Vice Chair – Adrian Spencer

Adrian acts as backup for our Chairman, filling in as required, and also supports and covers a wide range of duties across many aspects of the club.

About Me:

I've been running since 1983ish when I did a Nottinghamshire county X-country at Wollaton Park as a very average schoolboy runner. Making the team as someone the teachers could con into turning up to this sort of thing rather than my running excellence! I did my first race voluntarily in 1992 – the Loughborough 10k in one of its last years before traffic on Snell's Nook got too busy. This first 10k took 48 minutes and I managed to bring my time down quickly to 42 minutes then more gradually to 38 minutes by 2005 at Silverstone.

In 1992 I got into Mountain Marathons. These are 2-Day orienteering events in pairs where you have to be self-sufficient for the weekend (i.e. carry a tent etc) making your way around the hills as quickly as you can between control points. I've done around 25 of them now with mixed success, from 5th to 200th with the odd DNF thrown in too. This and fell running is what I really enjoy and have seen some very remote and rarely frequented locations in the UK as a result. I've probably bored a few of you with stories from these things...

Mrs Spencer entered me in the Rotterdam Marathon in 2000. It was something I said I'd never do, so I panicked and decided I'd better do some proper training for a change and finally joined my first – and only – running club: Barrow Runners. Having done 7 road marathons now I have all but retired from them with a best time of 3:12 at London in 2014. Finishing in the top hundred in the Snowdon Marathon was the best result though and favorite road race. As I approach the next vet category I fool myself that I might still get close to PBs of 2005, if only I could just get some consistent training in!

Most importantly, I've spent some time helping the club. Firstly as Race Secretary for about 6 years, then helping more recently when required as vice chair. This role suits as it means doing the jobs that fall between the cracks and those that I can fit in around other commitments. My most obvious job is posting the Tuesday night runs, so if you have a good alternative from the selection we have please let me know.

If you like to read try these...

Running Free by Richard Askwith

Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall