Feature Friday: Jake Littlehouse
Jake Littlehouse's story
"Nice to meet you, to meet you nice! I’m Jake, who originates from a small town called Stockport, situated in Manchester, England."
I first experienced the enchanted elements of running when I was 16, training once a week on a Tuesday for a girl, until I realized it was my Brother Josh.
It wasn’t until I was twenty years old before gave up football (soccer to the New World) and started running more than once or twice a week when I joined England’s equivalent to professional softball team Beijing Shougang, Stockport Harriers.
The only definitive similarity being that WHAM (40 million records sold worldwide), a Boyband founded by George “Wayne Littlehales” Michael” were the first western band to perform in China. Before this I had never ran for more than an hour and didn’t do my first tempo before the coming of my 21st birthday.
Despite a late start in terms of age compared to most, I chose to be dedicated to the sport with in reason, and by this I mean I’d train as hard as I could several days a week to become fitter and stronger but without compromising too much to the point where it became unenjoyable.
After less than two years of training I had arguably my best year since I put more focus into running fast and competing regularly. I won my first ever 10k in a time of 32.30 in St Helens (a town between Manchester and Liverpool) on without a doubt one of the hilliest and physically challenging 10ks you could ever run.
To back up my claim, there were shirts awarded to those who survived the hills. Colonel Custer didn’t get a T-shirt, whereas my Jake stained body won a technicolor dream coat and a night at the Premier Inn, a hotel located in the wasteland of Wythenshawe. Think Mad Max, but where Tina Turner sells Jerk Chicken and has a bus pass.
Following this year where I also clocked personal best times in the 400 meters and 800 meters on the way to placing 3rd at the North of England championships, I was plagued by injuries and illnesses at an unbelievable frequent rate.
The 2015 season was a total write off thanks to anemia, caused by low iron levels, not memory loss as a married Tina Turner might believe. My 2016 season was also non existent as I took a six month long break from running after I became the victim of the ex-factor when my girlfriend at the time realized Tina Turner ended up getting a divorce and decided to break up with me.
Continuing, back in 2016 I was privileged and lucky to receive a scholarship offer to attend Adams State University by the cross country/Track & Field coach, Damon Martin. Budweiser and Papa John’s don’t do coaches but if they did they couldn’t do better than Sir Damon Martin.
To accommodate and translate the importance and influence of Coach Martin to all readers, in Elvish he is known as Herdir Damon Martin. Since arriving in August of 2016 I have been injured to the bones, literally, with a herniation of a disc in my back, a broken foot, and a trapped sciatic nerve in my right leg, it’s been a tough time.
Being unhealthy so often has prevented me from getting fit. I have had my unfair share of injuries since coming to Alamosa, Colorado but I am keeping the faith, so much so I have gotten myself healthy and have the belief something great is due if I just keep doing what I am doing. So let the 2018 season begin.