Mike Harper
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| What's your full embarrassing name? | Michael Alexander Harper. |
| Married, or are you young, free and single and like to mingle? | Single and complicated. |
| Where do you live? | Wallington, Fareham . |
| Do you work or stay at home? | I currently stay at home, working on bringing up the kids. |
| How long have you been a member at Stubbington? | About 12 years. |
| Can you remember your first race? | Portsmouth Half 1985. My Saturday football team all entered the race. I did a 4 mile and a 7 mile training run in rubbish shoes, then ran 1.30 to finish 2nd in our football team. I wasn't the second best footballer so moved to running! |
| How often do you bother to go training? | Every Tuesday and Thursday at the Club, and when I'm running well another 3 or 4 days a week. |
| What is your favourite training run? | I did enjoy sprints as I could beat Chris Hall's sprinting at my warm up pace, but now Chris doesn't turn up for sprints, I guess new routes off road. |
| What was your best ever race? | Probably my best was 73.51 for the Hardley Half. My favourites though would be the Club Relays like The South Downs, the Test Way and the Road Relays at Aldershot . Mainly because there a great team spirit, but also I can sneak into a team with better runners, like when I led the vets 4 stage thanks to a superb 1st leg from Mike Peters. |
| And what was your worst or most embarrassing race? | National XC at Bristol 2002. Worst and most embarrassing. I'd been suffering from a virus, so knew I was going to run badly. Darren Hitching bet me on the start line that I couldn't lead the race. Well I sprinted from the gun, led at 400m, held it for another 200m before being swallowed up by over half the 1700 runners. I thought I was still jogging as they went by, but Darren assured me I was as good as walking! It was freezing, hailstones and I could barely move my legs. I dropped out after about 2 miles. Out of around 1,000 races, it's only my 2nd DNF. The other was trying to hurdle with a slipped disc. |
| Do you have a pre-race ritual? | Too many - I'm sometimes late!! |
| What is the best piece of gear you have bought? | Lightweight racing shoes- I reckon they are worth over a minute off your 10k time. |
| Worst piece of gear? | Lightweight racing shoes- downside is that at over 11 stone I'm a bit heavy for them, and spend a fortune on physio! |
| Why do you run when you could be sat at home watching EastEnders? | I run, and watch Eastenders. If they clash, running wins, but I'm always back from my run by 10pm, when it's repeated on BBC 3 you know! |
| What does she/he who must be obeyed think about your running? | In the past some have been more supportive than others! |
| What is the one piece of advice you would give to any new runner? | Don't go running near a river with Chris Hall unless you can swim. |