Harrier Adrian Marriott has talked about his recent decision to retire from competitive racing in an article carried in this week's Athletic's Weekly (Nov 21st). "The message is clear for athletes - if you are ill then don't train because there is a real risk factor."
In an interview with Kevin Fahey in AW, Adrian revealed the background to what had happened recently when he spent time in hospital in Lancashire with chest pains. "The simple version is that I suffered inflammation of the heart muscle which is known as myocarditis. It is not unkown in the general population but most people don't even know they have had it, but if you are an athlete and you keep running through an illness then basically your heart doesn't like it."
"That is why doctors say don't exercise when you have a cold or a sore throat, for example, because your immune system is then weak and the problem can find its way into your heart. I have gone back several years in my training diary but there is nothing I can really put my finger on, but the medical team have told me that in 75% of cases you cannot find where it comes from, or what the underlying causes may have been.I am feeling fine now and have been told to stick to gentle exercise like walking briskly or using an exercise bike but I have been told not to do anything intense for at least 12 months and after that it is a waiting game to see how the body feels."
Adrian is a 2.18 marathon runner with pbs of sub-30 for 10,000m and 3hours for the 50km distance (which places him at 8th on the all time listing for UK athletes for that distance). Whilst he is a Team England/Team GB international, he is perhaps better known within the Club for his considerable input at training sessions and being part of the Club's Championship teams over the country and at the road relays. He has also inspired many of the juniors with his tales of travelling the world as a consequence of his running ability - each year he kindly comes and talks to the Monday juniors about how he started as a runner when he was in his early teens. We wish Adrian all the best in his recovery from this shock and the impact it will have had on his way of life.