It was a cold, wet night in mid-December. The rain drops dampened more than just the glare of the floodlights on the tartan track. Having enjoyed the Christmas season and all of its delights a little too much, he'd decided to get ahead of the January rush and find the local running club. A quick search showed that the Queens Park Harriers trained mere metres from his back garden. So along he went, full of good intentions and ready to rekindle his Ironman glory days of the past.
The sight that greeted him wasn't worth the nerves he'd expelled that afternoon, as he imagined joining the QPH elite to run in circles for an hour!
There was running. There was cheering. There was also some very colourful running kit. All to be expected at a London running club. But the running was broken up at the start/finish line with what he could only describe as pure pandemonium! The runners seemed to be stopping just short, grabbing their drinks, loitering about or walking back and forth, before chucking their chalices down and bolting off on another lap!
However, perhaps the strangest thing of all was that they didn't seem to start or finish together... he had to get a closer look at this. It was probably some new-fangled approach to training, a lot had changed since his Caribbean triathlon days!
Then suddenly, as he approached, he realised what was going on. A smile spread across his face and he broke into a run across the field to join them... to not miss another minute of life without these incredibly like-minded, kindred souls. He'd found his people...
It wasn't any old drinks that they were drinking and then throwing to the ground with distasteful abandon! It was beer!!
As luck (or fate!) would have it, Tim had turned up to the annual Beer Mile, and he spent the next 10 minutes cheering, chortling and even running a lap, with these 'runners'. They then all went to the pub, and he joined the club the following day... once the hangover had subsided.
~~~
Over the next few years, Tim has gone on to become a much-loved member, taking part in the various QPH events, from Summer League and Cross Country, to the club-favourite road races like the Watford Half and Fred Hughes 10 miler. As well as obviously being bitten by the contagious marathon bug. He even won the Beer Mile in 2019 - in his mind, but that's another story.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, Tim literally guided us with some very imaginative Strava Art, cementing himself as a true club favourite.
Having served as Vice President with Emma Sutherland during 2022, he was elected to take over from outgoing President, Jen Armson, at the AGM 2022.
At first, looking rather bemused, it only took a moment before he was back to Tim ways and in his acceptance speech - after thanking his fans, of course - he announced his first move as self-proclaimed 'Emperor' was to "not allow a change of power, until he deemed it fit".
After all, it's Tim's world and we all just live in it.
(Susan, presenting Tim with the President's medal on behalf of Jen. Bill looking on, wonder what happened to this great club...)
Well, if this is the start of a long reign then it'll be nothing if not fun!
Long live Tim, long live the Emperor!
