Spotlight on... Diana Davis
Feb 2012
How often do you train and what sessions do you do outside of the club?
I try to train 4 times a week, including club sessions on Monday, Wednesday and usually Friday. I then usually run on my own or with a couple of friends from the club for a longer distance on Sunday.
When and how did you come to join Totton Running Club?
Having started running on my own in October 2004, and built up to a maximum run of about 6 miles (Ashurst and back from Lyndhurst) as part of a beginners’ marathon training plan, I contacted Brian Harvey in December, having spotted his contact details at Totton Rec, and asked if he thought I would be able to keep up. The rest is history!
What's the most valuable piece of running advice you've ever been given?
Invest in good running shoes, and get expert advice on which ones are right for you. I do look for good deals on the internet now I know the make and model that suits me.
Do you have any running experiences you'd care to forget?
I’ve been pretty lucky, and my running and racing experiences are all quite positive. The long runs in marathon training have sometimes been gruelling, but I think I blank them from my memory, or why would I keep entering more marathons? I’ve done 6 to date, and each time say never again, but after enough time has gone by, it seems like a good idea again!
Where do you like to run and have you anywhere particularly memorable?
I far prefer running off-road to pounding the tarmac, so very much enjoy the summer training with the club in the forest. My Sunday runs are by preference off-road as well. I try to do some running on holiday too and have enjoyed runs along the promenade from Los Cristianos in Tenerife. The most memorable running is probably along the beach in North Goa – very warm even before breakfast though!
What is your running highlight so far?
Probably completing the London Marathon 6 months after starting running (having managed just 11 minutes non-stop at my first running attempt), but I am prouder of running it again in 2008, and managing to run the whole distance, and complete it in my target time, 44 minutes faster than the first attempt.
Tell us a bit about your running history
I came to running late in life, with a mad scheme to complete the London Marathon. I had done no running since school days, when I would try & avoid cross-country by any means available.
Do you have any other passionate interests?
I love exploring new places, at home and abroad, reading, and Glastonbury Festival
What does your role on the committee involve?
This is a new role, so still evolving. I hope to relieve Simon of some of the work he has been doing (for example sending a weekly email to coaches reminding them of the sessions to be done, the paces, and the location), be the point of contact for coaches, so that they can advise someone if they are unable to make a training session or will be joining late, provide information on the purpose of different training sessions for the newsletter and/or web-site and liaise with our Welfare Officer (Marlene) to support club members with returning to training.
What keeps you out of trouble Monday to Friday?
An allotment and two lively grandsons take up a lot of my time, as does bird watching out of the kitchen window. We’ve had some exciting visitors to the feeders, and keeping them topped up is an expensive business!
What are your future running goals?
At the moment, I am going with the approach of mainly running for enjoyment, and also encouraging our graduated beginners at training, but I have just run my first parkrun, and already hope to improve my time for that. I could go for the t-shirt you are awarded for completing 10 runs – 50 will be a target for next year! A friend in the running club (you know who you are!) also wondered if I would consider an autumn marathon challenge – see also my answer to question 7 above.
Finally, which other Totton Running Club member do you most admire?
That’s a really tough one, as there are so many club members who have either achieved impressive results, or persevered through setbacks, but I think I’d chose Sylvia Timms; I hope to keep running as she has done, still achieving good race results in her seventies
