2022 - A Running story from a year to remember by Paul Massey

A chance conversation with a passenger seated next to me on a flight out to Valencia for the ½ Marathon in 2021, led to a remarkable upturn in my running performances. After exchanging our various PB data, I was pointed in the direction of Coach Dave Tune at Blizard Physio as he had been instrumental in significantly improving his times, especially the ½ Marathon.

Having retired in 2020, I had the ambition and luxury to dedicate my new found free time to full- time training, with 2 x goals in mind.

Goal #1: The Marathon

Goal #2: Running sub 2hr ½ Marathon – something I’d not achieved since 1994

A visit to the clinic in Doncaster for a consultation with Dave resulted in an initial training plan of around 17 weeks to see how I performed. This included 1 hour per week strength & conditioning, something I’d never considered or attempted in the past.

My first race of the year was the RETFORD ½ Marathon in March where I actually smashed Goal #2 with a 1hr 55min run.

Goal #1 was put on ice as a freak injury put paid to running the Brighton Marathon in April and whilst recovering from that was hit by Covid and then a chest infection resulting in missing a total of 9 weeks training.

Undeterred, another trip to Doncaster was arranged armed with the obligatory bottle of PB wine and a recovery programme put together starting at the end of May.

During that programme, I PB’d at the DERBY 10 mile race in June which was a bonus.

A Lactate Threshold Test was performed on completion of the recovery plan and a 9 week programme was put in place for the Great North Run in September.

During that programme, I PB’d the GILBERDYKE 10 mile race in August – another bonus and showed I was on the right track.

The GNR resulted in another sub 2hr run which I was happy with due to the nature of the course.

Next up was the ‘big one’ – I’d decided to take on the Valencia Marathon and had a 12 week plan to go at.

For good measure, I threw in a race every 2nd week and PB after PB followed – 10K, 10 mile, ½ Marathon – I was on fire!

Valencia Marathon day arrived and I PB’d that as well by a staggering 91 MINUTES - Goal #1 achieved.

All in all in 2022:

- I’ve ran 1100 miles

- Taken part and completed 20 Events of which 10 have been PB’d

- Ran 32 Park Runs with a PB of sub 25min and according to UK Athletics recorded the fastest times in Derbyshire for M68 category at 10K and 10 miles

Thanks Dave, Jen and Team Blizard and of course to the passenger on the Valencia flight in 2021 Can’t wait to see what 2023 brings ……..