Run longer, sleep less!

David Hands, self titled 'Old and Gray' muses on the undertaking of 65 miles...

Not quite sure how to start this. Maybe a bit about why -

Just had a thought. Has anybody approached the French and German veterans organisations about participating? Yes, I know, it's daft but I'm known for my wacky ideas. There is one SS tank commander I would like to meet but I suppose the chances of that actually happening are zero. (Yes, we have, but no promises... Ed)

Anyway about running.

David Hands from Aylesbury here. Running for me is something of a religion. I'd rather do it than anything else. Talking or writing about it is a good second and it was talking to a Captain Vickery RAEC that got me interested.

Vickery was attached to 22 SAS in Hereford (in about 1968) and came once a week to Long Marston near Stratford on Avon on a little motorcyle. There were also occasionally young SAS soldiers at Long Marston for education courses but they didn't mix with us ordinary 'pongoes'.

Vickery encouraged me to run and eventually I joined 59 Commando Squadron RE when they came back from Singapore. Sadly I failed the commando course because I was afraid of an obstacle on the Tarzan course. I'd like to give credit to John Howell because he believed in me enough to put his neck on the line and got the Marines to accept me back for a second attempt. I was told that had never happened before. I still failed but not as badly as before. Thanks though, John.

Running at a track meet in Watford in June 1991 some unfortunate woman, acting as lap counter for the 5K race made us run an extra lap because she lost count through talking to other people. I was furious. I swore I'd never run there again.

August 1991 in Swansea I was running on the sea front looking forward to a long slow run of about 12 miles. Suddenly there's this sharp pain down the back of one thigh. It hurt so badly I was nearly in tears. I hobbled until it wore off but found it impossible to run again.

Several attempts to restart running resulted in back and leg pain. My GP said it was sciatica and there was very little that could be done. I was a psychiatric nurse at the time and I don't willingly accept the idea of "CAN'T" in most of what I do.

After some years of research I found glucosamine but the results I got from it were sporadic and painful. Some brands worked but all gave me horrendous calf cramps especially at night. Magnesium tissue salts solved that problem but the supply dried up when the local health shop shut down.

Back about 1989 I'd developed a severe quad strain because I hadn't understood stretching exercises and the need for them. Physiotherapy early in 1991 allowed me to continue in good condition but one physio did say that he thought I'd never run long distances again.

I'm about to prove him wrong! The quad strain has made its presence known the day after every time I've run. When I saw what the Pegasus Bridge crew were doing I said to myself, "I want that".

For two months I did nothing. One day, just before Christmas I bought a massage hammer from a local shop because I knew I couldn't afford physiotherapy. It didn't do any good until mid February when I used it standing up.

I can now run, albeit only at 10 minute miles. Yesterday I was at 3 and half miles, slight back pain but no muscle ache and no quad strain. I do have to use the massage hammer several times a day as most of my time is spent sitting writing.

The big question is "Can I get myself fit enough to make 65 miles in early June?"

I think I can. The Across Wales Walk at 45 miles, the Long Mynd Hike at 50 miles and the Marine 30 mile all tell me that I can, if I put in the training, even though they were a long time ago.

It's alright, it's ok -
Doesn't really matter if you're old and gray

Run Longer, Sleep Less!

David Hands