A dad who was left in a coma after being hit by a lorry reinvigorated his love of running by plotting and running routes that would make pictures for his son when recorded on his fitness app.
Using Strava Gordon Andrew, 52, has delighted little Hamish, 6, with pictures of ships, helicopters and even a reindeer pulling Father Christmas’ sleigh.
The running app tracks the jogger’s path as they exercise – which becomes a bright red line mapped onto the surroundings.
But just five years ago Gordon was put into a coma after being hit by a flat-bed lorry on the way to his work at an IT company in Helensburgh, near Loch Lomond.
He broke his neck, had a brain injury and lacerated his spleen – leaving him in hospital for two weeks after he was put in a coma at the scene.
Using his running app Gordon Andrew, 52, has reinvigorated his love of running after a horror accident when he was hit by a lorry. Pictured: Gordon (right), with Hamish (centre) and wife Hayley (left)
Using the app Gordon has delighted little Hamish with pictures of ships, helicopters and even a reindeer pulling Father Christmas’ sleigh
Gordon has received a mixed response from his family – with his son, Hamish, making requests as he delights in his dad’s creativity
But just five years ago Gordon was put into a coma after being hit by a flat-bed lorry on the way to his work at an IT company in Helensburgh, near Loch Lomond
But a keen runner, just months later he laced on his trainers and was battling to get back to his hobby – running a marathon the year after.
He told : ‘When I got back to running I was very slow and I found it very boring.
‘I had seen “Strava Art” and I’ve always thought Helensborough – because it’s on a grid patern – would make a great Etch A Sketch board. So I started to give myself some motivation trying to draw routes.
‘I think I’ve done them all but there are probably still some out there.
‘This gave me some motivation – because you have to concentrate so hard. I don’t take a map with me so I’m too busy thinking about whether I turn left or right.’
He has received a mixed response from his family – with his son, Hamish, making requests as he delights in his dad’s creativity.
But his wife Hayley, 42, is less sure – and while she is glad he is exercising she is less convinced by the shapes he is tracking.
Gordon said: ‘My six year old son is my judge – sometimes it will take him multiple guesses but generally we both reach an agreement.
But his wife Hayley, 42, is less sure – and while she is glad he is exercising she is less convinced by the shapes he is tracking
Gordon left a pair of submariner pals baffled when he took them on a confusing route – until they looked at their phones and saw they had traced the shape of their boat
A keen member of Helensburgh Athletics Club, the group now do the ‘Reindeer Run’ every Christmas in honour of their artistic enthusiast. Pictured: At the London Marathon last year
After being hit by the flat-bed lorry, Gordon broke his neck, had a brain injury and lacerated his spleen – leaving him in hospital for two weeks after he was put in a coma at the scene
‘My wife says so long as it makes me happy then I can fill my boots with doodles but I have not to expect her to not find it dull.’
He continued: ‘Some of them – like the elephant and the Thomas the Tank Engine – Hamish asked me if I could run them.
My six year old son is my judge – sometimes it will take him multiple guesses but
‘Whenever I go out generally I don’t do these kind of runs. When he looks at it and it’s just me going round in circles he’s like: “Oh that’s nothing, Daddy. That’s rubbish!”
‘While my wife is glad I do exercise and she’s happy that I go running – she just shrugs her shoulders when I say: “Look at this amazing helicopter!”
‘She doesn’t like running so she thinks it’s completely boring – she doesn’t understand at all.
‘Thankfully one person in my family is excited!’
And the idea has now spread into his local community as they marvel at his works.
Posting a selection of his maps on Facebook page ‘Dull Men’s Club’, Gordon has recieved rave reviews – with more than 15,000 people liking the post in less than a day
A keen member of Helensburgh Athletics Club, the group now do the ‘Reindeer Run’ every Christmas in honour of their artistic enthusiast.
Gordon added: ‘There’s a naval base close by and I did the submarine with a couple of submariners – they didn’t know what they were running until they looked on Strava.
‘They thought it was amazing. We were going up and down and backwards and forwards – they thought we had no idea what we were doing.’
Posting a selection of his maps on Facebook page ‘Dull Men’s Club’, Gordon has recieved rave reviews – with more than 15,000 people liking the post in less than a day.
One – Amanda Bowdler – said: ‘This is the coolest thing ever!’
Another, Zoe White, added: ‘Very clever and I’m afraid, I chuckled. Definitely not dull.’
And Andrew Wheeldon commented: Interesting and dull at the same time – bravo sir!’
But his challenge was not without criticism – with Kenny Giddings joking: ‘Excellent, but also slightly disappointing that you haven’t tried spelling naughty words.’
And Pamela MacKay teased : ‘You should get out more… oh wait!’
A third – Scott Gardiner – referenced the page’s boring nature – laughing: ‘Shut your door on your way out Mr Creative. Nobody has time for that kind of thing here.’