Inspiration comes in many shapes. For some, another person is an inspiration, a driving force behind their own actions. For others a personal goal is the driving force. For most, there are a combination of both.
People have told me that I am inspirational, which is flattering, but I dismiss it as kind words and nothing more. I don't do this to offend people, I do it because I don't see how I can be an inspiration to anyone. I look at what inspires me, and I see nothing of myself in any of it. I've never won a race, in fact I purposely never race. I've never ran an inconceivable distance or a sub 5 minute mile (5:03 when I was 18) and I don't think I've ever achieved anything that someone hasn't already achieved. I don't inspire myself, anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I am my own worst critic. So who inspires me?
Firstly anyone who has donated an organ. The gift of life, which in most cases can only be given upon their own death, is truly inspirational. My donor, and his family, inspire me everyday. At the time of my transplant, my donor was 3 years older than me, still a child, not even a teenager yet. I cannot begin to imagine the pain at losing a child, but to take that pain and still allow their organs to save others is beyond words, I am eternally grateful and I try to make my donor proud with anything and everything I do in life. More and more I am pushing my own limits, trying to prove myself worthy of this gift.
My family inspire me. My sisters have never complained, despite the time my parents spent at the hospitals over the years. They never complained that plans had to change due to circumstances surrounding me. They are still the first people to rally round when I am unwell, unconditional support, beyond that of being family. My mother is an amazing lady. Since the day I was born she never missed a night in hospital, even now at the age of 30, she demands to accompany me to my annual surgeries. She has been a single mother of 3 since 1999, and she would give everything she has ever had to make sure that we are all happy and healthy. She is silently terrified that my running will kill me one day, but she is strong enough to allow me to follow my own path, because she knows that running is now the one thing that makes me who I am, who I have become. I think a lot about my family when running, the hardships, the sadness, the sleepless nights and the laughs. My little sister has an infectious laugh, a laugh that merely thinking about can set you off grinning like a loon.
My friends in the transplant community are a massive inspiration. Last year a good friend underwent his second kidney transplant. His dad was a living donor this time. To endure and survive a transplant once is hard enough, twice is beyond me, especially when a family member is the donor. Another transplant recipient that should inspire anyone is my friend R. She has survived two heart transplants and several strokes, and isn't even 20 yet. I first met her 7 years ago now.
Understandably parents tend to wrap their transplanted children in cotton wool. Luckily I was a mischievous little bugger after my transplant, and I did things that my parents didn't approve of, but allowed me to do as part of growing up. I was constantly covered in cuts, scrapes and bruises. Falling from trees, swimming in rivers and lakes, building dens, playing football and rugby, basically being a kid again. In 2006 I was invited to accompany a charity trip to Switzerland, a ski camp for around 25 children who had undergone organ transplants. There were three or four of us older transplant recipients, and we had all been transplanted longer than 10 years each. For many of the children, it was the first time post transplant away from their parents. Our job was simple, show them that having a transplant is not the end, but merely the beginning. The week we spent in Switzerland will stay with me forever. At the start of the week the kids were quiet, and apprehensive of their abilities. By the end of the week every single child was skiing from the top of the mountain to the bottom, and gutted to return home to their families. Did I inspire them? I don't know. Did they inspire me? yes they did and continue to inspire me whenever I think of that week away.
So what inspired me to run?
Undoubtedly the main reason to improve my health and fitness was my transplant. In May 2011 my transplant was 19 years old, which is pretty good going! I figured that I should really start looking after myself a bit better. I stopped drinking alcohol for over 18 months, and started going for a few easy runs a month, no further than 3 miles, as I wasn't convinced I could go further.
Through my job at the time I became aware of Anton Krupicka. A mountain runner for New Balance living and training in Colorado. He ran a sub four hour marathon aged twelve, yes 12!! He is now a name synonymous with ultra distance mountain racing
Krupicka's usual running attire (pic:
His exploits have been captured in Joel Wolperts 'The Runner in Winter' video and in this summers release 'In The High Country' and in the epic JourneyFilm video 'Unbreakable' which is a fantastic film following Krupicka and 3 other elite ultra distance runners over the course of the Western States 100 Miler. Krupicka's minimalistic approach is something I have also tried to embrace. He was involved heavily with the New Balance Minimus range of footwear which has been hugely successful and includes several of my favourite shoes. He also led to the emergence of Cumbrian Krupicka, which started as a homage to the man himself and basically involves me stripping off to just shorts and shoes upon mountain summits in any weather! His running continually inspires me, as does his love of the mountains and the purity of being in the mountains.
Closer to home, my inspiration for heading into my local mountains came from the book 'Feet In The Clouds' by Richard Askwith. A book about one man's quest to complete the fabled Bob Graham Round. 42 peaks, 30,000ft of ascent and 24 hours in which to complete it. One of the best running books I have ever read, and being based on mountains within a 30 minute drive from my house, very easy to relate to. Definitely responsible for my obsession with fell running, and for planting the seed of possibly attempting a Bob Graham Round in the future - a long way into the future!
Over the last 2 years that I have been running I have submerged myself into the mountainous ultra distance side of the sport. Never even knowing that distances beyond 26.2 miles were feasibly, let alone popular!
2 British ex-pats are near the top of my inspirational people list.
Ian Sharman has been at the fore of ultra distance racing for several years. He has finished the iconic Western States in the top ten 3 times, and set the fastest US 100 mile trail race time at Rocky Raccoon Last year in 12 hours 44 minutes!
The 2nd is Joe Grant who recently completed the insanely difficult Iditarod Trail Invitational race and has won several ultra distance events. His blog contains a plethora of amazing photos from his adventures, and videos of some of the most stunning running locations on earth. He has a very philosophical approach to his running, and shares lots of information with the reader. He is also quite often the training partner of Krupicka.
Joe running Hardrock 100 2012 (image from Joe's Blog)
Both are avid twitter users and I have had the pleasure of conversing with each of them over the last 18 months. Reading of their exploits and seeing the photo's and videos are always a source of massive inspiration and are well worth your time in exploring.
Newly added to my list is Catra Corbett who I first head about in the book Born to Run. Catra is a colourful character, and not your stereotypical runner. An avid tattoo collector, Catra has battled addiction to become a respected name in ultra distance running, and her outfits for runs have become almost as famous as the lady herself! One thing that runs true whether she is competing or training is the fun factor, taking the time to pull handstands or hang from tree branches, Catra brings fun to long distance running like no one else! The recent star of a Talk Ultra podcast, Catra is often found on Instagram with her running buddy Truman, who is a distance running daschund! Once again Catra's story, pictures and blog are a constant source of inspiration, the fact that she is covered in tattoos is an added bonus!
(image from Catra's Blog)
The list could go on for ever quite easily, but I wanted to finish with the people who have a direct impact on my running. Over the last 12 months twitter has become a must read source of information, support and humour. I have somehow amassed a following of almost 1000 people who seem to enjoy (endure) my running tales and inane ramblings about being hungry/tired/sick of work/a lonely singleton who loves the mountains and running!
I also follow over a 1000 people on there, who all influence me in one way or another, but several people stand out above the rest.
James McNeill (@JayMcNeill) has been a great friend on twitter, and being a radiographer understands some of the intricacies of my condition. He is an avid runner, who is looking to progress from marathon to ultra distances next year, and is always around for words of encouragement.
The #runstreak crazies come next! Andrew Fletcher (@mrafletch) is a seasoned runner who has run over 600 days consecutively, racing in many distances and now an ultra runner. He roots out any tweets about a run I may have done and offers his praise each and every time. Mike Wells (@mikew30) is also a relative newcomer to running but he has grabbed the bull by the horns! Already massively into a runstreak of over 450 consecutive days! He has encompassed every distance and is also an ultra runner planning on the Highland Fling next month, to push his mind and body further than he ever has, he also has an insatiable hunger for flapjack! Simon (@mazymixer) is a runstreaker who I have had the pleasure of meeting in 2012, though I am yet to run with him, but one day i'll get him on the mountains! He is currently snowed in with his family in Coniston after travelling up for a race which has had to be cancelled due to the weather, but by the beer count, i don't think he's too fussed! He is a very supportive friend and a hell of a runner by all accounts. Trevor Watson (@houndkirk) is a fellow lover of running off road up silly hills and mountains! He has made an amazing recovery after a bad fall in winter 2011/2012 and even when injured still took to twitter to praise the efforts of others, and to offer support and encouragement whilst I was struggling with minor injuries.
Another group of tweeters that are always handy with words of wisdom, and general filth are these fine gents!
Mark Lyons (@runner786) has completed a lot of ultra distance races, including the Marathon Des Sable, a multistage run across the Saharan desert, a mulitday 100miler in the Himalayas and loads more! Currently recovering from shoulder surgery Mark has helped me with my panic attacks, and the battles that come with trying to run up mountains! he has a sick sense of humour, and that's just fine with me! I met him on a disturbingly wet July night in a car park on the BGR route.
John (Johnnnny_M) is an accomplished mountain runner who i have met a couple of times now. He completed last years UTMB and keeps threatening to join me on a run, though circumstances keep preventing this from happening.
Paul Giblin (@pyllon) is a minimalistic running deity, and is often referred to as the carpet slipper runner. He was the first British finisher in the TDS race at UTMB 2012, and ran a winter West Highland Way in awful conditions this winter. He is always helpful with any questions relating to my quest to master a better running technique, and always gives me a pat on the back for runs that i complete. I have met Paul twice, once on his BGR attempt which was cut short due to illness, and again recently after he spent a day running in the lakes on a Lakeland 50 recce. A hell of a runner by anyone's standards.
Davie Bell (@RundingerBell) is another accomplished ultra mountain runner, and is definitely a man's man. He pulls no punches and tells it how it is. His sense of humour is on a par with Marks and a usual source of inappropriate laughter. Always keen to ask how the running is going, he is a supportive and sarcastic rock in my running life.
Once again I feel i could go on forever, but to name all the people who inspire me to carry on running would take a long long time! Just know this, if i follow you on twitter, you inspire me. Even if we have never interacted or spoken on there, your tweets don't go unnoticed, and are an immense source of inspiration, support and humour.
Thank you all for helping me to get to where i am, hopefully you all stick around to help me in the future!
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