The Long Slow Run

Whilst everyone ultimately runs alone, the pastime itself is intensively social and mutually obsessive – we’re surrounded by supportive friends, colleagues and randoms from the Internets happy to engage with us and offer useful advice and wisdom. The people we run with help inspire and encourage us and we’ll no doubt make frequent references to them.

Here’s a run-down of the folk we run with, literally, figuratively and digitally, so you can get a bit more out of the references in our posts.

Armand (aka division6)’s folk

Amanda – aka Panda, the lovely wife, the source and font of inspiration

Hippo – the child-to-be, and further source of inspiration

Sensei Paul – aka P Diddy, a friend from college, serial marathon runner with a London Marathon record of 2h46 minutes, cycler of 40 miles a day, produce grower and literally a man (he would be upset of any non-literal use of the word literal)

Rach – a friend from college, virtual training mate (currently injured), and Mrs Sensei Paul

Jimjamjebobo – another friend from college, erstwhile runner and long-time injury sufferer, employee of WCRF, the charity I’m supporting with my half-marathon attempt

Matt – aka (expletive of choice) – best man and great friend from college, but massively injury prone so currently cycling his base heart rate down in non-impact fashion. Aims to cut base heart rate down to one per day.

JKB – aka BIL – brother-in-law, golf buddy, source of encouragement and occasional running-mate. Currently injured.

Arvind - my elder brother, now duly motivated to run a half-marathon himself

Heather – client and fellow runner (ex-marathoner)

Jo – client and fellow runner (half-marathoner)

Noel – aka Cmorbutt – my Malaysian friend, now in NZ – though he tends to comment on Buzz. Working up to a marathon.

James (aka jimbocoyle)’s folk

Rob – I will be best man at his wedding in September – I taught him to run. Now he beats me regularly.  Marathon runner, triathlete, a cyclist that manages to get a puncture on almost every ride he ever goes on.

Kev – The flatmate. Runs fast but wears terrible running clothes. We ran VLM together this year and Kev was captured on BBC encouraging (shouting) me to hurry up down the Mall.

Rachel – the missus. Incredibly competitive – doing her first triathlon at London this year. Will probably beat me.

Ralph – the coach. Helping me train for London Triathlon in August.

Mutual folk

@thehod – Self-appointed Head coach of  Brands2Life triathlon team. Freakishly strong cyclist who can’t swim. Normally runs faster than me – apart from over marathon distance.

Beardo – B2L Tri Team swim coach. He belongs in the water. Takes on a couple of triathlons a year and the occasional run. Nearly always injured.

Susannah – veteran runner and classical music fan.

V – 4h15 London Marathon vet and maker of the world’s best banoffee pie.

@SamKano – who did too many push-ups that one time.

Digital friends

Watch the blogroll for now, but we’re hoping that some of the bloggers we interact with will start to become regulars on LSR and we’ll give them their dues here, no doubt.