Robin Davis
Born: 13th July 1947
Date Joined 1993.
Personal Bests:
Winning 2 bronze medals at Southern Counties Vets 10 mile road race. And 1 I.A.C medal for 5 mile road race in my age group pos. 60-65.
First Club Race: Southend 10K.
Favourite Race: Cabbage Patch 10 mile road race. Essex Way
Notable Performances: As above
Biggest Disappointment: Having to give up Skiing and running because of problems with my knees.
Typical Weeks Training at your peak . Tue/Thursdays on the track with Freds group other days on the road, Weekends up at Chigwell either on the country or road.
Favourite Sessions: Back Lane 10 on Saturday then repeat it on Sunday in reverse way.
Favourite race distance 10 mile
Favourite event – Track, Road or Cross Country Cross Country races always finishing at the back.
What advice would you give our current crop of youngsters Enjoy your athletics then you will improve and obtain your personal goals.
Who is the most Famous Athlete you Trained with or would like to train with:
Pam Jones
How would you improve the sport To get more people involved with coaching, track officials, club officers etc. Without these roles being filled there would be no events
Favourite Athlete or Sportsman: Jonathon Sexton captain of the Ireland rugby team.
What other sports do you follow: Road cycling, rugby union.
Best Country Visited Napal for the high mountains.
Favourite Food & Drink : Anything as long as it does not contain peppers. A good Scottish single malt.
Favourite TV Shows: Emmerdale.
Last Film Seen : They will not grow old 2018
Last Book Read Ernest Bevin Labours Churchill by Andrew Adonis.
Favourite Band Singer: None
Last Album Bought or Downloaded Too long ago to remember
Last Concert Attended: George Melly jazz and blues singer in the 1970,s
Any Pets: Dog names Brodie.
What are your aims for next season To come out of lock down and resume a normal life what ever that will be.
Tell us a Joke: Never known to telling jokes.
I have never been a great athlete but I have always been about from making the tea to helping out where needed.
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Why did you initially join Ilford AC ?
I had just started road running, it was Kay Franklin, who introduced me to the club,
I knew her as we were both Justice of the Peace sitting at Stratford Magistrate’s Court, and the rest is history.
What injury happened to your knees that stopped you from running and skiing ?
The problem with my knees was wear and tear over a long time which I ignored, until I was told by an orthopaedic surgeon that if I did not alter my lifestyle I would need knee replacements within a year.
What do you do now to try and keep fit ?
I walk Brodie our dog twice a day
Favourite Park Run and Why and PB ?
My favourite Park Run has to be Hackney. It was where I started Park Runs, long before Valentines started my PB there was sub 26.
What School did you go to and were you Athletic at school ?
I went to Park Modern School for Boys in Barking, it is now Barking Abbey I was not athletic at school.
What was your full time job and did that help or hinder your training ?
Until I retired on health grounds I was a Funeral Director / Business Manager looking after 36 funeral homes in North East London, I started in the funeral industry when I left school in 1963. I missed training and races at times because I was on out of hours call a lot. I am now back working part time.
Favourite Cross Country course and Why ?
My favourite Cross Country Course has to be Claybury, it is a challenging course with hill, mud and more mud, also I trained over there as I live close by.
Taken into account, other than your knees, what is your worst injury and what did you do to recover ?
I never suffered from any long term injury, apart from having a hernia operation in late January then against advise I ran the London Marathon in the April.
Did you ever train with any of the ‘Market boys’ that Jimmy Huddart told us about?
The only market boy I knew was Stevie Farmer as he ran on a Sunday at Chigwell, also he knew my then neighbour.
If you could tell your 16 year old self anything (doesn’t have to be about sport) what would it be?
I would tell my self at 16 that school work and exams are more important than working to obtain my Queen Scout Badge I did obtain the badge and became only the second scout in my troop to gain it.
You are probably known more for being a reliable guy who is always there helping out, giving encouragement, giving lifts etc than you are known for being a runner. Would you agree and are you comfortable with that?
I am comfortable with what I do for the club, its my way of me putting back into athletics and Ilford A.C., for the enjoyment that has been a large part of my life since 1993.
Who would be at your fantasy dinner party and what ‘signature dish’ would you serve them?
My fantasy dinner party would be: Harold Macmillan, President Charles de Gaulle, Ted Heath, Boris Johnson.The meal would be Beef Wellington, medley of local vegetables followed by a cheese board of English cheeses and biscuits.
Are your medals on display at home?
I have kept my marathon medals, Southern Counties bronze medals and the one Ilford medal they are kept in a draw.
What was your trainer of choice?
My preferred trainers were Asics DS., bought from Roger Mills at Athletic East running shop in Wanstead.
Like myself you must have seen many runners who started with the club at our Wednesday Harriers group, many of whom had very little confidence in their running abilities when they first came and introduced themselves, then go on to race 10k’s, Half Marathons, Marathons, Cross Country events etc. This must make you very proud?
When Martin, Sally, Pam and myself started the Harriers we felt that there was gap between people out running and the traditional athletic club, The Harries filled that gap by offering the opportunity to improve and gain confidence in their running, this has progressed to runners joining the club . Now we see runners at the Harriers who want more than just a weekly Park Run joining us on a Wednesday evening. Again if you look at the results these days a lot of our club members have come up through the Harriers or Park Runs. We have had many success a few disappointments over the years. This has given me a lot of satisfaction over the years seeing runners obtaining their personal goals.
I will be back making the tea on a club night once we get back to the new normal life.