Coaxed Eights

[El Gordo]

There used to be an article on there (still on there, just checked) --  --http://www.serpentine.org.uk/pages/beginners_jw_lm.html -- by Julie Welch that had a major influence on me when I was starting out. It may even have made me start out -- I can't recall. Not everyone finds pleasure in her book, "26.2", but that, and the article mentioned did, actually, really, honestly, truly change my life.

It bears re-reading. Again. As well as inspiring you to run, did she inspire you to write? I can see your style in there, as well as your running life.

Hmm. Good question, Dan. I just reread it for the first time in years (and before reading your question). All the way through, I'm thinking 'Oh dear, so that's where I got  that phrase/perspective/sensation from'. Many of us find there's some unexplained link between running and creativity, and particularly writing. One urge feeds the other. So I wouldn't try to force Julie Welch to take the writing rap. But there certainly seems to be elements of her style in mine (or vice versa, I suppose), though she does it much better. I think what moved me so much about her writing (even more than I'd realised until now) is that striking quality of wistfulness. It wasn't, I'm certain, a case of copying her style, but of realising that we shared the same sort of melancholy ruefulness about our limitations. All rather benign, fortunately; an acceptance that it won't ever happen for us, but that having a go would be an interesting diversion.