After spending the entire royal wedding weeding on Mrs’ allotment – and having a brilliant bonfire and barbie to boot – I woke up on Saturday morning with aches in feet and legs from over enthusiastic forking up of nettle roots. So I set off just after nine a little gingerly, but determined to get another 5K under the belt before heading to Hove to treat myself to a proper pair of trainers.
I walked to the end of Grange Road, then set off at a pace, past the Grange, station and Dripping Pan, down to the dump, round the bottom of Priory Fields – which I nipped into for a quick, half-mile lap – on to the Southdown Club, under the A27, round Stanley Turner (cricket/football, no rugby) and home.
I’ve now taken to running to the door, not stopping five minutes before and walking home. By the time I got there, I’d just about shaken off the tightness in my right (digging) calf, left (supportive) hamstring, and groin. Dangerous stuff this gardening, dangerous to my running progress at least.
Showered and fresh if a little achy, we headed off for the Brighton and Hove – Mrs and the Master to the Lego shop in Church-hell Square, me to Run in Hove. I’d been recommended Run by one of my original running inspirations, Beth. Having bought a pretty random pair of £35 Reeboks at a sports superstore in Exeter back in February, I told myself that if I completed the C25K course and was on the way to becoming a runner, I’d go to Run and treat myself.
I was NOT to be disappointed. By the experience, the advice, the support, and the choice of the right new sneakers.
What Run looks like (not actual size)
Run is run by runners, for runners. Nestled in an unpromising parade of bookies and Icelands, it’s a little oasis of calm, common sense and top-class kit for runners, particularly footwear. I was greeted and welcomed by the charismatic Freddie (@RUN_Fred), the flying Frenchman. Both he and the understated, very wise Kurt (@RUN_Store) passed wry comments on my previous, random purchase (the Reeboks) that I’d brought with me to show wear from my first 100+ miles and what I was currently using.
To see how I run and (therefore) the type of shoe I need, Freddie had me run up and down on the pavement outside Run, while he filmed my gait. We then sat and watched, in slow-motion and close-up, and saw my feet repeatedly land on the outer edge and then pivot into over-correction on the inside edge, across the width of my foot. Not “bad” – and like 70% of runners, Freddie reassured me – but in need of further support.
Out came the first option: a pair of super-comfy Brooks Addiction 9s.
You don't even know you're wearing them
The Run way is to get you to try before you buy. So I was sent, in the blazing sunshine, 300m or so round the block to – quite literally – road test them. Comfy. Supportive. But not intrusive. And much better than the Randombox.
But you can’t just take the first shoe they offer you. You have to work for your retail pleasure at Run. Next up was a pair of sparkly, blue and white Nikes. A much harder, less comfortable ride, which Kurt told me embodied what their shoe engineers believe should be The Way. But not for me.
After my second turn round the block – with stiffening limbs and the clock ticking down on the generous two hours I’d fed to the parking meter – I was beginning to get seriously hot. And after my third – in a pretty comfy pair of Asics – my tee-shirt was drenched and I was dripping onto the floor. But both Freddie and Kurt (who’d taken over my transaction, now) seemed very chilled about this – about everything, to be honest.
The Asics were good, but their high support at the back of the heel and the bottom of the shin, reminded me they were there with every tread. So I plumped for the Brooks, and was soon eighty-seven pounds lighter.
Once choice was out of the way, I got a brilliant, 30-minute running therapy session from Kurt – don’t overthink it, get plenty of variety in routes, use the beauty (and up-and-down-ness) of the Downs as your running palette, vary distances (more today, less tomorrow), keep fine-tuning the engine that is the body by repeated practice, run 4-5 times a week, you’ve now discovered a passion that could last another 40 years, and on and on. Just brilliant. Convincingly, encouragingly delivered. No rush. As much time as you need.
By the time I’d picked up Mrs and the Master from the potential melée of #brightonmayday and we got home, Kurt was following me on Twitter (and the compliment returned). By the evening, as Mrs and I walked out to dinner, Kurt and I were recommending running books to each other. Now THAT’S service.
Needless to say, I can’t recommend Run highly enough. And I can’t wait to get out on the roads and fields again. Roll on tomorrow morning, yet another glorious Bank Holiday. Hmmm. Second assault on Kingston, I think. Or maybe down to the dump, across the railway land, and along the banks of the Ouse to the People’s Republic of Cliffe. The world is my lobster.
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