I’ve got to be honest, I’d rather be out there running than waiting for something bad to happen.

The Comet: Nick, pictured after a snowy training run, is doing the 2015 London Marathon for St John Ambulance.Nick, pictured after a snowy training run, is doing the 2015 London Marathon for St John Ambulance. (Image: Archant)

My day spent with the St John Ambulance team at the Watford Half Marathon on Sunday was definitely an eye opener.

While you can read a more in-depth take here, one of my lasting thoughts was the willingness of the 30 or so volunteers to brave the cold and provide help where needed.

It was a weekend after all, and hearing one paramedic talk passionately about her night shifts at the local hospital while giving her time up to help at the event really sums up the team ethic at St John.

Most of our time was spent trying to keep warm – double socks didn’t quite cut it – but throughout you could see the passion the team had for all things first aid.

Conversations drifted to different social discussions, but hospitals and ambulances were never far from the agenda as members swapped stories.

There’s a real camaraderie which comes with being involved in St John and I think it takes a special type of person to do what they do.

I for one was eyeing up the runners enviously, wishing I could get out on the course in order to get some feeling back into my toes.

What that says about me I don’t know, but I guess my enthusiasm to do a half marathon counts for something.

With that in mind I have signed up for the Baldock Beast half in just over a week’s time and am already looking forward to the race environment.

It’s a fantastic course and one that I really enjoyed taking part in two years ago so I would urge others who may also be in training to follow suit (there’s just still time).

Of course St John volunteers will be there again and I’ll make a point of saying before I run off into the distance. Anything to keep warm, eh.

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