Get to know…Kevin Meegan
For this week’s chosen club member we are joined by Mr Reliable Kevin Meegan. Not the loudest member of the club but surely one of the nicest you could wish to meet. A beer, wine and music lover and when it comes to his running, well you can always rely on Kevin putting in a great performance for the club. His has a marathon time of 3.22.58 which he set in the heat of Brighton this year as well as a 10k time of 37.23 so he definitely has some good pedigree behind him. Now let’s check him out and see what the man is all about…
Name: Kevin Meegan
1. When and why did you join Arena:
I heard that joining a running club would get me running faster. I had been running on my own a lot for the previous couple of years and used to see people out and about with Arena tops on. Whenever I got chatting to Arenees they seemed very friendly, so there was no other club for me.
2. How long have you been running:
Since about 2001. I entered the 2002 London Marathon not expecting to get in, got a place and then had some serious training to do. It was tough (both the training and the event, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for) but I’m really glad I did it.
3. Where did you grow up:
Addlestone in Surrey (its near Thorpe Park).
4. Which three words describe you best:
Hold on I’m not very good at this sort of thing, Im going to ask my son. “hairy, farty and forgiving”.
5. Apart from running what else do you do with your free time:
Coach my sons football team, learning languages, biking & like most other runners eating.
6. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this year:
Actually it’s not been a great year, ask me some other time I’m sure something great will happen this year.
7. Tell me about something you would happily do again:
Go to Zimbabwe, it was great, but a long time ago now.
8. What do you think about the most during the day:
Lists, I’ve always got a list of stuff to sort out.
9. Who is your sporting hero:
Paul Sinton-Hewitt the parkrun founder, hearing him talk about the event and the impact it has had on people is an inspiration. I find it hard to idolise professional sportsmen but if you look at what Eddie Merx did in 1969, it’s an exceptional achievement. A lot of runners understandably look to Paula Radcliffe, to beat teams of runners by just being that much faster was so exiting to watch. And you have to love Mo, Mo always puts on a show.
10. What’s something that you aren’t:
Getting any younger.
11. Have you anything on your bucket list that you still want to do:
I’ve always wanted to ski, but somehow never had the money to.
12. Think fast, what do you like right now:
Watching Monty Pythons The Holy Grail. I had forgotten how much I liked it. And my precious Moyleman pint glass.
13 What’s something or someone you miss the most from childhood:
Woolworths.
14. Name 3 people (dead or alive) you would like to sit in a pub with:
Dave Allen, Mo Mowlam and Richard Feynman.
15. Tell us something we don’t know about you:
I didn’t like peanut butter when I was growing up.
16. Is there anything that you are afraid of:
The complete disintegration of society. Apocalypse, that sort of thing. I used to be scared of heights.
17. What would your epitaph say:
Are there any of those nibbles left?
18. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 35, and find line 8. What does it read:
“Lebanon 2006, we had located hotel accommodation, but also a safe house down” (How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone: The Essential Survival Guide for Dangerous Places by Rosie Garthwaite).
19. If you didn’t run what other sport would you like to have done:
Something on two wheels. Definitely nothing involving throwing.
20. Would you prefer to go bungee jumping or sky diving or have you done either:
See above, actually I might still be a little scared of heights.
Our biggest thanks to Kevin for hisQ&A’s this week and we hope that you feel that you have now got to know Kevin a little better. Check back next Wednesday for another set of Q&A’s with our chosen club member.