E-mail: treasurer@fvspartans.org.uk
Barry started enjoying running at the age of 8 when he used to crawl through the hedge at the local running track and run round and around until the park keeper came and chased him off. (You were meant to pay to use the track!). He then ran as a teenager but only started finding himself near the front of races when as a 16 year old he went out with a girl who lived 10 minutes of fast running away from the train station. This meant that 3 or 4 nights a week Barry found himself running as fast as he could to catch the last train home which increased his fitness and once he realised how much running in the countryside (rather than on city streets) was such fun he hasn’t stopped!
Barry tries to run every day because he enjoys it, but if after 10 minutes or so he find it’s one of those days when his body rebels then he just heads home. Usually those days are when it is wet and cold and his mileage often increases in the summer so Barry’s best races often occur during the period September to December after his high mileage months of June to August.
Barry hates racing because when it hurts you cannot let up whereas in training or everyday running he pleases himself how hard he wants it to be. Saying that though, Barry still likes to get under 20mins/40 mins for 5k/10k respectively and 1:30 for a half but because of back problems cannot complete a marathon.
Barry says the saddest thing about getting older and racing is that nowadays his time for a one mile race is a whole minute slower than his average mile pace for a half marathon when he was 40! However, Barry still finds running great fun and when running well is at his happiest enjoying the flow of endorphins, the feeling of being totally content with life, and imaging he is winning the marathon gold medal at the Olympics!