One of the WDAC's founding Members, former chairman and
biggest racing enthusiast...
Graham Bayes
So Graham, How Long have you been
running?
I started
running in 1986 when I was 38. I had stopped playing football and
my weight had piled on so my first thought was to loose weight. My
first race was the Great Eastern Half Marathon at Peterborough.
My longest training run was 8 miles and I was pleased with a time
of 1hr 48mins for the half marathon.
How long have you been with WDAC
and how did you come about to join the club?
I have
been with the club since about 1992. Until then there was no WDAC
for adults, there was just a junior section. I went to weekly
circuit training at Weavers organised by a man named John Wilson
he also organised a sort of unofficial running club from the
centre. Through him I found out that a group of road runners were
breaking away from Kettering Harriers because of some dispute and
were going to meet at Redwell on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I went
along the first week and am now the only one still here. Terry
Rolls was one of the group and is still a member but unfortunately
we rarely see him these days. Noel Betts who was with us until a
couple of years ago was also one of the originators. I believe
Alan joined about that time but I am not sure when.
Incidentally this is when the famous green vest came into
being. In those days we also wore matching shorts !!!!!!
Until
recently you have been on the clubs committee for many years and
have led the club as our esteemed chairman, can you tell us about
it and how do you think you have helped the club develop over this
time?
I was at
an AGM and our Chairman little “John” stood down as he was moving
to live in Spain. There were no volunteers to take his place,
even doing it on a three month rota. And it was agreed to continue
without a chairman. At the end of the meeting I had a chat with
John and agreed to do the first 3 months and ended up doing it for
4 years
I hope I
helped by getting it better organised in as much as proper meeting
minutes were kept and when a committee decision was made it was
followed up to ensure it happened.
I also hope
I helped to unite the club and I tried to stop the “elite” and the
“rest” from happening. I would always run some races with slower
runners and encourage as many as possible to wait at the finishing
line until the last club runner came in.
During most
of my period there were only Alan and Steve as coaches so many
times groups went out without a coach and I felt a responsibility
on club nights to ensure all was well and spent a lot of time
running with slower groups. I think my own running suffered
because of this.
I have
never been interested in being a coach but we must be thankful for
likes of Tony, Tim, Kirsty and the others that are now on the
courses as it is the only way the club can go forward.
You
have represented the WDAC by wearing the famous green vest in more
races and events than anyone else! Why do you think you have such
a passion for this?
I love
going to races and competing. I always like to get there at least
an hour before the start to relax and have a cup of tea. If I
have tea with sugar my body knows it has a race to run. I enjoy
the atmosphere before the start and meeting runners from other
clubs. Over the last 10 years I have averaged over 40 races per
year and anyone should know you cannot perform at this level so
many of them I run comfortably round to enjoy the occasion.
It must
also be said that I don’t really enjoy training. I think this
stems from spending the last 18 winters marathon training
concentrating on getting long runs in. As I was lucky enough to
not get in the marathon this year I am going to make a
concentrated effort to get fit enough to do some acceptable times
in the shorter summer races.
With my
current fitness level I find the Tuesday training runs difficult.
I am struggling to keep up with all the girls who are chatting
away enjoying themselves. I wish we men could multi-task.
I have seen you race over virtually
every racing distance, do you have a favourite?
I don’t
really have a favourite distance to race although if I had to pick
one it would probably be 10 miles. I believe you have to do a lot
of speed training to compete at 10k and shorter and over the years
I have neglected this in favour of stamina. My speed is not really
good enough at the moment for the short races but I can keep the
speed I have for ten miles.
That’s
where training with a club helps. If you do a lot of training on
your own you can get very one paced.
With all the races you do, do you
have any favourites?
I love
going to the races so I have lots of favourites for different
reasons.
I suppose
my favourite of all is the Midnight Run in Krov. Those of you that
have run there will know why. You just cannot beat the atmosphere
and friendliness of the race. There is nothing like it.
I do have
lots of other favourites. I enjoy the London, the Charnwood Hills
race is a different challenge. St Neots is my favourite Half. I
also like the Weedon 10k and you cant beat a good muddy cross
country
Is there any event or race you
wouldn’t do again?
There are
two races I have said never again to. The first was the Wembley
Half Marathon. It seemed the ideal race. It started on Wembley
Way under the famous twin towers and you finished by running up
the players tunnel and round the pitch to the finishing line in
front of the Royal Box. Unfortunately every thing between the
start and finish was a nightmare. There were big junctions with
no marshals and the last five miles was several laps of the
industrial estate behind the stadium. I saw a runner get knocked
over at an unmarshalled junction.
The other
was the Stafford 20 Miles. I just didn’t like the race. One large
lap and two short laps and not even a free cup of tea at the end.
What is you’re preferred pre-race
meal or drink?
For a meal
I either have porridge oats covered in honey or 2 slices of toast
and marmalade. Having said this I don’t eat anything within 3
hours of the start.
As far as
drink is concerned I have water although as I said I do like a cup
of tea with sugar about an hour before the off.
After a
race I will eat and drink anything.
You recently became the fifth
recipient of the clubs honorary lifetime member award! Where you
surprised by that?
The answer
to your question is yes and no.
I thought
that if I was going to get the award it would have been when I
stepped down as chairman but when it did come is was a very nice
surprise.
What was you’re proudest running
moment?
I suppose
there are several over the years. Completing my first marathon in
3hrs 41mins. I ran every step and did all my training on my own.
Another was going under 1hr 30 mins for the Half Marathon.
The only
time I have finished first I wasn’t there to collect my prize. It
was the Oakley 20 and I won my age group. Unfortunately I knew
nothing about it and had gone home. The following year I ran 3
minutes quicker. However the winner of the category finished 30
minutes in front of me.
Another
good moment was taking part in the AAA 50k Championship of England
in May 2003 at Sutton Park Birmingham. I went with Julia and Ian
Little came to make sure we had the correct drinks at the end of
each lap. The course was 7x 4.5 mile laps. At the start/finish
line was an open topped double decker bus with the national
official giving a microphone commentary. What a day Julia was 6th
in the ladies and I finished 17th man. We have the
framed certificates to prove it. We were both last in our
category. All the other runners held ultra running titles
but they were all there waiting for us at the end.
I must also
add that one of the best races in the area used to be the Thomas
Cook 6 at Peterborough. It was billed as the biggest mid week
race in the world with over 5000 runners. Steve Cram etc used to
turn out.
One year I
ran it with Jane and our 2 daughters Vikki and Joanne and we all
finished together. That was good.
What was you’re biggest aim in
running? Did you achieve it? And what is you’re biggest aim for
the future?
My aim when
I started running was just to get fit and loose weight so I
suppose I have achieved that. I think I have when I look at
others my age.
Once I got
into doing races the aims change. I like to think my targets were
realistic. I went under 70 mins for 10 miles and under 1hr 30
mins for the half marathon and I managed to go under 3 hrs 30mins
for the marathon. I think these times are reasonable as I am not
a natural runner and I was 38 when I started.
Since I
started distance running I have always suffered from painful and
tired thighs which usually kicks in at about 12 miles. Most people
have sore calf’s after a marathon but with me it is always thighs.
I recently went to my doctor for the results of blood tests. We
got talking about running and he told me I should not be running
long distances as my natural red cell count is very low and it
won’t carry enough oxygen to the muscles. Now he tells me. And
worse. You cannot do anything about it.
My biggest
aim for the future is next year when I am 60 to complete the
National 100 Mile Walk. I am setting myself a target of 36
hours. I don’t know yet where it is going to be. Last year was
in the mountains of Northumbria crossing into Scotland. This year
it is over the mountains of Mid Wales. Next year I am hoping for
Wisbech!!!!
I have heard you say on several
occasions during speed sessions that “we used to do a far higher
number of repetitions in the past” Do you think training has
gotten easier with the club, what are you’re thoughts on that?
A few years
ago when we started at the field doing speed work we would
regularly do 16 x 400 metres, Alan would be there with his
clipboard writing down the times, or if we went to somewhere like
the Avenue for hill work we would do the same and all go to the
top every time. The idea of this type of work is to do just
enough to get warmed up and then put all the effort into the speed
or rep session with a slow down afterwards. Over the last 5 or 6
years more emphasis has been put on marathon running and people
have got hooked up on mileage. In many cases there seems to be a
longer run to the session, a few reps and a long run back. On a
recent session at the Avenue we went the direct route there, did 8
reps and then took a longer route back. If you put the right
effort into the session there is no need to add distance it is not
doing you any good because if you have put the proper effort in
you are running tired.
I would
like to see more concentrated effort on speed/hill nights.
It
was yourself that persuaded our current chairman Tony to join the
club, what would you say to someone who was thinking of joining?
I would
encourage anyone to join a club whatever their running ambitions.
Whether they are interested in racing or not it is a very social
activity and all will improve if they are running with others. We
do not get many that come along, try it and drop out so we must be
doing something right and I think we do have a good reputation as
a friendly and sociable club.
How would you like to be remembered
by the club and its members?
What
a difficult question. 120 and still running would be good. Maybe
by then I will look as old as the chairman.
I would
like to think I have helped a few and made a few laugh on the runs
and of course I do like the puddle jumping.
I’m sure
others would “Thank goodness the moaning old bu**er has gone.”
But when I have my moans I believe it is in the best interests of
the club.
I haven’t
been around much over the last 9 months but I aim to put that
right.
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