It's Sunday 16th March 2025 and I am writing this shortly after completing the Wakefield 10k running. An out and back, up and down route really does make you question why you entered, but here I am already thinking about next year. 

I started running around 20 years ago, at the dawn of GPS tracking whilst listening to music on my original iPod Min. In metallic blue. I use to have regular routes form where I lived at the time just outside of Pudsey, Leeds. 

My hard route took in Bradford via the canal at Rodley onto Apperley Bridge and was around 14 miles in total. I'd watch the seasons change by the month alongside houses popping up wherever they could fit them. 

After a short detour into the world of cycling and triathlon, last year I found myself really really falling back in love with running. In a world that fights for you attention at literally every step, I found running offered me an escape from work, parenting, marketing, the news.. 

It's bang on trend to champion men's mental health these days, so much so that I personally believe that it's gone too far (I'll explain that in a second) but I also believe that if it's been mentioned on any level then it's a good thing. The trendy nature comes from people I know and have seen (of which there are many) shout about mental health on FB shortly before calling a footballer a 'puff' or equally similar 'healthy' quotes from that realm. 

I am not here to tell you that you should run here. I wanted to create a picture for why I created the Mallin & Son Sports Club 1983. 

Sport is in my DNA. I come from a family of high achievers in the sporting world through a good few of my families personal endeavours. I grew up in a household with a dad who may just be the most competitive man on earth. This has been both a good thing and truly bad thing as I've worked my way to the age of 42 but we can save most of that for my midlife crisis and subsequent therapy. 

Mallin & Son has always reflected me and my interests even though in the past I've shied away from talking 'crossing the streams' and bringing my enjoyment on 'keeping fit' into this realm, I recently questioned 'why not?'. 

I have designed quite a bit for other brands and namely, quite a few gyms. I released a test Mallin & Son range last year that welcomed in a brand new audience. A younger audience that I would never usually have reached. 

This made me uncomfortable for a while as these customers didn't really care about where it was made or about sustainability or about vintage fashion and certainly not about waxed jackets. They cared about it looking cool. 

I sat on this for a while because making things just because they look cool is the opposite of what I want to do. 

I created the Sports Club to keep working with that audience AND use it as a platform to deliver our message about 'doing good stuff'. Through buying it, you're enabling us to buy more used wax jackets or fund growth in the overall business and we're really open in shouting about that. 

A lot of the brands you see on the shelves in say Flannels, don't give a shit or shout about it. Our story is and shall remain front and centre. I see this as an opportunity for us to make a difference with a whole new audience. And so far it's working. 

I finished today's event and called by a local chain pub/restaurant with friends and kids for a much needed large glass of coke. I looked over the restaurant to see someone sat in a Sports Club hoodie, having just completed the race. Someone I'd never met and someone who had zero idea who I was as I was staring at his eat his breakfast.... 

I am toying with the idea of a few events or getting involved with other's but we shall see. For now, thanks as always.