03 Oct 2024
St Albans Times editor Matt Adams explains why he’s taking part in this year’s Herts 10K and helping raise funds for Rennie Grove Peace Hospice.
I’d never describe myself as a runner. Even during the peak of my exercise regime, when I’d often manage a ridiculous 20K before work, it was just something I did.
Of course I felt better physically, having lost the best part of two stones, but mentally it had transformed the way I thought and functioned at home and work. I felt calmer and less stressed, and used the time to process both the events of the previous day and the one ahead. There was often a moment of zen when I would forget I was running and became lost in my thoughts.
But then it sort of petered out. In the aftermath of Covid, other demands on my time meant the temptation to head out for a run no longer seemed as strong, and I let the habit slide.
I let myself go. I forgot what running meant to me, and I convinced myself the demands of a new business and young children more than made up for the absence of this particular fitness routine.
It was only after signing up for the Government’s Our Future Health initiative that I found a fresh incentive to start running again after a gap of more than two years. I was overweight, my blood pressure was higher than it should be, and my level of fitness had substantially declined.
This was the wake-up call I needed. I knew the only way to shed the pounds and improve my overall wellbeing was to dust off my trainers and get my running mojo back on.
So this summer I found myself repeating the slow build-up which had marked my initial foray into running, starting off with an ambitious 5K punctuated by periods of breathless walking, and gradually increasing both distance and pace.
But unlike previously, when I only had myself for company, this time round I brought along our dog Daphne, whose speed and endurance made her the perfect companion on my runs.
She soon became used to my regular route along the Alban Way, darting into the bushes to chase squirrels and then sprinting to catch me up, and unlike a human companion, there was no obligation for me to engage in small-talk during our run together.
Surprisingly, it only took a few weeks before the weight started to disappear and I was doing a steady 8-10K around five times a week, as my muscles started to build back up and my fitness levels improved, and I now can’t imagine why I ever let running disappear from out of my life.
Which is why, when asked if I could think of any way to drive numbers for this year’s Herts 10K, I decided to put my money where my mouth is and sign up to take part for the second time, having previously run it way back in 2011.
Back then I wasn’t a regular runner, and despite a desperate attempt at training in the lead-up to the event, struggled to get round the course without collapsing from exhaustion, so I’m hoping that this time round it won’t be such an ordeal.
I’ve known the 10K’s founder Lawrence Levy almost as long as I’ve been living and working in the district, and I remember visiting what was then Grove House to meet him and the hospice’s PR team shortly after starting at the Herts Ad.
So it seems somewhat fitting to be taking part in the race again in my new capacity as editor of the St Albans Times, continuing my commitment to participating in community activities as well as just reporting on them.
This Sunday’s event is at a new location – Herts County Showground – and as well as the 10K there will be a new 5K route and a family friendly fun run for those who can’t manage the full distance.
It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for Rennie Grove Peace Hospice, so hopefully I can persuade more latecomers to sign up for one of the races and do their bit to fund vital specialist care and support for adults and children with life-limited illnesses.
To find out more visit www.renniegrovepeace.org/herts10k – and I look forward to seeing you on the day!
