Patrick Rooney

CLUB PRESIDENT

When my prehistoric ancestor fell out of the trees four million years ago the first three things he did was:

(1) ‘RUN’ to avoid being eaten!

(2) ‘RUN’ to chase potential food to eat!

(3) ‘RUN’ to organise the very first ‘Troglodyte Trot’!

4000 millennia later I fell out of bed & began my running odyssey!

The year was 1979 & I must thank my then work colleagues who inspired by the latest thing to cross the Atlantic from the US; the ‘Jogging’ phenomenon, cajoled me to go with them to try a hand or should that be foot at this in our work lunchtime. Much to my chagrin they all retired following several weeks of puffing & panting but I was hooked!

Forty-Two years down the road (many, many roads!) I still love running!

I’ve seen a myriad of changes in that time; I can remember in the early days running round the streets at midnight with my brother to avoid being seen! Because only proper ‘Athletes’ go running, not the likes of us!

Thankfully the Gillette London Marathon was born in 1981 & this then gave birth to a whole new generation of friendly, sociable & inclusive running clubs like ours, which in true Carlsberg style I think is probably the best running club in the world.