I have many fond memories of my OMM Kamleika jacket. It’s seen me through a lot of adventures and while it ultimately became more gaffer tape than jacket – I retired it with full honours in my running kit drawer “just in case”.
It might seem odd writing a post about a jacket I no longer wear and that despite lots of “taped seams” wouldn’t pass an FRA kit check but my rosy memories here are because today I spotted a chance to become one of those modern social phenomenons – a “brand ambassador”. For OMM – a company I genuinely feel for.
I’ve come a long way since I started running in 2012, it’s a sport I wish I’d discovered when I was 15 not 35. I feel like I’m making up for time lost being a fat 18st smoker for 20 years.
I devour running challenges and different races like I would a massive bar of chocolate in years gone by. There’s a lot to make up for and there aren’t many races I don’t like the idea of.
Indeed my bucket list of running goals is currently pretty varied for the next couple of years – Sub 16:30/34 for 5 & 10k and then the UTMB and Spartathlon along with a go at a full Bob Graham Round.
Running is the only thing I can honestly answer the question “where do you see yourself in 5 years time?“. I might score some points for my goals working for a sports company but probably nowhere else!
I sometimes look at brand ambassador opportunities with mixed feelings, there are good ones and there are those just want a bit of free blog coverage but no involvement or feedback from their runners.
I seldom apply for those but the good ones – the really interesting ones – are not so much about free kit nice as it is, the interest is in getting involved in the product loop too.
You can learn so much and given the opportunity to feed back into a company you support is great.
I’ve been a brand ambassador before – I was lucky enough to be a part of the Berghaus Trail Team in 2014 – and it was an amazing experience. At the risk of sounding like the greedy fatty I used to be – one I’d love to repeat.
Of the many memories of the Berghaus Trail Team was running on Helvellyn with Helene Whittaker. I probably made it onto the team because they saw my gaffer taped jacket and felt I needed a new one! Still, what an amazing time.
This is an application for sure, I write a blog once a week at least as a training log and the chance to review races I’ve run which I find very useful to reflect on or read back when they come around the next year.
I write it for me and for the people who stumble across it looking for help or advice on the races I’ve run and reviewed and I help them out with advice whenever I can.
I’m no elite, I have won 2 races (against 1 person and 3 people – still a win right?!) and finished on what I think was a primary schools podium once but I love competing and I love training to make that happen.
2015 was my best year so far, running all sorts of races and PB’s from 5k through to my first 100 miler.
I’ve learnt a lot and I’ve discovered new depths to which I’m willing to dig to meet my goals.
2016 will be faster, more focused and just as varied as I take on fell races, short road races, a marathon and another leg of the Billy Bland Relay in the summer.
I can’t wait to blog it all and irrespective of this application – I will be blogging it all because when I get an email from someone saying they found a post useful or asking for advice from a normal guy like me, it absolutely thrills me.
That old jacket? If only there were a company out there looking to reunite a runner with an new version of an old favourite ..
Happy running and good luck to anyone who gets to experience being part of something like this.
I’m very active on the following networks so give me a follow or say hello. I love catching up with new running friends!
Instagram | Twitter | Strava | parkrun | My blog | Power of 10