Marathon inspiration
23 April 2009

As Usha sets out on the Felpersham marathon on Sunday (26 April), two people associated with The Archers will be running 26.2 miles for real.

Stop press: Kate and Carol's results:
Kate in 4hrs08mins and Carol in 6hrs02 mins.

Congratulations to both!

Archers producer Kate Oates

Usha's Felpersham marathon is fictional, of course, while Carol Dowe Davies and Kate Oates will be pounding the streets of London along with 30,000 other brave athletes.

Carol is married to Archers scriptwriter Keri Davies. Her intention to run one marathon in her life led to several annual applications for a place in the London event. Knowing that Usha had been established as a runner, and had already completed a long distance charity walk, Keri was inspired to suggest a storyline in which Usha decides to enter her local marathon.

Along with several other ideas, this was discussed by the production and writing team in March 2008 at one of The Archers' biannual "long term" script meetings. As is usual at these intense all-day sessions, the story was developed and refined. In the original draft, Keri had suggested that a silent character - a solicitor colleague of Usha's - could be her training partner, and that Usha should have a near-accident which affected her training, allowing Alan literally to ride to her rescue on his old bicycle.

Through discussion, a rivalry was developed with Annabelle Schrivener - a speaking character, which meant that more of Usha's training could be dramatised. And the accident became a mugging, which seemed psychologically stronger.

The revised story had been "bought" by Archers editor Vanessa Whitburn, and scheduled in outline for some time, when Archers producer Kate Oates decided it was time to take on the challenge.

Kate joins up

Up until now, Kate had been happy jogging around the lanes of Stratford-upon-Avon, and running the occasional half-marathon. She'd always been daunted by the distance, and can't really explain what pushed her to enter this year's event (she says she can't bring herself to refer to it as a "race" without developing a cold sweat). "I'm excited by the idea of completing the challenge", she said, pointing out that completing it is not necessarily the same thing as running it. "And I'm always keen to support Macmillan in memory of my uncle Mike".

In contrast to Macmillan Cancer Support, which this year has over 700 people running on its behalf, Carol will be the only entrant supporting her adopted cause, the social disadvantage charity Birmingham Settlement.

The knowledge that Keri has gained by association, and Kate's direct experience of the arduous training schedule, has helped inform the writers charged with dramatising the story - although Kate insists that both characters are significantly more competitive than her, and their schedules have been a little stricter.

Being a runner has helped Kate direct episodes in studio, too. "I'm only too familiar with the sound of pounding country lanes, and how you control your breath when you're trying to run, chat, and stay alive, all at the same time", she said.

With only days to go, both runners are starting to share the nerves that listeners are hearing Usha express on air. By the time we hear how she fared at 7pm on Sunday, they hope to be sitting with their feet up, enjoying a well-deserved glass of wine. Unless, Kate observes, she's really underestimated her training. "In which case I might still be running, having been shamefully overtaken by someone wearing a rhinoceros costume."

London Marathon

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