The worst running day of my life - but I'll learn from it!

The pacemakers for the Ealing Half Marathon, with me far right.

MANY years ago in a black and white era, we were all encouraged by our school to embark on a 10-mile sponsored walk to raise funds for a new minibus.

I was just 14-years-old, But on a cold Wednesday afternoon, together with my schoolfriend Andy, we put on our running shoes and ran the 10 miles non-stop with barely any training, no water stations, and with very little sweat.

For most of my running career, I've winged it. I've trained, but perhaps never as assiduously as I should, and fared okay. I could get by.

Today, I got found out. For the past six weeks I've been struggling with a niggly hamstring injury. I've rested the injury, had physio and had my first run-out a week ago with an eight-miler through the New Forest.

Even then, I knew running as a pace-maker for the Ealing Half Marathon would be a step too far, but the arrogance of experience told me I had the strategies and mental toughness to get through it. What an idiot!

With fellow pacer, Vicky Watkins

Eight miles into the race today on a bright, sunny Sunday, I could see my pace was dipping. It wasn't that fast, just over 8 minutes 20 seconds a mile. My fellow pacer, Vicky, was already 150 metres ahead. My legs had died, there was no power going uphills, and the fitness levels were struggling.

Ordinarily, I would have slowed down, dug in and battled my way to the finish. But I had a dozen runners around me following the guy in orange with a six-foot flag planted in his rucksack. If I strayed off the pace, they would have been furious. There was no place to hide.

So I had to step off the road near to where some medics were stationed. They gave me some painkillers and put some rub on my hamstring, but there was nothing they could give for the appalling lack of fitness.

To add insult to injury, I had to walk back the three miles to the finish, clutching my huge orange flag. I felt so humiliated. Rather than stick to the race route to find my way back, I headed down side roads to get back to the finish in Lammas Park and return my gear.

This was definitely a running low. The worst running experience ever. But, it is an experience to be remembered and never repeated.

A return visit to the physio beckons, plans to run in the Royal Park Half Marathon in two weeks' time abandoned, and now the slow road back to fitness begins.

Whereas years ago I could have dogged it out and battled through, today age and lack of fitness caught up with me. In this situation, honesty is always the best policy.

STICKING with the running theme, it's a tad ironic that I was committed to joining 17,000 other runners as a pace-maker for the Parks Half Marathon on October 12th. That same day is the Swindon Half Marathon, which I have run in for the last six years, five of them as a pace-maker.

This year, organisers the British Heart Foundation, have apparently decided to do without pace-makers. I write apparently, because I have emailed them a number of times to ask if they are using pacers this year, but I've been passed from pillar to post and heard nothing.

Now, word is that BHF aren't going to use pace-makers. They might have the decency to let me know.

If that is the case, then it is a huge mistake. BHF took over with organisation of the race for the first time 12 months ago. It was a soulless, lack-lustre event which seemed to have lost its edge; especially the pre-race build-up.

The BHF is a very worthwhile charity who run a series of running races around the country to raise funds. However, their one size fits all approach is not working.

Previously, the Swindon Half Marathon was organised the the council in conjunction with Nationwide. Thanks to the organisational skills of Helen Maine and Cathy Caulfield, the Swindon Half grew in stature. The feedback from runners drawn from a variety of abilities was invariably positive.

It was as a result of trying to find ways of developing the Swindon Half ,that the very successful Shin Splints group was formed in the town. This was a free group set up to encourage new runners to take part in either the half marathon or shorter multi-terrain event by training in an informal and less intimidating atmosphere.

Today, the Shin Splints is one of the most successful running clubs in Swindon, offering free and sociable running to a legion of people dipping their toes for the first time.

That is what the Swindon Half is all about and it is a shame that the soul of this great race is being lost.