Runner Profile: Lucy McAlpine

Thanks to Rob for nominating me, the Scottish contingency has raised the bar a little too high so this month I’m just going to limbo under it!

When Rob asked if I’d be interested in being the next nomination he kindly said ‘don’t worry if you don’t want to, I can find another newbie’. This made me smile as although I originally joined the Road Runners in 2012 I do feel like a newbie.

My first foray into running was when my Mum sent me along to Felixstowe Lawn Tennis club on a Saturday morning. After a morning of tennis coaching and 20p well spent in the tuck shop we made a run for our lives in a good old fashioned game of body breaking ‘British Bulldogs’.
It’s probably banned now but I learnt quickly to run for my life!

Fast forward and I continued to enjoy sport at a basic level, my early tennis lessons making it slightly easier for me to adapt to new activities and I enjoyed everything I tried.
My love of running came without me even realizing. I had my 2 wonderful girls and although a swim teacher and regular at the local gym, I was ready for a new focus. A friend I used to work with suggested we go for a little run. Christina Howland knocked on my door one evening and so it began….
What started as a 1 minute run with 2 minute walk slowly increased, I remember my elation at a whole 15 minutes of non-stop running.
The sense of achievement at my first 30 minute run was incredible, looking back I really didn’t appreciate the time and effort Chris put into me. She still backs me to this day, outside my house every Tuesday and Thursday at 6.30am WHATEVER the weather to run. We’ve seen so many beautiful sunrises in the sun, rain, wind and snow (we even tried ice once but realized we were too old to hurt ourselves!). Personally I think this is the best part of the day, full of optimism and energy for a good day ahead. I owe a lot to Chris and she is a great ambassador for FRR.

FRR regulars Caroline Stafford and Amanda Smith encouraged me to try a Tuesday training session, so one such evening I trotted along like a lamb to the slaughter. Nigel Dadge beasted us around the roads near Gulpher Farm. I have never been so red faced, shocked and exhausted – I’d got the bug and couldn’t wait until next week! Tuesday nights became a staple and everyone was so welcoming I soon felt right at home, maybe too much as a regular line I’d hear from Nigel and Tim Finegan was ‘If you can still talk so much Lucy you’re not working hard enough’ !

They gave up trying to shut me up and in Feb 2013 it was an honor to be awarded FRR ‘Best female newcomer’.

My party trick was a strong sprint finish. One particular time I used this tactic was back in May 2013 at Woodbridge 10K. I knew Maz from club and was pleased to see her by my side for the last few KM’s of the race. Truth be told she kept me going when I really was cooked. As we rounded towards Shire Hall I had one last blast of energy and sprinted to the finish with everything I had left, pipping Maz to the post in what was to become the founding memory of our friendship. Although she often brings it up to remind me what an awful person I once was we became firm friends and a group of us have gone on to visit some amazing places using a ‘race’ as a good excuse to spend the weekend away. Sight seeing, drinking, fancy dress and oh yes – Running !! Berlin 20km in May 2016, Dingle in Ireland in Sep 2018 and later walking the Thames path just for fun in June 2019.

More locally I’ve completed various distances including a few half marathons and every year I enter the ballot for the London Marathon. I honestly think I would cry with fear if I was ever successful, but I’ll probably still chat my way around it !

Covid hit, group meetings were stopped and life (along with my natural hair colour) changed. When restrictions were finally lifted my work hours increased. Over the years at Felixstowe Leisure Centre I moved away from swim teaching and trained to become a personal trainer and now more specifically a level 4 GP referral instructor specializing in post cancer rehabilitation. I have been lucky enough to meet truly lovely people from all walks of life and my ability to still talk whilst pushing through a gruelling spin or strength based class has paid off, I love my job and feel very lucky my commute to work is riding my bike along the prom every morning. It does mean Tuesdays nights are rest nights for me so I haven’t been able to make training for a number of years. I stayed a member to support the club and be able to help at Christina’s annual ‘One lap to ultra’ event, enjoying seeing everyone’s posts and hearing stories from Maz. Eventually I had to admit defeat and decided not to renew my membership earlier this year.
As my running slowed I realised I quite liked walking too, my first adventure was a 40th birthday treat following the Tour Du Mont Blanc trail, Christina and I completing a beautiful 120 miles through France, Italy and Switzerland in just 5 days. Training walks to The Maybush pub, The Thames Path and Race to the Kings are special memories too. Maz enjoys a little walk too (and a little drink at the end!), so we’ve been lucky enough to chat our way around Greece, Madeira and next year we’re off to the Rugged Pyrenees of Andorra !

Maz also loves parkrun (notching up maybe 250 now ?). I’d steered clear fearing being rubbish and berating myself for it. Eventually she wore me down, assuring me no one would notice or really care and neither should I. Reluctantly I tagged along and met her usual crew, Dawn, Rob, Rob, Sharon and Kaye – what a fantastic bunch (although I’m sure they promised me the sea would be warm for a post run dip !)

Anyway, I kept turning up and dare I admit, although still in a strop the entire run I quite enjoy the sense of achievement at 9.30am on a Saturday – smug for the day and I’ve spent some time with great people. Sea dipping in the summer became such a laugh I didn’t want to miss a week, roll on the warmer weather again.

Not wanting to miss out any further I re-joined the club and managed to bag myself a seat in Rob’s van, drinking coffee and eating cake in the back after a fun Sunday morning at Woodbridge Cross Country. The next one is on my birthday and I am seriously contemplating doing it – I’m think that will at least entitle me to an extra slice of cake !

I am not a natural runner or a pretty one at that. I will never win any medals and it remains one of the most humbling activities I do, but I keep coming back for more. I miss the banter and often feel FOMO if I see you all out on a Tuesday evening so hopefully one day I’ll find the energy to come along again and maybe even put some effort in !

Thanks for taking the time to hear from a newbie and I pass the baton on to Ivana Lessner Listiakova.