Looking good.

There are few things more annoying than being overtaken by a runner who is wearing outrageous clothing. It has just happened to me, and I'm fuming.

Part of the appeal of running lies in wearing some of the beautiful sports clothing which is available today. My primary motivation when I joined a running club was to run a marathon, and I did that 6 months later. But I quickly began enjoying buying new running gear, (the shopaholic within) and I still enjoy it today. Recently, Liverpool has seen shops by Adidas, Nike, Puma and Up and Running added to it's sporting portfolio. There are numerous tasteful and stylish outfits therein, and if it wasn't for the you-know-what, (I can't bring myself to utter those over-used words) I would be adding to my collection as we speak. So, looking good is part of being a runner but, as I have found to my cost, looking good doesn't make you a good runner, or even a faster one.

In 2005 I ran in my second London Marathon. From around mile 10 onwards, I became aware that I had company. Running next to me were Bill and Ben, The Flowerpot Men. Actually it was two people in fancy dress, and they were moving smoothly through the course. I was a little irked, and attempted to speed up and leave them in my wake. I eventually discovered that underneath those thick, heavy, and surely roasting hot costumes, were two determined and talented runners. Not only did they stay with me, they eventually left me for dead, (literally) around the 18 mile mark. They were joined by Elvis Presley, (not the real one but another runner in fancy dress. ) I was left in their slipstream, my pride hurting as much as my feet did. I limped home in a disappointing time, looking every inch the modern runner, but not feeling like one. I was left to rue my own performance, and admire those of the fancy dress runners who, by then, were probably enjoying a well deserved post-race bath. It dawned on me then that it doesn't matter how good you look, it's how well you can run that matters.

Fast-forward to present day and there I was. Striding out in my Nike Perseus running shoes, Nike Dri-fit shorts, Helly Hansen Top, London Marathon 2004 t-shirt on top, and my Nike running hat perched on top. I looked the part, and my ipod and headphones finished off the look . Moments later I was almost blown away by a runner blasting past. Wearing combat pants, a normal jacket and non-running trainers, he looked ridiculous, but he could run like the wind. I was gutted. I still am to be honest. It doesn't seem fair to me. I've paid my dues. I get Runnersworld every month. I've got an expensive Adidas running jacket. I even own running sunglasses, the preserve of the truly vain. But no matter how good I look, how much I know, or even how much I have spent in the past, I'm still slow. And always will be.

The question is this: Would I rather run a sub 3 hour marathon looking like a tramp, or a sub 4 looking a million dollars?. The sad thing is, I'm not sure which I would prefer.