[Trinity]

I ran the race for life in Bristol today... it was a great experience!
I have to admit that I wasn't keen when my daughter Stephanie mentioned it a few months ago. She wanted to run, but as she's 14 she had to have an adult to enter the race with.

She didn't know if she wanted to run with me or on her own so when I realised that a lot of the race was on grass I suggested that we run together, because I'm not so fast on grass. However, there were just so many people running that it was impossible to stay together and I decided that I may as well just go on and race it, which Steph was happy with too.

As we'd started quite a way back in the field I had a lot of weaving through to do but it felt great to be constantly flying past so many people. Incidently I was the only person with a club vest on, and felt quite conspicuous with it while most other people were wearing something pink. But then I saw some fellow club members marshalling and they obviously spotted me easily by my club vest and I got a cheer

So... back to the flying... I'd made up so much of the field that by the last half mile there were few runners around me. I finished in 23.34, which considering that the first half mile was literally stop and start due to the amount of runners, I was quite pleased. The marshal at the end said that I would be roughly in the top 40 runners, out of 8000 entrants (runners and walkers) aint bad!

The winner finished about 3 minutes ahead of me so if I'd have started at the front I could have done quite well

Anyway... what the title of this blog refers to is the fact that I was SHOCKED by how many runners who had entered this RACE FOR LIFE, in aid of a CANCER CHARITY, but were actually openly SMOKING around the start!!

Ok they were probably not regular runners but I mean please... we're supposed to be helping the statistics, not adding to them. I'm not against people smoking...if that's what they want to do to themselves but even if I did smoke, I wouldn't even have the gall to smoke at an event like that.

 

[dimple]

I know what you mean, smoking is so anti-social anyway now but surely at a Cancer Charity Event even more so. Not a healthy advertisement is it!

 

[Hrun]

If you have never smoked you will have no concept of how addictive it is. I have both smoked (legal) and used canabis (illegal). The first was near impossible to stop and took drugs from the doctor to manage whereas the second I grew out of and just stopped buying.

At least they were having a go and hopefully the increased exercise will give them the willpower to attempt to quit

 

[Yorkie]

6 months ago and that would of been me joining them armed with a *** at the starting line.........well actually that is not true, I wouldn't even of considered running a race 6mth ago! It's only because I quit smoking and put on weight that I looked to running, but still saying that I go to a spinning class and use to light up just before and as soon as I finished!:embarrassed:

All this talk of smoking is tempting me, not good!

 

[Trinity]

If you have never smoked you will have no concept of how addictive it is. I have both smoked (legal) and used canabis (illegal). The first was near impossible to stop and took drugs from the doctor to manage whereas the second I grew out of and just stopped buying.

At least they were having a go and hopefully the increased exercise will give them the willpower to attempt to quit

I have been a smoker in the past... quite heavy too. Plus many other substances...suffice to say I was given 3 months to live in September 1991 so there's nothing I don't know about addiction.

The point was that there were so many people quite happily smoking at an event to support a cancer charity, where many runners had lost loved ones to cancer, including lung cancer... it just seemed all wrong that's all

 

[Hrun]

I have been a smoker in the past... quite heavy too. Plus many other substances...suffice to say I was given 3 months to live in September 1991 so there's nothing I don't know about addiction.

The point was that there were so many people quite happily smoking at an event to support a cancer charity, where many runners had lost loved ones to cancer, including lung cancer... it just seemed all wrong that's all

I understand where you are coming from Trinity, but I would question if they were happily smoking. I got to the point where I hated smoking but the addiction ruled me.

Giles

PS in another thread you stated you were really Trinity. Can I have your autograph as I love your films

 

[JBBury]

I am also somebody who used to be a smoker (I still have the odd lapse once in a while but manage most of the time with nicotine lozenges), so I know all about addiction too. But no matter how badly I was craving cigarettes, I would not dream of smoking at an event like this. It is just unacceptable. They should have at least gone to a quiet spot somewhere and had a smoke; not at the start line.

 

[scr8pe]

............. They should have at least gone to a quiet spot somewhere and had a smoke; not at the start line.

Quite right JB, like many others here I'm an ex smoker and while 'hiding' my addiction from family for years, I developed many strategies for grabbing a crafty one. But there were always places that you didn't even think about it such as waiting rooms, church and the hospital. One would assume that the start line of a cancer charity organised race would be high on the list of rules that needn't be written because of common sense, but then again, there isn't much of that around these days.

 

[Squint]

Shocking!!! I mean I can be a bit brazen at times but even if I smoked 40 a day I wouldn't light up at such an event!

On a slight side track there is one of the big Cancer charities is fussy about where it's money comes from. A guy named Barry Atkinson raised a massive sum of money for them which they turned down. Needless to say I don't donate to this one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/4370303.stm

 

[roadrunnerrob]

Smokers have a weird mentality. I know, I used to be one.

My mum has lung cancer from smoking. Yet the family continue to visit and see her wasting away, unable to breathe without oxygen, and still take their regular breaks to go outside for a smoke, claiming it will not happen to them as there is no real proof that smoking causes anything...

I can barely stand it when I'm out running and I have to pass someone walking along with a cigarette, and I get some of the stuff in my airstream

 

[Bobbyd14]

I have to say thank God for Dr Allen Carr whose book finally helped me to quit a couple of years back after trying everything else (a man who rather ironically died of lung cancer). It also gave me a slightly smug, superior attitude when I see people smoking now! Agree with this thread - smoking has no place at cancer events!?

 

[garywatt]

Hi all

Absolutely disgusting having a ciggie before a race for a cancer charity.

I have never smoked and hate it. When running in the Winter I sometimes used to smell smoke when passing the odd house. I knew someone was outside having a puff. Also when running I always avoid the stubs on the pavements. Yuk!

Cheers

Gary

 

[BASE813]

Running and smoking?!?! I am an ex-smoker (and like others here have had issues with other more serious addictions) but I have never become one of those ex-smoker types that lecture... instead, just like Bobbyd14, I just enjoy the smug feeling I get when I see (or more commonly smell) smokers.

Smoking is a bloody weird one, I used to smoke 40 a day, tried various things to give up and always failed miserably. One day I woke up and just thought "I dont want to smoke anymore", and I have not.... best thing I ever did, both for health and for financial - have you seen the price of **** nowadays!! I actually started running because I wanted to use the benefit of not smoking somehow, and I have not looked back! :d

Rather than be annoyed or feel a helplessness at the fact of smokers sparking up at a cancer charity run, I would just be smug in the pure genius of comedy that I was witnessing by what they were doing! That is some funny shit!

I could not imagine why anyone in their right mind would want to smoke before running?! It would be like picking up some bricks before you went swimming!

 

[Grant]

There was a bloke smoking at the end of a half marathon I ran at the weekend - it was his celebratory smoke for finishing his first half.

I found that a bit strange, but smoking is at the start of Race For Life is unbelievable, IMHO.

However, I've never smoked, so I'm probably not in a position to comment or pass judgement.

 

[Steve]

Unfortunately I can't find my soapbox........

 

[Scarbib_jack]

Im another self confessed smug ex smoker.

Its a bugger of a habit. I went down for a *** on day at work and there was this old guy from the office coughing his lungs up...literally....as he finished his ***. Once the coughing has subsided, he sparked up another.

That combined with his shaky yellow hands and yellow beard and hair was enough to make me trade my last 7 **** for a packet of pickled onion monster munch with a mate in the office :d

 

[BASE813]

pickled onion monster munch

Good call

 

[Dave]

Unfortunately I can't find my soapbox........

Found Mine.


Started running when I stopped smoking 3 years ago.

I don`t care when and where other people smoke.

I still spend more time than I should in pubs,and the idea that you have to go outside to smoke is crazy.

 

[Slowsteve]

I still spend more time than I should in pubs,and the idea that you have to go outside to smoke is crazy.

Couldn't disagree with you more Dave. As a non-smoker, life is so much more pleasant not having to inhale other peoples smoke in pubs and restaurants etc.

 

[Scarbib_jack]

Good call

Wasnt half. My mouth is watering thinking about a packet! Im on a diet at the moment