Athlete's Profile 21

ATHLETE'S PROFILE (21)

NAME:  Gordon Jones

 

CLUB:  Prestatyn RC

 

ANY PREVIOUS CLUBS:  Bridgend AC and Cardiff AC

 

AGE AND DATE OF BIRTH:  56  17/1/58

 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COMPETING:  25 years

 

ANY OTHER SPORTS PLAYED: Football, golf and badminton, but mostly in the past

 

OTHER HOBBIES OR INTERESTS: Reading, music, relaxing

 

 FAVOURITE RACING DISTANCE: Then (before aged 35) – 10 mile/half-marathon/marathon; now, with dodgy knees - 10k / 5k

 

FAVOURITE RACE AND WHY: Performance: Reading half marathon (late 1980s) – probably my best racing performance – 68.30. For the experience: Three Peaks Yacht race.

 

FAVOURITE TRAINING SESSION: Nice flat woodland or coastal run. ‘Most beneficial’ training session – intervals, but definitely not a ‘favourite’ because they are so hard!

 

PROUDEST MOMENT: Running - Reading half-marathon for performance; completing the Bridgend to Langenau (nr Stuttgart) charity run (820 miles) for willpower and good cause. Outside running – birth of our daughter, Sarah, and watching her grow into the person she is now.

 

WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE (INSIDE ATHLETICS AND OUT) AND WHY: Inside: Paula Ratcliffe – sheer guts and determination, as well as talent. You appreciate it all the more when you have experienced what it takes, even at our humble level. Inside and outside athletics: Norman John (Bridgend, now in his 90s) – wonderfully kind and generous man, with not a bad word for anyone.

 

ANY PERSONAL AMBITIONS: Running - achieving my Welsh vest last November was special.

 

ANY REGRETS: Running: not really, though I wish I’d run a marathon when I was running 68 minute half marathons to improve on my 2.40.

 

ANY EMBARRASSING EXPERIENCES: Plenty! Running – many of us have done it, but forgetting how many laps, and suffering for it. Outside running – once helped a young lady during my lunch hour who was in distress (black eye), only for her to start hitting me in public when she thought I’d called the police (another member of the public had). From do-gooder to woman beater!!

 

WHAT CHANGES (IF ANY) WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE SPORT: Much harsher and consistent penalties for those caught using drugs in sport. Life ban, especially when you consider what they deny those behind them in races. Being presented with gold, silver, bronze, etc., several years after the event would, I imagine, be little consolation.