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Bernie's story

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Welcome to 2025 and welcome back to another Easingwold Running Club story.  Over the last few years, we’ve heard from several members of your local running community.  This time, Bernie Wood has written for us.  As a way of introduction, Bernie has been a big part of our running club for many years now.  She’s a great advocate of community.  She’s played so many roles in the life of the club and at our local Parkrun in Millfield.  Encouraging, volunteering, supporting, leading and getting to know so many people that come her way.  The evidence is there on many a Saturday, as she encourages literally everyone who passes her while she’s on marshal duty at Parkrun!  Over to you Bernie…

 

“It’s not about the finish time, but all about the finish line.“  I saw this on the back of another runners T shirt at a recent event and thought, yes that is what my running is all about now.

 

Running for me started when I was at senior school and I represented the school in cross country. It was always very wet and muddy but didn’t seem to put me off. Then I went off to train as a nurse and with shift work and studying, this put a hold on pursuing any hobbies. Roll forward some years and family life and continuing shift work meant still no opportunity for hobbies.  That all changed in 2003 when I got a Neonatal Community post, which meant no more shifts or night duty. A couple of friends in the village asked me to join them on a run and 3 miles later without stopping and my running hobby began.

 

In 2006 I joined Easingwold Running Club, although I previously thought it was something too fast for me. However, that couldn’t have been further from the truth, with regular training sessions and runs that cater for everyone’s ability with an ethos of no one gets left behind. I became a coach when I had settled into the rhythm of the club and enjoyed over the years running with and encouraging newer members and setting them on their way.

 

My love of trail running, give me woods and muddy paths any day, was sold to me by the wonderful and much missed Roger Nicholls. Since then, I have gone up hills and down dales in some gorgeous countryside, the Lakes, Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and the Northumberland coast, to name but a few. I have experienced many highs and lows with races and distances. With the Hardmoor races, you get more miles for your money, with a 10K often being 13k plus. Running in France and doing the Chamonix half marathon and a 15 mile race in Morzine (this broke me physically and mentally), were interesting.

 

During Covid, we had virtual runs as part of virtual groups, which helped to keep our motivation and fitness. Sadly, in 2023 I sustained an injury and for months was plagued with niggles. This resulted in me only running short distances now and again and I stepped down as a coach as felt I couldn’t fulfil my role to the best of my ability.  I really thought running was over but as the months rolled by, I found last summer I had got my mojo back, steadily increased my distance and have even done a couple of events. I have signed up for a couple more and don’t seem to get as stressed at the start line as I have done previously, convincing myself that it’s steady away to the finish line.  The other lovely thing I am involved with since 2019, is Millfield Park Run. Mainly as a volunteer but I can sometimes be seen running now and again in between marshalling at M3 or Bernie’s corner as it has affectionately been named. This has to be one of the best things that was launched, caters for all participants, whether they run/jog or walk.  A great community atmosphere both for participants and volunteers and nice to do when away on holiday. Come and have a go, if you haven’t already done so.  “Don’t let yourself be concerned by what other runners are doing. By trial and error, find out what works for you “Gayle Barron, marathoner.

 

Thanks for sharing your story Bernie.  Maybe folks have been inspired and may start their own journey.



See you next time for another article from your local running club!

 

Rich Freeman, Publicity Secretary

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