Post Box Run

Having been inspired by an article which I read on Fetcheveryone

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/cms.php?id=3

I was inspired to go on a post box run. The idea was to run around Penicuik collecting Post Boxes. This meant that I was forced to run a different route from one of my many usual ones. To begin with it was a bit boring and I was only finding post boxes which are mounted on lamposts.

As I was running looking for the post boxes I started to think about the article. Fetch started his article by saying: 

"For every gold post box commemorating Olympic triumph, there are a thousand more like this one - tired, flaky paint, with a weed growing up the side. This is the one nearest my house, and although I’ll never be responsible for having it painted gold, I can remember a time when I probably couldn’t have run to it, and more tellingly, couldn’t imagine wanting to."

With this in mind I started to reflect on my own running career and worked out roughly that since I started running in 1986 I have probably run around 20000 miles. I know that compared to elite athletes that may not be that high for that amount of time. But for me, "joe bloggs" runner, it is pretty damn impressive! As Fetch said I may not be good enough to get a post box painted gold but I have, in 26 years, run past a lot of post boxes. When you look at all the races that go on over the world there are a lot of people like me, way more "joe bloggs" runners than elite runners. So I think we deserve a huge pat on the back, if not a post box painted a different colour. 

So on my run went, eventually I started to find more exciting post boxes. Real post boxes. 

Still reflecting, I started to think about how these post boxes could represent the races that I have done over the years. Some of them were a bit boring, some in quite pretty places, some quite hard routes, some nice easy routes, some in friendly places, some in not so friendly places, but on the whole they are always there! (well most of them). Then I got to thinking what races would be my gold post box. 

I think my most successful race ever was the St Andrews Half Marathon. Hazel will remember the anguish of waiting to see if I was going to win a t-shirt for being in the top 15 ladies. Yippee I was 15th!!! I still have that t-shirt somewhere in the loft - will never throw it out despite it not fitting at all anymore :) Not sure there were that many more than 15 ladies in the race but still 15th lady over the line is not bad at all!!!! 

Then my next success would probably be the Dublin Marathon. This was my first marathon and it took me forever to run it but it was my first marathon - 26 miles!!!! That is a bloomin' long way. I have now done 5 marathons but Dublin still holds a place in my heart as it was my first. And then my final ultimate success is probably the first Edinburgh Marathon I ran which I did in 5 hours. This represented a 1 hour improvement on my Dublin Marathon time which was amazing for me. Never quite got back there but maybe one day I will get that illusive 4 hours 59 mins that is my dream marathon time! (not very fast I know but just to have a 4 in the time is my goal).

So where did my post box run end today - where else but the Post Office! Has to be said all the wee old ladies waiting for their pension were looking at me a bit oddly as I took a picture of the post box but I just smiled and ran on - let them think I'm a bit mad - do I care? Not a jot!

So many post boxes, miles and races later I am still running and still enjoying it. And I ended up having a nice run on a totally random route that I had never done before. 

And the last words goes to Fetch:

"So why don’t you start by taking a run out to your local post box – and better still, take someone with you. And when they can run there, help them find the next one. You may never change the appearance of that post box – but you may change yourself in the process."

Nice one Fetch! Thanks for the inspiration :)

don't worry, be happy :)