My Passion With Nigel Shaw

I’M not entirely sure how it happened but when Mike Tomlinson, the husband of the inspirational Jane Tomlinson, announced the inaugural Yorkshire Marathon earlier this year, I applied instinctively – despite having dubious fitness levels and a passion for anything brewed by Saltaire Brewery.

Fast forward nine months and all my friends and contacts are complaining that they are, quite literally, “seeing less of me” due to the weight I’ve lost, plus the hours I’m spending training for what is now a major goal in my life. That goal is all about finishing the marathon in York with a time that starts with the number three – nothing less will do.

Ten years or so ago I ran the London Marathon and had a terrible last three miles – so much so, my finishing time was 4 hours 2 mins 36 seconds. For me, that was an abject failure, especially as I’d let my two running companions down in trying to beat the four-hour barrier.

The Yorkshire Marathon will be different though. I have taken advice from none other than the legendary Japanese runner and famous author Haruki Murakami. In his book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (an essential read for all marathon runners) he highlights three reasons for my London Marathon failure: Not enough training, not enough training and not enough training. Yes, I know it all sounds like Tony Blair’s “education, education, education” but he’s actually spot on. If there is one thing you’ve got to do when training for a marathon is put the “mileage on the clock” and that’s what I’ve done, especially in the last four months. Steadily from 50 miles per month to a peak of almost 200 – that’s 50 miles a week, which is a lot of time spent racing canal barges.

There is no part of the Leeds/Liverpool canal (well up to Skipton anyway) that I don’t know.

It’s got so bad I’ve even gone out at 9pm just for a “quick hour’s run” around my home village of Baildon. Yes I hear you all saying that this is taking matters too far and I’ve gone beyond passion into addiction. Well, so what – you only live once and clearly there is a chemical reaction going on in my body which means I need my regular running fix.

Fingers crossed, by 1.30pm on Sunday afternoon (October 20), I can return to normal and leave these marathon demons behind. Alternatively, I’ve always fancied a trip to New York so I might just keep training, training and training.

I should also say that running the Yorkshire Marathon enables me to support the Wooden Spoon charity. Basically, it’s a group of rugby-mad supporters who organise events and challenges to raise funds for disadvantaged children and young people in the Yorkshire area. It is a fantastic charity.