Nicky’s BG: a personal view by Ken Jaquiery
can nearly write as well as I can run. Every now and then I get the opportunity to be involved in something that makes it worth the effort to do one or the other.
I
I met Nicky nearly ten years ago and within a couple of days of meeting, we found ourselves walking in the hills of New Zealand. It goes without saying I thought she was quite nice. It also go without saying (being a Kiwi male) I also thought that I was quite fit. That was until we hit the first scree slope, which Nicky proceeded to ascend like the proverbial mountain goat, leaving me in awe of her at the bottom.
That night as we lay in our sleeping bags under the southern sky lit by the Milky Way chatting, Nicky told me about fell running. Like most people when first hearing about it, I thought she was crazy. Having followed her back to the UK and over many a mountain in this beautiful country, I found myself in the Lake District watching in awe once again as Nicky attempted the Bob Graham Round. It is often said about running that the beauty of the sport is you only need a pair of running shoes and you can do it. Not so! You need at lest 25 supporters, cars, vans, tents, clothes (shorts and sun cream through to full wet weather gear to cope with blizzard conditions), food, drink, medical supplies and the ability to coordinate everybody to be in the right place at the right time (plus or minus an hour or so) and back again. You also need to be able to stay on your feet for up to 24
ILKLEY HARRIERS NEWSLETTER • JULY–AUGUST 2010
hours, climb the height of Everest and run farther than most people would want to drive for a day out. We run for fun. The irony wasn’t lost on me at three in the morning, sat on the side of a dual carriage way with a picnic table set up, a cup of tea in hand and dozens of people milling around. One of Nicky’s supporters was telling me about ‘four nutters’ sitting on the summit of Helvellyn in the middle of the night handing out cake. I used to wonder what makes a coach willing to put all their time and work into helping an athlete chase their dreams. Having been part of Nicky’s BG with all the drama, suspense and emotion of anything you could hope to see on the telly or experience at the races, I now know what it’s like to bask in the glow of her success and, like a coach is able to say, that in some small way I was part of it and of some help.
When people find out that I’m from NZ they often say to me ‘what are you doing living here?’ Had you spent the weekend in the Lakes with us enjoying the sun, scenery and friendship of this lovely country you would know the answer.
Living with Nicky and watching her run the many miles to train for her BG attempt – all the hours planning, the screeds of paper used making lists, organizing of people and gear – to be there on the day and see her drive herself beyond endurance to achieve the goal set – to enjoy the fellowship of so many amazing people – I feel privileged to be part of all this and I’m still in awe. Well done.
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