Dr Roy Evison (Doc Roy) age 59, not quite 60 yet!

I was born in Staffordshire, and lived in Cheadle (Staffs), until going to Manchester University to study Medicine, qualifying in 1972. I became a GP in Chorley Lancashire in 1977 and worked in the same practise for 30 years.

I have 3 children from my first marriage; two are doctors (following in the family tradition of medicine, five generations now) and one a computer programmer who is also studying psychology. There are 3 lovely grandchildren so far to keep us busy.

I have been together with Judith for 17 years now and we married just before we both took early retirement in 2006.

As well as being a GP, I have worked in the fields of medical education, hospital and NHS Management, being particularly involved in Primary Care Trusts and there working to develop cancer services.

Now fully retired from medicine, I become a trustee of a charity for a rare genetic disorder – Chronic Granulomatous Disease - http://www.cgd.org.uk/ …..which is a marvellous and rewarding job.

Apart from being passionate about primary care, I have other passions too, football (Wigan Athletic), old and new mini’s, real ale, good wine, Indian food, travel and of course I have been a regular runner for 35 years.

My running history

I’ve been running for 34 years, and have clocked up about 18,500 miles. I’ve only ever done it to keep fit and have kept the average weekly mileage to about 10-15 miles. Opportunities to run more often while working as a doctor have been limited.

There have been a couple of marathons, but I find them a real struggle; half marathons I can cope with better having done the Great North Run 5 times. I try on holidays to start each day with a run, which if its on a long beach in the sunshine is a real joy, and sets you up beautifully for the day.

One puzzle about running that I’ve never been able to solve is that when everything is in favour of having a good run it turns out a real struggle. The reverse is also true. But why? Answers on a post card.

A few of my favourite things

Favourite beers – Deuchars (Caledonian Brewery), Harvey’s Sussex Bitter, any of the Bank Top Bitters (Bolton) and Boddingtons.

Favourite food – Neither of us eat meat but do eat fish - King Prawn Madras, Fish and Chips, Eggs cooked any way.

Favourite book – The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexander Dumas

Favourite wine – Babish, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

Favourite destinations – GOA, Canaries, Finland

Favourite films – The Hunt for Red October, If, Airplane

Favourite actor – Steve McQueen

Favourite actress – Julie Christie

Favourite music – Billy Fury, Opera, Beatles, Procol Harum, Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison.

Favourite drink – Champagne (GH Mumm, Reims) special occasions only!

Favourite restaurants – Greens, Withington, Manchester /
Livebait, Manchester / Coppull Moor, Coppull / Bombay Brasserie, London / Raani Indian Restaurant, Adlington, Lancs / India Palace, Anderton, Lancs

Judith Evison, what can I say after what Roy has said? Well not my age that’s for sure!

II was born in Bideford, North Devon and at the age of 3 my parents moved to Horwich. I started work in the Pathology Department at Bolton Royal Infirmary age 17. I studied Medical Laboratory Sciences and on qualifying in Haematology moved to Bolton General Hospital. I then studied for my Fellowship in Blood Transfusion and Serology. I worked in the field of Blood Transfusion for over 34 years.

I have 2 sons of which I am very proud, by a previous marriage. They are aged 27 and 23 and neither has followed in my footsteps to which I’m not surprised, as the hours I worked must surely have put them off.

When I took early retirement last year I decided that I was never working again but wanted to do something for charity. The first opportunity came along in June when with friends from Roy’s Surgery I took part in the Moonlight Half Marathon Walk for St. Catherine’s Hospice, Preston.

Shortly after this a good friend of mine from Blackpool Transfusion Laboratory approached me about a part time job. I forgot myself and accepted

At the end of September, Roy and myself took part in the Great North Run, which we did to raise money for Leukaemia Care. Having worked in Haematology and Blood Transfusion I have had much experience of the support needed by patients suffering from leukaemia and cancer.

Still bathed in the success of completing my third Great North run (even if it was slow), and after a couple of glasses of wine in the pub one night the suggestion of walking/running from John O’Groats to Land’s End sounded a brilliant idea. Well it would wouldn’t it?

Thinking about it though, when we were on holiday in Cornwall shortly after Roy’s sister Joan passed away, we went to Land’s End and looked at all the names of everyone that had taken part in ‘End to Enders’ and there wasn’t a Biomedical Scientist amongst them. I think that’s when the seed was sown!

My running history

I’ve been running on and off (mainly off) for about 9 years. I was inspired when Roy trained a friend of ours to run his first half marathon. I then mithered Roy to help me train the following year. The first time I went out I couldn’t run the distance between two lamp posts and thought I was going to die when I arrived home after about 1 ½ miles. Since that time I have managed 3 Great North Runs. I trained for the New York Marathon but a back problem returned and put paid to that. Each time I go out I complain like mad throughout the run then feel great after. At least Roy knows when I’m out there with him, that he’s not gone deaf!

As you’ve probably guessed I’m not passionate about exercise but I do realise its importance and benefit to my health. As for doing exercise, it’s important to me to enjoy what I’m doing, so I will walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End. I’m sure as the weather improves and as time goes by I will run some of the way but its important that I complete the route with a smile on my face rather than put myself through agony.

I’m looking forward to walking the distance, as I’ve never done anything like this before, and although compared to some I am only walking 6.5 miles a day - its still a challenge at my age which I will relish.

My favourite things

Well much the same as Roy’s really, except I prefer Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench: wine to real ale and the best book I’ve ever read was ‘Inconceivable’ by Ben Elton which made me laugh ‘till I cried. Oh, and I’d add Nutter’s Restaurant, Rochdale, to his long list, and Tamla Motown/Soul to his music list.