Alf Tupper, NCTJ and the pain of training
Comic legend: Fictional athlete Alf Tupper
"I'll run 'em all." This iconic quote from fictional athlete Alf Tupper was his reference to beating the posh boys at the noble art of running despite his many disadvantages.
The adventures of Tupper were popular during in the 70's, regularly included his night shifts at the factory, traveling by train to the championship races, eating Fish n Chips en route and against all the odds pulling off incredible victories against his public school educated competitors,
In a world where sport has been professionalised and is fuelled by the latest science and technology, the story of Alf Tupper seem perhaps a little far fetched.
However for those of us working and studying, his never say die attitude, balancing work with training and competing still has relevance in the amateur ranks.
As I get back into competitive training, eating bigger and better, I think of Alf and his "run em all" saying.
At the moment every rep hurts, every long run is a chore.
Don't get me wrong, running is a truly liberating experience.
You think on your feet, work off your stresses or a puzzle that is bugging you from your study course.
But what drives a competitor is racing and ultimately putting one over your peers and fellow athletes.
I've made excuses in the past for a lack of training. But this year I have to train well and complete my NCTJ to give me the life I want as a journalist.
Although running is a lonely place to be most of the time, the team spirit and craic with the other athletes you race and train with is second to none.
You understand eachother in a way that no one else does.
And you feel privileged to be around some of the higher flyers competing at national and international level who have families, train as hard as any professional athlete and get no money or fame for their exploits.
As a real lifeTough of the Track, the late great Steve Prefontaine once said:
"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more."
However for those of us working and studying, his never say die attitude, balancing work with training and competing still has relevance in the amateur ranks.
As I get back into competitive training, eating bigger and better, I think of Alf and his "run em all" saying.
At the moment every rep hurts, every long run is a chore.
Don't get me wrong, running is a truly liberating experience.
You think on your feet, work off your stresses or a puzzle that is bugging you from your study course.
But what drives a competitor is racing and ultimately putting one over your peers and fellow athletes.
I've made excuses in the past for a lack of training. But this year I have to train well and complete my NCTJ to give me the life I want as a journalist.
Although running is a lonely place to be most of the time, the team spirit and craic with the other athletes you race and train with is second to none.
You understand eachother in a way that no one else does.
And you feel privileged to be around some of the higher flyers competing at national and international level who have families, train as hard as any professional athlete and get no money or fame for their exploits.
As a real lifeTough of the Track, the late great Steve Prefontaine once said:
"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more."
-Pictures found originally at http://www.toughofthetrack.net/index2.htm Please visit to find out more about the great man.
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