Neil Crisp  

 

Ilford Town centre 10k – Early 80’s

Full packet of Crisps 2000

Dave, Neil, Ian and Ian at Freshwell Ave Early 80’s

London Marathon 1983

London Marathon 2016

Neil and Dave 1983

Neil and Dianne June 1984

 

NEIL CRISP ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

What year was that Ilford Town centre 10K race photo and who is the Woodford Green runner in the picture ?

I’m sorry I was not very good at keeping records of races etc so assume it was the early 80’s but have no idea who the other runner was!

 

 What’s happened to all your Senior Men’s PB’s ? All those listed for Road are vets times ?

Again as above I really didn’t keep any records. I didn’t race that much when I was a SM. Just did lots of training!

 

Favourite Park Run and PB ?

I have 2 Sandgate, Australia [whilst visiting our Daughter Nat] and Houston, USA [whilst attending my Nieces wedding].

Sandgate  was an early 7.00 start and a lovely out and back flat course overlooking Moreton Bay. Weather was great, the people were very welcoming, they had oranges at the end and there were a few expats who said they came from London. Oh I also happened to win it!!

Terry Hershey, Houston was also  an early start at 7.00 with an out and back course. It was in the late 20’s / early 30’s centigrade and humidity was very high. Took it easy to begin with and just hung on!!

PB is 18:21 at Harwich in 2016

 

Worst Injury ? Stress fracture in my early 20’s. Walked into the doctors, had a scan and came out with my lower leg in plaster!

 

Favourite Flavour of a packet of real Crisps ? Cheese and Onion

 

Where did you go to school and any athletic successes there ? Went to Parmiters School in Bethnal Green. Represented my “House”  at sports day and cross country. Ran for London once in an Inter Counties Cross County fixture

 

 What is your normal Day Job and how do you fit training around that ? My normal day job now [after some 36 odd years in Banking] is at a local Primary School as a Bursar. Easy to fit training around that though I do miss my Wednesday morning runs along the Thames from St Pauls to Westminster, Hyde Park etc

 

 Why did you leave Victoria Park Harriers and Havering AC to join Ilford AC ? My parents moved from Stoke Newington to Chadwell Heath when I was 15. My Brother and I joined Havering as we knew the Barrett Family from there. I joined Ilford AC when I got to know my neighbours…..Pam and Dave Jones lived almost opposite us!

 

 You say you met Di at Ilford AC. Can you tell us more about how you got together? Who did all the early ‘running’ ? When I joined Ilford I used to run in Fred’s groups up on the top track, now part of the Isaac Newton Academy. There was a good mixture of men and the top Ladies at that time. I just used to turn up and do the sessions there and at Hainault with them. I knew of Dianne but nothing more than that at the time. It wasn’t until I went to Alison Hayes wedding in early 1984 that I actually asked Dianne out. It was a works do in the City so must have impressed her!! We were engaged that September and married in January 1985. Been running together for the last 35 odd years!!

 

Did you encourage your 2 daughters to get in to the sport or was this something they got into naturally?
Not really. Just wanted them to be active in any sport. They participated in trampolining, football, gymnastics, swimming and badminton [both won Gold at the London Youth Games]. It wasn’t until they were late teenagers that they moved into running. It was great when the “full packet of crisps” represented Ilford at the Essex Road Relays as a complete family team!!

 

 You have done a great job as a club vest / kit man for a long time. Any reason why you were not wearing club colours in the 1983 London Marathon and Town Centre 10k ?
Thank you. I can’t think why I didn’t apart from the fact I used to subscribe to Runners World and had bought some kit from them and wanted to wear it…..

 

 Some of your shorts seem very ‘short’, Did you hand any of these down to Billy? Were these the norm back then or did you seek them out?
Short shorts were the order of the day then. No I didn’t hand any to Billy and still purchase them nowadays much to the dismay of my kids!!

 

 

 

Your Sunday sessions in your younger days seem pretty intense – What kind of break did you have between the 20 mile session and the 5 miles at pace?
The 20 mile session was at 9:00am with another 5m around 5:00pm. This would sometimes be with Peter Cheatle and John Fickin? From Essex beagles. On occasions I would take a days holiday on a Tuesday and go for a run with Dave Jones and Peter Cheatle to Toot Hill and beyond!!

 

You mentioned running home on Tuesdays with Dave Jones? Did you work with Dave and what do you remember about Dave?
I didn’t work with Dave but would run from Cheapside to City Road, to meet him, and then run home with him along Regents Canal via Hackney Marshes. Sometime I would be late and end up chasing him for a few miles!! Dave was a great man with a wicked sense of humour. All of my family were very lucky to have known Dave. He was like a surrogate Father and Grandfather 

 

The picture of you and Dave together. I hope Jenni doesn’t mind me saying (or you) but you look so similar in terms of look and running style. Would you agree?
That’s very kind. I still retain a slight grimace even now when running!

 

A question I always ask – Your fantasy Dinner party. 12 guests alive or dead (obviously alive for the party). You can choose 4 sportsmen, 4 music artistes and 4 others. Who are you inviting.
Mo Farah, Brendan Foster,  Geraint Thomas, Daly Thompson, ABBA, Sean Connery, Jacinda Ardern, Barack Obama, Michael Caine

 

Do you think we will ever see 3 generations of Crisp line up together for a race? It would be nice. Orla my Granddaughter shows great potential so cross fingers J

 

 What has been your training regime since March? Running was going well until Summer holidays [5 sessions a week] when I pulled my calf muscle. Back to running Sunday [6-7], Tuesday [session], Thursday [5-6] and Saturday [5-6]. Also cycling to and from work 3 days a week. Just trying to keep fit and looking forward to meeting everyone again and racing. Staying away from group sessions at the moment as limiting contact with too many people as Jenni expecting again in January

 

Do you have a trophy room at home, or somewhere where your medals are displayed? What medal / vest are you most proud of?
No.
Winning the Essex V50 Relay with Steve and Tony Hyde. Other than that any Essex medal…