● Tell us a bit about yourself, how long have you been in Brighton and what do you like about living here?
Hi, I’m Dave and I work as a Paediatric Nurse. I’ve lived in the Sussex area for just over 10 years. I grew up in South East London where it was a busy pace of life with work and socialising. In 2012, I decided to move down to the coast for a slower pace of life and love being by the sea and having the South Downs on our doorstep. I really like the freedom in Brighton and Hove to be whoever you want to be and not feel judged.
● How long have you been running, and what is it about running that you enjoy?
I started running 10 years ago when I did my first half marathon in Seaford for charity with a group of friends. It was probably not the best half marathon to do as it was endless hills and single tracks but I got the bug after this and continued to run.
● What made you decide to join Frontrunners and how did you hear about the club?
I already knew several people that were members of Frontrunners and I thought being in a running club would not be feasible with my shift work. I since found out that even though I couldn’t make it every week, there were other opportunities to run with the club on Fridays and Sundays. I have since been able to work some of my shifts around the running and try to attend as many sessions as possible. Joining Frontrunners has widened my network of LGBT friends, it has been inspiring & encouraging to hear about people’s journeys in running and in life.
● Have you run any races before? Have you signed up for any upcoming events and what are your goals?
I have run several 10Ks and half marathons over the years in the U.K and have done 3 triathlons. I never thought I would run a marathon but ran the London Virtual Marathon in October 2022 for my Dad with Dementia. Since then, I signed up for the Brighton and Edinburgh marathons in 2023 and 2 further triathlons. Running with Frontrunners in the
Brighton half marathon 2023 I felt the support and companionship on the day. I know that by running these marathons and future events I will feel the support and encouragement of the club to achieve these goals.
● Why do you enjoy being a Frontrunner?
I like getting to know new people and chatting with a variety of runners and hearing their stories. Also, I have never been very motivated with running longer distances and I’ve found the longer runs at the weekends with the club have helped me improve my running. The socials are a great opportunity to get to know people and have some fun. I’ve found Frontrunners being an LGBT club a safe environment to come to where you can be yourself without feeling judged.
Dave @dave_going_farr