Page 31 - SyI Quarterly 7

I have generally maintained a good level of fitness
through road cycling, but when I moved to rural Paul Grainge FSyI – PD Ports
Dorset a couple of winters ago, I took up trail running
as I was unfamiliar with the unlit roads, mud and Like many other Institute members that have a
ice. The speed and simplicity of just lacing up some background in the military – I had to run and I didn’t
trainers and running out onto the trails won me particularly enjoy it in fact I’d go as far as saying I
over and I now tend to run about 30 miles a week, hated it. I found it difficult and I’d always be picking
generally over three runs, I supplement the running up injuries. My nod to competitive running was
with some conditioning and strength training. My orienteering, to dodge running I would rather put
middle aged knees don’t like it when I run with a 20kg onto my back and head onto the hills.
greater frequency, but touch wood, they are coping
with longer distances and I have a 53 mile ultra Then about 10 years ago I stopped stressing over
planned for June. running and started to go at my speed rather than
that dictated to me by a person in a white vest. I
I need all the encouragement I can get and the discovered I quite enjoyed it I didn’t really get faster
‘Strava Kudos’ received from the running club but my distances built up to where I was regularly
provides that additional motivation to get out the doing half marathons but that was really my limit
door when I’m just not feeling it. The hardest steps again because my legs would actually break – I was
are the ones from the sofa to the front door and I very prone to stress fractures so I ran but carefully
encourage everyone to lace up their shoes and take listening to what my body told me.
those first steps, but be warned, if you catch the
running bug it can make you do daft things, like a 53 Then in 2018 my world crashed, after feeling unwell
mile ultra in your 53rd year on the planet! I for some time I was diagnosed with leaking aortic
valve and a dilated ascending aorta, this was brought
on by a genetic condition called Marfans Syndrome,
Rebecca Dobinson ASyI - People a connective tissue disorder and the reason why I
Security Adviser - Government wasn’t great at running and the cause of my many
Security Centre People and Physical injuries. The result was emergency open heart
surgery that gave me a titanium heart valve and a
(GSCPP) ‘plastic’ aorta.

Exercising is something that I have done more of the I was supported throughout by my employer, PD
older I have become. At school, during mandatory Ports. They allowed me to stand down from my front
games, I chose the positions that required me to do line Security Manager role, picking up a portfolio
the least amount of moving e.g. hockey goalie, or cox, that includes another passion of mine, training and
so I never really thought I enjoyed exercise, but really development.
I just didn’t like organised or team sport. For me
exercising now is a chance to be alone, to enjoy being Following my surgery I was running as soon as I was
outside in nature and to compete with myself. allowed, and at 12 weeks post op I completed my
first 5k. So why do I run? I run for me, to spend time
I started running properly (e.g. not just a fair weather with daughter (Covid allowing), my heart health, and
runner) when I moved back to Yorkshire from my mental health and to support others that have
London, trail running will beat road or concrete had similar issues via an online community Cardiac
running every day for me. I began by attending my Athletes and as a Leader in Run Fitness with my local
local Park Run on a Saturday, which luckily for me club, based on the ethos of Parkrun, hoping to inspire
is at the beautiful National Trust’s Clumber Park, those that don’t class themselves as runners.
and then, because I wanted to do better for my
Park Run, I started running after work and then I
started attending the National Trust’s free monthly
10km (so it spiralled). Currently, there are two things
which keep me running, firstly is the ability to collect
medals (#irunforthebling) there are so many virtual
challenges and actual races that have amazing bling,
since January 2020 I have amassed a collection of 13
interesting medals (Hadrian’s wall, Poppy Run, Cinco
de Mayo etc). Secondly, during lockdown running has
been my saviour when it comes to my mental health,
it aids me to stop over thinking, allows me to breathe
in the fresh air and put some space between myself
and whatever I have been doing. Often, while running
things will get put into perspective and the answer to
the issue that has been going round in my head will
come to me. Unfortunately, No matter how fast or
far I run, I cannot reach an answer for why personnel
security is not considered sexy?

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