved and I
money. started being able to do moves I’d never been able to do
previously.
I was always a competitive kid, which manifested itself I think it’s fair to say that most of us in Herne Hill run
horribly in running. When I first joined an athletics club, to become the best version of ourselves.
aged seven, I was frequently upset with my middle-of- Ballet was, as running is now, a point of expression: to
the-pack performances. It was no different in ballet. I shake off a bad day or celebrate a good
would spend hours working on my turnout, pirouette or one; to push myself to be better but not lose sight that
pointe work, to be better than others in my class with there will always be someone faster than
little success. My marks in ballet exams were always me, just as there will always be someone slower. I’ve
lower than theirs and I couldn’t understand why. It not lost my competitive streak, but ballet
all came to a head when I auditioned for the English humbled me to look at running (and life) with a much
National Youth Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty (not to be taken better sense of perspective.
as evidence I’ve been playing down my prowess, it was

52

CROELVUIEMWN

Reviews

Natasha Lodge takes a look at two collections of runners’ experiences - one looking
at the leading women middle and distance athletes and another that brings together
people’s first impressions of running a marathon - and another book which is a
celebration of running far removed from the intensity of competition about its ability to
take us closer to nature.

First Ladies of Running, by Amby Burfoot (2016) Burfoot writes colloquially but in a way that works,
bringing to life the stories of the women. At first glance
Women’s running has progressed so fast since you could be forgiven for thinking this book boring and
they were first allowed to train and race that hard going, but it is great for dipping in and out of - each
it’s hard to imagine there was ever a time story is short and manageable. He writes in a way that
when they weren’t welcome. Track races, cross country, takes the reader on the runs with these women, from
ParkRun and marathons all have huge numbers of what it was like having to hide in the bushes at the start
female runners, even if the men do still outnumber of races, to being physically dragged off the course.You
them, and I doubt any of us have ever been turned away will be left full of feelings of disbelief as you read about
from a race just because of our gender (at least I hope the clothes and shoes they ran in.
not). But Burfoot demonstrates that this wasn’t always
the case. In the stories of 22 women, elite and amateur Each story has a predictable structure - wants to run,
alike, the stark contrast to today’s running community not allowed to run, runs anyway, makes headlines -
is highlighted. Women were not thought to be able sometimes this becomes a little repetitive but it certainly
to run more than 800m and if they did they would drives home the point that things can happen if you
certainly damage their fertility. After women ‘collapsed’ are persistent enough to make them. This book is both
(apparently this was a sight no-one could bear) at the sport themed and historical, the times of these runners
end of the 800m in the 1928 olympics women were is almost unimportant, although thankfully not left out,
blocked from running for another 30 years. and almost second to the historical fact that they pushed
social boundaries. These women are interesting not
Each woman’s tale is compelling and incredulous to because they broke records but because they ran at all
read and encompasses the very reason that we run. and brought women from the sidelines into the race.
These women didn’t set out to be pioneers of their time, Whatever their purpose for running, there would be
they didn’t race to get in the newspapers or to make no female running community without them and they
a statement. They ran because they wanted to and remind us that it is the taking part and the enjoyment
because they loved it. And yet the pressure on them that is ultimately the most important.
was huge. When Merry Lepper and Lyn Carman ran
the Western Hemisphere Marathon, Lyn dropped out “Look over there.
after about 16 miles. Merry realised then that whatever
happened she had to finish the race in order to prove There’s a girl running with us.”
that women could run a marathon. She ‘reached the
finish line in an unofficial 3:37:07, ahead of five fully
registered men’.

53

REVIEW

Running Free: A runner’s journey back to nature, by being as fast as we possibly can be. Writing this at the
Richard Askwith (2014) time of COVID-19 I can safely say that training alone all
of the time is pretty boring but that also training without
In an age where running technology has taken off and a goal is difficult. But maybe this is just the time we
watches can do more and more, Askwith challenges need to get some balance back and to run purely for the
us to leave it all behind and to get back to basics. enjoyment. I am not about to throw away my Garmin or
Forget our heart rate, cadence, miles, pbs, any stats start running in cotton and plimsolls. I am not about to
actually, and any music, as well as any high quality kit stop racing or training to get faster, but I do agree that I
and run just for running’s sake. His argument is valid don’t always need to run to a time. I can explore, I can
although fairly one sided - how many of us look at where listen to my body, and can use running to appreciate all
we are running, how many of us truly concentrate on that London has to offer.
how our bodies are feeling and how drawn are we to
the next best pair of trainers or Garmin and for what First marathons, edited by Gail Waesche Kislevitz
purpose? Askwith argues that it is for no real purpose. (1998)
That the running industry is now valued at around £16.5
billion (the book was published in 2014) and that if The marathon. Perhaps the most well known
we were to buy everything that running stores tell us distance to run both inside and outside the
is necessary to improve our performance we would running world. I have lost count of the amount of
be paying around £1,144. He states, and I think quite times I have been asked by someone, on hearing that
rightly, that anyone can run, and run for free. It’s one I am a runner, as to whether I have run a marathon.
of the few sports that doesn’t have to cost very much. It’s the go to question, the definitive distance (in some
But I do think that he is too quick to vilify. Stats can people’s eyes) and the ultimate challenge that many
have a huge amount of value and can tell you if you people set themselves. The name dates back to the
are training too hard or not enough, as well as adding battle that took place in Marathon in 490BC and the
great competition and motivation. I would argue for messenger Pheidippides who is said to have run this
more balance bringing black to grey where Askwith distance back to Athens. But what is so appealing and
tries to turn it white. However his book makes for an compelling about running 26.2 miles? I feel Kislevitz has
interesting and thought provoking read. I know that in it right when she quotes Fred Lebow saying ‘I think it is
the past I have fallen into the stats trap and it’s nice to because we need to test our physical, emotional and
be reminded that running can be about more than just creative abilities.’ Training and running for a marathon
numbers. It can be about exploring a new area. Seeing is a test of perseverance, dedication and sheer bloody
the countryside or the city you are in, energising yourself mindedness (or self belief). In essence, it is both
for the day, joining a community or giving yourself alone a hugely mental and physical feat. If we can run a
time. This book is a reminder of how versatile running marathon, well then we can do just about anything. The
is. We can run anywhere in the world with just a pair stories in this book certainly all show the basic need
of trainers, we can run at any time of day or night, not to push these boundaries. Tory Baucum, after being
having to worry about opening times. And by running we diagnosed with asthma as a child and being told he
experience what nature has to offer. couldn’t participate in PE made it his raison d’être to
pursue sport and later on the marathon. ‘I concentrated
Askwith admits that ‘it has…been far too long since on just how badly I felt, but in a twisted way that made
my running was about anything but me…there was a me even more determined to finish.’ - a sentiment
time…when all that mattered was squeezing out every that most of us can perhaps relate to. There is nothing
last drop of my athletic potential - when I turned my quite like the runner’s pain, one that we almost take
back, deliberately and shamefully, on the human side pleasure in enduring and receive an immense feeling of
of my sport.’ And this I think is his endearing message satisfaction on running through.
- that all too often we forget why we started running in
the first place and become obsessed and restricted by

54

REVIEW

In many ways these stories are ones we can all relate
to, however far we choose to race. The enthusiasm with
which we agree to race, the nerves on the start line,
the pain during the race and the sense of elation and
achievement at the end. But after reading this book do
I feel the need to go and run a marathon? The answer
is not really. If anything, these stories show how time
consuming training is, how gruelling the race can be,
and what happens if that day just isn’t your day? It does
fill me with admiration for those who choose to run the
distance though, and for all those exact reasons. It also
reminds and reiterates to me why I love to run so much.
The structure it provides, and the fact that ‘sometimes
under the most adverse conditions, we blossom to our
fullest potential’. This book is about people running
their first ever marathon. But I think it can also be read
as motivation to achieve whatever it is you have been
meaning to achieve. The discipline and grit needed are
the same. This book provides motivation and incentive
for people to challenge themselves which is perhaps
particularly apt at present. If we can challenge ourselves
in our running, we can carry this through into other parts
of our lives.

55

My other sport is / was ‘MyiSsfooe/trehwmeinarosssri’epdoert

Rowing

Running isn’t easy, but you rarely have to get someone else to release you from clothes
which have frozen solid onto your body. Fiona de Mauny remembers the torture of her

rowing days and wouldn’t go back, unless it was to sunbathe on the river…

“Rowing? Wow…” A look of polite confusion. A culminating win at the National Championships marked
“Oh!” The confused expression relaxes the end of my career - I was never quite strong enough to
into one of realisation. “You’re the cox!” pass the first test at GB trials, and this was the best it was
“Nope.” I reply. This was a familiar experience for me going to get.
during my twenties. And let’s face it, not altogether
unjustified. Because, those who have met If nothing else, rowing taught me to be tough. Every
me will know, I’m not exactly what session, every race, I was effectively out
conventional wisdom states is the there, proving someone wrong. Winter
ideal body type for a rower. mornings with wet, freezing, blistered
In fact, when I was in the hands and the time I once had
university “lightweight” to be helped out of a gilet that
squad, I was the only had frozen into a solid sheet
member of the team of ice, 2km Erg tests (try it,
being pressured to *gain* it’s the worst form of torture)
weight rather than lose and “rest” days featuring
it. So, how did I end up only one training session
there? instead of two. It taught me
discipline in training, and it
Well, I went to university taught me to never say “no”.
in Cambridge. And At first, when I switched
everyone knows, if you go to running, the “get after it,
to Cambridge, you row. So, every day, as hard as you can”
as a fresh-faced, 5’2’’ 45kg 18 mentality was more of a curse
year old, I turned up at my college than a blessing - I suffered frequently
boat house. “Hi! Would you like to try from overuse injuries as my body, easily
coxing?” “No. I want to row.” And so it was.
I had only ever intended to do it for a term, but I caught able to cope aerobically with the workload, but
the bug - mostly the result of my stubborn streak. Fuelled completely unable to cope with the movement patterns
partly by the constant observation that I was “too small”, and plyometric nature of running, broke down under the
and partly by consistently coming up ever so slightly short pressure. And it took two years of careful physio and
of my own expectations, I fought my way through to the rehab to (mostly) correct the twisted rowing posture that
College 1st 4 (winning University 4s), 1st 8 (Head of the caused compensation injuries. It has taken me 10 years
River), and eventually, into the University Lightweight 8, to learn how to run “easy”.
gaining Half Blue colours (disclaimer: we lost).
People ask “do you miss it”, and, though it is a big part
After graduation, I took a short break but eventually of who I am today, I have honestly never wanted to say
found myself at Molesey Boat Club, training nearby past, “yes”. Except perhaps on a still spring morning, drifting
present and future Olympians, and feeling… inadequate. down the river in my single scull, occasionally stopping to
lie down in the sunshine.

www.hernehillharriers.org