Masters Feature CAIN BRADLEY

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Randolf Gilbert
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Masters Feature CAIN BRADLEY Cain s running career started like many of our younger members I started some running when I was about 8 as my dad used to run to stay fit for football.

1 Masters Feature CAIN BRADLEY Cain s running career started like many of our younger members I started some running when I was about 8 as my dad used to run to stay fit for football. He would run round the edge of the football pitches at the back of our house and I would cut across the middle to keep up with him. My running career proper started when I moved to Skinners School aged 11. My form teacher looked after junior cross-country and encouraged everyone to have a go. I didn t get higher than the C team in that first year. I think I joined TAC in the summer of 1975 and have been a member ever since. Mark Scrutton Mark Hookway Cain Bradley KENT SCHOOLS Cross Country 28 th February 1976 (Mark Scrutton holds various TAC records over 5000 Track 13:22:2 and Track 28:23:04, and 10K road 27:55:00)

One of Cain s Best ever race s was at Cambridge Harriers Schools cross-country race in 1976. One of those days when every time I wanted to go faster I found I could.

Club Champs Swanmead 1979 Most memorable thing from career the friends I ve made. I ve known Pete Mason, Mark Hookway, Steve Keywood for over 40 years.

2 One of Cain s Best ever race s was at Cambridge Harriers Schools cross-country race in One of those days when every time I wanted to go faster I found I could. I finished in about 4 th, much higher than I expected. I ve only ever had that feeling in 2 or 3 races but continue to dream that it might happen again! Club Champs Swanmead 1979 Most memorable thing from career the friends I ve made. I ve known Pete Mason, Mark Hookway, Steve Keywood for over 40 years. And I can go to races all over the country and there s always someone to talk to that I might have raced 20, 30 or 40 years ago. Probably ought to add here that I met Diane at TAC and we ve been married for 32 years." Cain holds the Tonbridge Athletic Club record for the Marathon, 2:24:31 set at the London Marathon in April 1985, where he finished 117 th in the race won by Steve Jones with Charlie Spedding in second place _aw pdf Interestingly the same time would have got Cain 20 th position in 2015 without Elite runners, or 40 th with the Elite runners

3 The Photograph below at the Tunbridge Wells half marathon shows the competition amongst some familiar faces. I think the person on the left may well be Ben Reynolds (distinctive left hand when he runs) Mark Hookway would also have been in close attendance. Favourite distance 10k on the road long enough that you can use tactics; short enough that you can convince yourself that you are racing all the way. Steve Keywood Cain Bradley Pete Mason

PBs 800m:2.00.1, 1500m:4.04.4: 3000m:8.36.7, 5000m:15.01.5, 10k:31.48, Half Marathon: 68.11, Marathon:2.24.

Has caused problems with quads, hamstrings, calves, pelvis and neck at various times.

4 PBs 800m:2.00.1, 1500m:4.04.4: 3000m:8.36.7, 5000m: , 10k:31.48, Half Marathon: 68.11, Marathon: Southern League Newnham 1979 Troublesome injuries non-specific tightness in lower back since the age of 18. Has caused problems with quads, hamstrings, calves, pelvis and neck at various times. Favourite venue Guildford won my marathon debut there and a half marathon a few years later. Also, a good run in a student league XC race and 2 nd fastest schools lap for a road relay around the cathedral. Guildford Marathon 28 th March 1982 WINNER

5 When asked about the funniest things to have happened during his running career he recalls in the 1980 s and early 1990 s, 8 or 10 of the senior men s TAC squad used to have a training weekend each year. The early ones of these were in the Peak District and on occasions doubled as unofficial stag do s for whoever was getting married that year. As a result, one Saturday night, Pete Mason had a fair bit to drink with the result that he woke up on the Sunday morning with a hangover and having had very little sleep. He then had to join us for an 8 mile run around the very hilly Goyt Valley. We sort of felt sorry for him but mostly we just laughed at his brave effort to finish the run with sore legs and feeling dreadful. Biggest disappointment? The two races in my career where I didn t finish. I must have run upwards of 1500 races but these two still annoy me intensely even now. One was my first ever race a cross-country in my first year at Skinners. I lost my shoe in mud mid race and after spending around 10 minutes finding it again, I decided to give up on it and walk to the finish. (lesson learned early in your career!) The other occasion was the Harrow Marathon where I had agreed to help Pete Mason to try and get a good time. We went through half way in about 74 minutes in the top half dozen but my calves had tightened up a bit and at 14 miles I decided I couldn t face another uncomfortable 12 miles and stepped off the road. I regretted it almost immediately and ever since. I m sure I could have kept going and still run close to 2:30. The good news is that Pete did keep it going and ran about 2:28. Cain is still running regularly and is clearly a standard at the Tonbridge Park Run that other runners like to gauge themselves against (and beat if they can!), as he usually has a number of runners hoping to stay with him. The family reputation has been continued as Dan and Sam both run for TAC at a high level, regularly finishing at the sharp end of road races. Cain also supports Di (wife ) as she coaches her group at TAC and is a welcome and knowledgeable supporter at most of the club events, as well as running for the Masters section of the club.

Below are some notes from the conversation which saw Malcolm answering questions posed by club athletes and coaches.

Below are some notes from the conversation which saw Malcolm answering questions posed by club athletes and coaches. Coaching conversation with Malcolm Brown MBE Malcolm Brown, one of the UK s most celebrated athletics coaches, was the special guest at Godiva Harriers on Monday 13 May 2013 to share some stories, thoughts