Simon Phillips

‘A living legend’; ‘one of the world’s greatest runners’; ‘the novel that the running world has been waiting for’….just some of the words and phrases that no one has used to describe Simon or his book! He has however put pen to paper and combined his love of running (and in particular parkrun) with his love of writing to come up with a half decent novel which is being well received. There are a lot of good running books in the marketplace but vanishingly few novels in the genre so if you love your running and like nothing better on a Saturday morning than heading off to your local parkrun wondering just what might be, then this one could be for you! What’s more you’ve nothing to lose as you won’t even have to pay for it if you time it right as in the true spirit of parkrun, Simon is on a mission to make his book available as a free download to as many fellow runners (and in particular parkrunners) around the world as he is able. As such, and to make it easy to remember, it will always be available as a free download on the first Saturday of the month. (First parkrun day of the month! ) In addition it will always be free to Kindle unlimited members.

Although it’s a work of fiction, the book is shaped from events that have happened in the authors life and has been written with the passion, conviction and emotion of someone who has lived through many of life’s highs and lows;

‘For me it was never a commercial venture, ’ Simon said, ‘I simply had an idea for a book whilst in lockdown and went for it; I started writing it not really knowing where it would end up but soon the words just started to flow and when various events around the world were being cancelled I knew where it had to go! My aim is just to share my story for free with as many people as I am able in the hope that it’s at least enjoyed by some’.

Simon was born in North Devon and has been fortunate enough to live in that beautiful part of the country all his life. Married with two adult children he is now in his mid-fifties and is a keen runner who can be found on most Saturday mornings either running or volunteering at his local parkrun in Bideford. If you are partaking in a bit of parkrun tourism and ever find yourself in that part of the world, please feel free to come on over and say hello if you recognise him.

A Civil Engineer by profession, Simon is also a keen footballer and surfer who also enjoys cycling and sea swimming. (In the warmer months only these days though!) Simon embraced running relatively late in life but he would probably now class it as his number one passion. (or at least a very close second behind Exeter City Football Club!)

Although Simon has written a book, his own endeavours in relation to reading them are somewhat more meagre and he has only ever read two and a half books in his entire life! The half was ‘Of Mice and Men’ which he flicked through at school whilst preparing for his English literature O level exam. The second was a book called Rogue Angels by Peter Cave which was leant to him by a friend when he was in his late teens, (apparently still available on amazon today if anyone is looking for it!!) and the third was the bestselling Dogs of War by Frederick Forsythe. Again another that was leant to him, this time by his son whilst on holiday in Zante some years ago. It was however the one that ultimately inspired him to have a go at writing one of his own so if you read ‘The Parkrunner’ and don’t enjoy it you’ve got Frederick Forsythe to blame! 

Thanks for looking and enjoy the read.

Best wishes,

Simon