Neil Featherby - writer and runner through the ages

I love this fact too and enjoy reading Mark’s columns each week as it reminds me of my own past - ie, the high, lows and even trials and tribulations of wanting to get it right when it comes to your training and racing.

However, I am now more than happy just being able to write about whatever takes my fancy, especially after having had a running career by way of a decade and a half of racing as an adult (not counting school days) and now more than four decades of just running for the love of it. Running has opened doors for me to work with and run with many top athletes from other sports.

I do still write about the here and now, of course, but usually when it concerns something which is relevant to myself, such as the recent Hadrian’s Wall run, which I did with friends, or of course when writing about those who are still out there doing it right now. Particularly those from the Norfolk running scene.

Those who have followed mine and Mark’s columns over the last seven and a half years will also know I enjoy writing about the past, whether via some of my own experiences or some of the greats who have gone before.

Running history has always fascinated me - I have books and journals which are more than 100 years old, demonstrating how the long-distance athletes of yesteryear trained and how what they did, in many ways, is still applicable to what we do today.

However, what fascinates me even more are some of the practices used back in the day which we would definitely not endorse doing anymore - back then they considered it to be the way, although I am not sure how and why they believed it to be so.

Whilst constant new research and views will always be the way forward, hence why we continue to progress, I do view certain things with suspicion, especially when I see something being endorsed as a latest find when in truth it was actually something which was known and even used as an aid many years ago, albeit never considered back then to have any commercial value.

We all know about that extra one per cent which is talked about a lot these days. As someone I once wrote about (BVH’s Michael Eccles) said to me, whilst that extra one per cent can make a difference, we still need to get the first 99pc right first - how very true this is.  

When all is said and done, to be your very best in anything can take months and, in truth, years of planning and dedication to your cause before you hit those peak performances. There definitely are no short cuts!

You can also go overboard by doing far too much too soon, leading to mental and physical burnout, but this is where planning (short, medium and long term) comes in. Knowing where you are at, at any given time and how you intend getting to the next stage. All of this requires patience and focus for the journey ahead.

During the last couple of weeks I have spoken to two people who are both very ambitious and determined to succeed. However, at times both of them question the journey.

Whilst they have both come a long way during the last few years it is so easy to forget this. When you want it badly enough it can be tough, especially at times you feel you aren’t moving forward. But you just have to have faith in your ability. As an old boss of mine used to say, “there are no crystal balls, you just have to believe”.

I also had a chat with a former young female athlete just last Friday who was telling me that she used to beat Keely Hodgkinson over 800 metres when aged 15.

“I now look back and wonder what I could have done,” she said.

I replied: “Yes, I bet you do wonder - but wonder it will always be.”

Over the years I have heard so many people say how good they were at school and how they were a better runner or footballer than someone who went on to achieve great success.

We make our choices in life and for those who do aspire then it is likely to be a very long journey where at times they will question if all the hard effort and even sacrifices are worth it.

However, if you do follow your dream then, irrespective of achieving the highest of successes such as Keely or indeed falling short, as long as you can say at the end of the day you did your very best, at least you won’t be one of those people who spend many years wondering what might have been.

All a bit random this week but as said at the start of this column, I love being able to write about what ever takes my fancy.

Have a great weekend all wherever you may or may not be running……

King Henry

City of Norwich ACs Henry Jonas continued his brilliant run of form this season when once again smashing his personal best for 800 metres with a very fast one minute 46.75 seconds at Watford on Wednesday evening. This also puts him at the top of the UK under-20 rankings prior to leaving for the World Junior Championships which takes place in Peru next week. All the very best to Henry and I am sure all of Norfolk will be willing him on to even greater success.