WELCOME

John MacFadzean, President

TWO COURSE DINNER AT 7.30PM

PRESENTATIONS

Guest Speaker & Awards presented by

Stephen Binns

Awards will be announced by:

John McFadzean—President

John Ewart—Club Captain

Kath Farquhar—Club Endurance Coach

John Buckingham—Vice President

Phil Hobbs - Fell Secretary

Andrew Kerry—Triathlon Secretary

DISCO UNTIL MIDNIGHT

Steve Binns

Stephen “Steve” Binns is a Bingley Harrier from Keighley who rose to prominence in 1979 as a junior athlete. First he took the individual and team silver medals at the 1979 IAAF World Cross Country Championships junior race, then won the 5000 metres at the 1979 European Athletics Junior Championships. His winning time of 13:44.37 minutes remains the championship record as of 2014. He capped the season with a European junior record of 13:27.04 minutes in London, which still remains the record today.

As a senior athlete Steve was the UK National 10,000 metre champion in 1983, competed five times at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships between1981 and 1988 and competed twice for Great Britain at the World Athletics Championships in the 10,000 metres, 1983 Helsinki and Rome 1987.

He was the silver medallist in the 10,000 metres at the 1986 Commonwealth Games, Edinburgh (https://youtu.be/9D3g1GCKVlk) and competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea running the 10,000 metres. Steve’s PBs are: 1500m 3.49.9 Mile 4.03.1 3000m 7.51.84 5000m 13.23.71 10,000m 27.55.66 Marathon 2.13.32

2016 Track and Field Awards

Hallas Trophy for Best

Track & Field Championship Performance Naomi Harvey-Franklin Gold medal in Yorkshire T&F Senior

Women’s 400m Hurdles with a time of 69.92secs.

George Orton Gold medal in Yorkshire T&F Under 20 Men’s

110m Hurdles with a time of 16.08secs.

Top Points Scorer Points Age

Groups

Most Improved Athlete

(combined events)

Points

Added

1st Mollie Scaramuzza

2nd Olivia Evans

3rd Hollie Patel

191

180

160

U13

Girls

1st Mollie Scaramuzza

2nd Amelie Stewart

3rd Olivia Evans

49

12

6

1st Ben Siuda

2nd Jacob Foster

170

120

U13

Boys

1st Ben Siuda

2nd Jacob Foster

17

5

1st Lydia Throssell

2nd Ella McFarlane

3rd Laila Horn

219

175

61

U15

Girls

1st Lydia Throssell

(Dewhirst Shield)

2nd Ella McFarlane

3rd Laila Horn

39

12

6

1st George Hobbs

(Withins Shield)

2nd Jude Calvert-Green

3rd Sam Bedingfield

228

226

170

U15

Boys

1st Jude Calvert-Green

(Bowker-Hayes Shield)

2nd George Hobbs

3rd Sam Bedingfield

25

14

7

1st Zoe Oakes

2nd Genevieve Durrans

3rd Juliette Branford

178

173

161

U17

Girls

1st Zoe Oakes

2nd Juliette Brandford

3rd Ellie Sunman

35

17

8

1st Seth Calvert-Green

2nd Harry Hobbs

246

229

U17

Boys

1st Seth Calvert-Green

2nd Harry Hobbs

24

15

Best Performance

Summer 2016

Time/

Distance Points

Top Scorer in

Northern Track & Field

League

Points

Female 1st Ruby Sykes (800m)

(Val James Shield)

2nd Lauren Storr (100mH)

3rd Naomi Harvey-Franklin

(100m)

2:18.23

15.9

13.4

86

80

79

1st Zoe Storr

(Frank Gledhill Shield)

2nd Katie Zientek

3rd Lauren Storr

97

81

78

Male 1st Will Lander (400m)

(Winnie Roberts Shield)

2nd George Orton

(Long Jump)

3rd Craig Sheard (200m)

51:09

6.61m

23.8

102

101

96

1st Will Lander

(Frank Gledhill Shield)

2nd Craig Sheard

3rd Eddie Hinchliffe

76

72

70

Juniors

Seniors

Sprint Trophy Will Lander 400m 57.09s

Club Road Race Championship - Senior Men & Women

1st Damien McQueen (Road Race Cup) 1st Jane Stirling (Rock Inn Shield)

2nd Mark Catney 2nd Debbie McKenzie Beck

3rd Tim Cock 3rd Lorraine Smith

Mike Nunn Shield for Best Marathon Performance

Brandon Holroyd (London Marathon 2016)

Senior Club Summer & Winter Championship

Tinker Cup Point-to-Point Club “6” Winter

Championship

1st Craig Noble

(Tinker Cup)

2nd Robert Hinchliffe

3rd Liz Woodfield

Fastest Time:

Chris Law

(Ian Roberts Trophy)

Fastest Lady:

Katie Walshaw

(Norman Haigh

Memorial Trophy)

1st Kath Farquhar

(Haigh Cup)

2nd Simon Barrans

3rd Kev Yewlett

Fastest Time:

Julian Rank

(Jos Hinchliffe Trophy)

Fastest Lady:

Kath Farquhar

1st Sophie Cromwell

(Walter Greenwood

Trophy)

2nd Jane Stirling

3rd Brandon Holroyd

Fastest Time:

Phil Hewitt

(Past Members Cup)

Fastest Lady:

Sophie Cromwell

1st Craig Noble

(Major Sykes Cup)

2nd Richard McLeod

3rd Kev Yewlett

Club “5” Club “10” Club “15” Summer

Championship

1st Damien McQueen

(Tony Mellor Cup)

2nd Steve Hewitt

3rd Dan Ellis

Fastest Time:

Clark Hind

Fastest Lady:

Helen Berry

1st Brandon Holroyd

(Beaumont Rose

Bowl)

2nd Gareth Humphries

3rd Chris Beadle

Fastest Time:

Chris Law

Fastest Lady:

Helen Berry

1st Craig Noble

2nd Phil Hanson

3rd Logan Anderson

Fastest Time:

Brandon Holroyd

Fastest Lady:

Emma Wilkins

1st Brandon Holroyd

(Frank Beever

Memorial Cup)

2nd Chris Beadle

3rd Craig Noble

Paarlauf Final (2016) Winners

Aaron Kettlewell & Issac Travis

Junior Club Winter Championship Age

Groups

Christmas

Handicaps

Point-to-Point

Races

Winter

Road Races

U11

Girls

1st Alice Feetham

(Handicap Shield)

2nd Bea Ayres

3rd Libby Pringle

Fastest Time:

Libby Pringle

1st Imogen Wolf

2nd Alice Kaye

3rd Alice Bridge

Fastest Time:

Imogen Wolf

1st Masie Travis

(Croda Colours Cup)

2nd Bea Ayres

Fastest Time:

Masie Travis

U11

Boys

1st Callum McFarlane

(Handicap Shield)

2nd Declan Levay

3rd Tom Foster

Fastest Time:

Declan Levay

1st Issac Travis

(Point to Point Trophy)

2nd Jamie Steward

3rd Oscion Waterman

Fastest Time:

Declan Levay

1st Harry Baxter

(Croda Colours Cup)

2nd Issac Travis

3rd Declan Levay

Fastest Time:

Declan Levay

U13

Girls

1st Elena Inch

(British Gas Shield)

2nd Mollie Scaramuzza

3rd Isabel Crowe

Fastest Time:

Isabel Richardson

1st Isabel Richardson

(Point to Point Shield)

2nd Emily Wright

3rd Elena Inch

Fastest Time:

Isabel Richardson

1st Amelie Stewart

(Holliday Cup)

U13

Boys

1st Soljai Waterman

(Slaithwaite Cup)

2nd Kristian Green

3rd William Martland

Fastest Time:

Kristian Green

1st Christopher Martin

(Rachel Booth Trophy)

2nd William Martland

3rd

Fastest Time:

Christopher Martin

O13

Girls

1st Millie Yates

(Lawton Shield)

2nd Sophie Kettlewell

3rd Zara Tyas

Fastest Time:

Juliette Branford

1st Zara Tyas

(Hinchliffe Crossley Trophy)

2nd Zoe Oakes

3rd Cara Inch

Fastest Time:

Zara Tyas

1st Zara Tyas

(Hugh Lynch

Rosebowl)

O13

Boys

1st Nicky Farquhar

(Willie Firth Cup)

2nd Fionn Kerry

Fastest Time: Fionn Kerry

(Bailey Trophy)

1st Fionn Kerry

(Arthur Booth Trophy)

2nd Sam Brown

3rd Nicky Farquhar

Fastest Time:

Fionn Kerry

Winter Championship U11 Girls 1st Bea Ayres

U11 Boys 1st Declan Levay, 2nd Louis Stewart

U13 Girls 1st Amelie Stewart

O13 Girls 1st Zara Tyas

Summer

Road Races

Age

Groups

Summer

Cross Country

1st Matilda Turner

2nd Libby Pringle

3rd Ellie Lodge

Fastest Time: Matilda Turner

U11 Girls

1st Lucy Holland

2nd Alice Bridge

3rd Zara Earnshaw

Fastest Time: Alice Bridge

1st Harry Gilligan

2nd Jamie Stewart

3rd Gregory Wood

Fastest Time: Declan Levay

U11 Boys

1st Louis Stewart

2nd Rufus Helme

3rd Issac Travis

Fastest Time: Declan Levay

1st Elena Inch

2nd Amelie Stewart

3rd Lucy Lindley

Fastest Time: Elena Inch

U13 Girls

1st Isabel Richardson

2nd Amelie Stewart

3rd Anya Kukula

Fastest Time: Isabel Richardson

1st Lewis Pain

2nd Patrick Franklin

3rd Joshua Carter

Fastest Time: Kristian Green

U13 Boys

1st Lewis Pain

2nd William Martland

3rd Harry Elliot

Fastest Time: Lewis Pain

1st Emily Travis

2nd Zoe Oakes

3rd Sophie Kettlewell

Fastest Time: Millie Yates

O13 Girls

1st Cara Inch

2nd Millie Yates

3rd Zara Tyas

Fastest Time: Cara Inch

1st Fionn Kerry

Fastest Time: Fionn Kerry

O13 Boys

1st Fionn Kerry

2nd Nicky Farquhar

Fastest Time: Fionn Kerry

Junior Club Summer Championship

U11 Girls

1st Alice Bridge

2nd Libby Pringle

3rd Elizabeth Gilligan

U11 Boys

1st Rufus Helme

2nd Issac Travis

3rd Harry Gilligan

U13 Girls

1st Amelie Stewart

2nd Anya Kukula

3rd Ruby Yates

U13 Boys

1st Louis Pain

O13 girls

1st Millie Yates

(C&A Trophy)

2nd Zara Tyas

3rd Zoe Oates

013 Boys

1st Fionn Kerry

Summer Championship

Anthony Marsh Cup

Boys Cross Country Leagues 1st Kristian Green

2nd Aaron Kettlewell

2rd Harry Shelbourne

Trevor Ramsden Cup

Girls Cross Country Leagues 1st Erica Byram

2nd Sunnivah Waterman

3rd Sophie Kettlewell

Senior Ladies

Cross Country Leagues 1st Katie Walshaw

(Shaw Centenary Salver)

2nd Helen Berry

3rd Ruby Sykes

Senior Men's Cross Country Leagues 1st Jonathan Sykes (Phillip Bradley Rose Bowl)

2nd Mark Law

3rd Steve Green

Junior Club Fell Championship

1st Callum McFarlane

2nd Henry Parkin Under 12s

1st Isabel Richardson

2nd Amelie Stewart

1st George Hobbs Under 14s

1st Harry Shelbourne Under 16s 1st Annie Stone

1st Chris Law Under 18s

Senior Club Fell Championship

Men’s Fell Championship Cup Women’s Fell Championship Trophy

1st Phil Hewitt 1st Helen Berry

2nd Dan Stewart

3rd Phil Hobbs

‘All to Count’ Winner: Phil Hobbs

Local Race Winner: Helen Berry

Andy Bennett Trophy

for Best Long Distance

Fell Running Performance Clark Hind (Calderdale Way Ultra)

Triathlon Championship

1st Lewis Byram

2nd Seth Waterman Junior

1st Lucy Byram

2nd Lucy Farquhar

3rd Harmonie Waterman

1st Finn Kerry

2nd Craig Boggan

3rd Jonny McLean

Senior Club

Champs

1st Erica Byram

2nd Jen Wolstenholme

3rd Kath Farquhar

1st Oscion Waterman

2nd Jamie Stewart

3rd Harry Gilligan

Tristar 1

1st Zara Farrow

2nd Sophie Brown

3rd Ruby McLean

1st Oliver Akers

2nd Soljai Waterman Tristar 2

1st Isabel Richardson

2nd Isabel Crowe

3rd Aoife Kerry

1st Samuel Brown Tristar 3 1st Sophie Kettlewell

(Rowena France Memorial Trophy)

1st Fionn Kerry Youth 1st Sunnivah Waterman

Honours and Awards Examiner Community Awards

Sports Team of the Year 2017

Holmfirth Harriers U20 Ladies

Eighteen year old Olivia Sykes and 17 year-old twins

Lucy and Erica Byram joined Holmfirth Harriers nearly

ten years ago. They have grown up together through the

junior ranks to seniors and have enjoyed much success

both as a team and individually.

The trio have been a formidable team since they joined

Holmfirth Harriers, winning numerous team titles

including both the West Yorkshire Cross Country

Championships and the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships five times and the Northern

Cross Country Relays.

This year they make up the Under 20s Holmfirth Harriers women’s team and they had great

success. Winning the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships, Northern Cross Country

Championship and, as Greenhead College students, were part of the Greenhead College Cross

Country Team representing Yorkshire & Humberside winning gold at the National Colleges

Championships where Olivia also won individual bronze.

All three girls are also successful fell runners having represented England both at home

international and European mountain running championships where they have won team and

individual medals for their country. Most recently Lucy won the Yorkshire Fell Championships

with Erica in third. The girls have also previously qualified to represent Yorkshire at the Inter

Counties Cross Country Championships and the London Mini Marathon on the iconic marathon

course on several occasions.

As well as running Lucy and Erica are also successful triathletes and are part of the Yorkshire

Triathlon Academy. Lucy and Erica train every day, sometimes twice a day, because of the work

needed for the standard they are racing at in triathlon with the three disciplines of swimming,

biking and running

Olivia has won many individual titles at cross country and road running for the club and is also a

successful track athlete. Recently gaining a bronze medal at the Yorkshire County Athletics

Championships.

Their success is down to their hard work, dedication and the fantastic support they receive from

the club and coaches Alwyn Dewhirst and Kath Farquhar.

All three girls are very proud to represent their club, county and country at different disciplines

and being part of Holmfirth Harriers has given them great racing

opportunities and experiences around the country and further afield.

The girls were thrilled to have won the award from the Huddersfield

Examiner and to have been recognised for

their achievements away from the sporting

community.

Honours and Awards

Track & Field 2016

Yorkshire Track & Field Championships Gold: Naomi Harvey-Franklin in Senior Women 400mH (69.92secs)

Gold: George Orton in U20 Men 110mH (16.08secs)

Silver: Ruby Sykes in Senior Women 800m (2:18.23)

Silver: Ruby Sykes in Senior Women 1500m (4:55.81)

West Yorkshire League T & F

Championships

From the left: Eddie Hinchliffe, George Orton, Daisy

Smith and Will Lander

Gold - Daisy Smith in U20W 400m; George Orton in U20M Long Jump;

Eddie Hinchliffe in U20M 800m .

Silver - Lydia Throssell in U15 100m; Daisy Smith in U20W Javelin;

Will Lander in SM 200m; Will Lander in SM 400m.

Bronze - George Orton 3rd in U/20M 100m

West Yorkshire Schools T & F Championships Gold - George Orton in SB Long Jump (6.60m). Silver - Harvey Woodhead in SB 100m

(11.45); Aaron Kettlewell in SB 800m (2:07.06). Bronze - Niall O’Connell in SB 800m (2:08.87)

Douglas Bedford Memorial Open Meeting, Wakefield Organised by the late John Newsome

Silver - Eddie Hinchliffe in U/20 Javelin with 42.14m; Will Lander in SM 400m with 51.9secs

New Club Records; 16 club records set

Jude Calvert-Green - 8.49secs (I) in U15B 60m 2016, 20.54secs (I) in U15B 150m 2016

George Orton - 16.23secs in U20M 110mH 2016, 16.08secs in U20M 110mH 2016,

6.39m in U20M Long Jump 2016, SM Long Jump 2016, 6.58m in U20M Long Jump 2016,

SM Long Jump 2016, 6.60m in U20M Long Jump 2016, SM Long Jump 2016, 6.61m in U20M

Eddie Hinchliffe - 42.70m in U20M Javelin 2016, 44.05m in U20M Javelin 2016

Lauren Storr - 4.95m I SW Long Jump 2016

Naomi Harvey-Franklin - 69.3secs in SW 400mH 2016

Thank you to; Athletes, Coaches, Helpers for training sessions through the year,

Saturday Morning Club Coaches & Helpers, Star Track Coaches & Helpers.

Track & Field Judges and Officials.

Honours and Awards

Cross Country

BMAF Cross Country Championships, Wavetree, Liverpool FV40 – Helen Berry (1st)

National Colleges Cross Country, Wollaton Park, Nottingham

Representing Greenhead College Senior Women – Olivia Sykes (3rd)

(1st Team including Olivia Sykes, Erica Byram, Lucy Byram, Amy Kettlewell)

Yorkshire Cross Country Championships Senior Women – Katie Walshaw (2nd)

Yorkshire Vets Cross Country Championships W40 – Helen Berry (1st) W45 – Margaret Sykes (1st), Kath Farquhar (3rd)

W50 – Jean Shotter (3rd) W60 – Lesley Ewart (3rd)

M35 – Dan Shaw (3rd) M45 – Dave Watson (1st)

M75 – Bill Wade (2nd), Tim Cock (3rd)

West Yorkshire Cross Country League Series

U17 Women – Juliette Branford (1st)

Sen Women – Katie Walshaw (1st), Ruby Sykes (3rd)

W40 – Helen Berry (1st)

W45 – Margaret Sykes (1st), Kath Farquhar (2nd)

U17 Women Team – (1st) Sen Women Team – (1st)

West Yorkshire Schools Cross Country Championships Y7 Girls – Elena Inch (1st) Y7 Boys – Kristian Green (1st)

Sen Women – Olivia Sykes (1st) Sen Men – Niall O’Connell (3rd)

Honours and Awards

Cross Country

Northern Cross Country Championships U20 Women – 1st Team Olivia Sykes, Lucy Byram & Erica Byram

U20 Men – 2nd Team Aaron Kettlewell, Lewis Byram, Kai Sunman & Alex Robinson

Northern Vets Cross Country Championships W40 – Helen Berry (1st)

Yorkshire County Vests Competing in the UK Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships

U15s Isabel Richardson, U17s Juliette Branford,

U20s Olivia Sykes, Lucy Byram (Team Bronze)

Erica Byram, Aaron Kettlewell,

Senior Helen Berry

Yorkshire Vets Cross Country Champs F45-54 – 1st Team (Kath Farquhar, Margaret Sykes & Jean Shotter)

F55+ – 1st Team (Lesley Ewart, Val Battye & Rosemary Baker)

M40-49 1st Team (Dave Watson, Steve Green & Mike Fanning)

Yorkshire Cross Country Championships

U17 Women – 2nd Team (Juliette Branford, Cara Inch & Amy Kettlewell)

U20 Women – 1st Team (Olivia Sykes, Erica Byram & Lucy Byram)

Senior Women – 3rd Team (Katie Walshaw, Helen Berry, Ruby Sykes & Margaret Sykes)

West Yorkshire Schools Vests Competing in the English Schools Cross Country Championships

Isabel Richardson, Elena Inch, Juliette Branford, Cara Inch, Olivia Sykes,

Erica Byram, Lucy Byram, Kristian Green, Fionn Kerry,

Harry Shelbourne, Niall O’Connell

Honours and Awards

YVAA Championships

Individuals Andy Hauser 2nd M60 Fell, Andy Shaw 2nd M55 Fell, Barbara Hinchliffe 1st F60 Fell

Bill Hunter 3rd M65 Half Marathon

Bill Wade 3rd M75 5K, 2nd M75 2017 CC

Brandon Holroyd 2nd M40 15 miles, Craig Noble 3rd M35 15 miles

Darren Hanson 1st M50 15 miles, 2nd M50 2016 CC

Dave Cowgill 1st M75 400m, 1st M75 800m, 1st M75 1500m,

Dave Watson 1st M45 5000m, 1st M45 2017 CC

Debbie Beck 1st F45 15 miles

Debbie Hall 2nd F40 Fell, Gareth Humphries 3rd M40 Fell

Helen Berry 1st F40 Fell, 1st F40 2017 CC,

Jean Shotter 1st F50 Fell, 3rd F50 2017 CC, John Levick 3rd M50 15 miles

Kat Farquhar 3rd F45, Lesley Ewart 3rd F60, Margaret Sykes 1st F45 2017 CC

Michael Pennington 1st M60 15 miles, Phil Hanson 2nd M60 15 miles

Neil Midgley 3rd M65 Fell, 3rd M65 overall Multi-terrain Championships

Rob Ellis 3rd M50 3000m, 3rd M50 5000m

Rob Kersey 1st M65 5K, 2nd 5miles, 3rd 2016 CC, 1st M65 Fell,

2nd M65 Overall Multi-terrain Championships

Rosemary Baker 1st F55 Overall Multi-terrain Championships

Simon Barrans 2nd M50 Fell

Tim Cock 3rd M70 5k, 3rd M70 5 miles, 2nd M75 2016 CC, 2nd M75 3000m, 2nd M75,

3rd5000m, 3rd M75, 3rd M70 Overall Multi-terrain Championships

Teams 2016 CC

2nd M75+ Team (Richard Smith, Roger Bradley, Tim Cock)

2nd M60 – 69 Team (Rob Kersey, Martin Seddon, Neil Midgley)

2017 CC

2nd F35 – 44 Team (Helen Berry, Nicola Brown, Debbie Hall)

1st F45 – 54 Team (Margaret Sykes, Kath Farquhar, Jean Shotter)

1st F55+ Team (Lesley Ewart, Val Battye, Rosemary Baker)

2nd M70+ Team (Bill Wade, Roger Bradley, Norman Berry)

1st M40 – 49 Team (Dave Watson, Steve Green, Mike Fanning)

Honours and Awards

Fell Running 2016

World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships, Slovenia Helen Berry - Representing GB Team Bronze

British Championships English Championships Helen Berry 3rd FV40 Helen Berry 2nd FV40

Senior Yorkshire Championships 3 Peaks Helen Berry Silver Medal

Team Silver at the British Fell Inter-Counties Katie Walshaw (Representing Yorkshire)

British & Irish Junior Mountain

Running Championships

& Home International Representing England

Chris Law, Erica & Lucy Byram

England overall Team Gold

International Mountain Running

Youth Cup in the Czech Republic Lucy Byram & Alice Moore represent England

Inter-Counties Chris Law (1st U18), Lucy Byram (1st GU18) & Erica Byram (4th GU18) representing Yorkshire

Team Gold in both the men's & ladies events

English Junior Championships Chris Law was the U18’s Champion

Isabel Richardson, Alice Moore, Juliette Branford, Lucy Byram & Erica Byram

all had top 5 race finishes

Yorkshire Championships

Isabel Richardson 1st GU12, Alice Moore 2nd GU16, Chris Law 1st U18

English Schools Fell Running Championships Isabel Richardson 1st Year 7 Girls

Calderdale Way Ultra (50 miles)

Clark Hind 1st in 8 hours 33 minutes

Honours and Awards

Triathlon

British Elite Duathlon Championships 2017 Mark Buckingham — Senior Men (Silver) Richard McLeod — PT3 (Silver)

ETU European Duathlon Championships 2017, representing GB Mark Buckingham 4th

70.3 Gran Canaria, Challenge Series 2017 Mark Buckingham 3rd

National Inter-Regional Yorkshire & Humberside Triathlon

Championships 2016 Series 2016

Isabel Richardson Representing Yorkshire Youth - Fionn Kerry 1st

Tristar 1 - Isabel Richardson 3rd

2016 Alanya ETU Triathlon

Junior European Cup

Lucy Farquhar 2nd

Dublin City Triathlon 2016 Lewis Byram 3rd

Road

Yorkshire Road Relays

U17s Women - Silver Medals

Juliette Branford, Lizzie Deacon, Amy Kettlewell

Senior Women - Bronze Medals Katie, Walshaw,

Helen Berry, Erica Byram, Lucy Byram

Senior Men –Silver Medals Alex Robinson,

Aaron Kettlewell, Lewis Byram, Chris Law

Keep on Running!

Chris Hobson has been a member of Holmfirth Harriers for a number of years and many of you will have

seen her pounding the streets around her home and surrounding areas. As well as an active member of the

Committee Chris set up single handedly the initiative to get people in, or back, to running with the club This

is her inspiring marathon story so far…..

April 11, 2014 saw me retire from my life long career in education. Two days later I started my new career of

Marathon Running. Thanks to Holmfirth Harriers I took up my place on the starting line of the 2014 London

Marathon, alongside my daughter and her husband.

I had run on and off for many years, albeit more off than on, due to work

commitments and injury after more injury. Retiring meant no more work

losses, so now I had to concentrate on stopping the injuries, giving me

the bonus of being “fit to be old”. Little did I know where this new career

was going to take me!

To me, there are two sides to running – speed and endurance. Speed

was simply not going to happen for me, at my age, so I started to look at

endurance. So what did I do? Lots of “out of the box” thinking.

I reasoned that, the marathon distance was indeed “ultra-long” for me,

and may, therefore, require me to use a different approach. I began by

committing the ultimate running heresy of run/walking all my long runs.

Next step was to get myself an internationally acclaimed coach. I searched the internet and found Jeff

Galloway, previous US Olympian track runner, and he now e-coaches me from his home in Atlanta, Georgia.

Yes coaching by the internet! His Run/Walk approach to distance running is massive in the US and he has

kept me injury free for the whole time.

I was starting to enjoy myself as I continued to build my marathon support team: husband sorts out my travel

and accommodation and of course carries my bag, I now see my chiropractor each week; I see my physio for

a massage before and after marathon; and work with my strength coach twice per week. This was really

becoming quite good fun and made my retirement career a full time occupation.

The final piece in the puzzle was another running heresy. I ditched the carbs and went ketogenic (fat burn-

ing). Initially, I found a local coach and later another great international trainer, Peter Defty, who also

e-coaches me in relation to nutrition. This particular switch really was a “Road to Damascus” experience!

No downing disgusting gels during races, no wall hitting and recovery times measured in hours not weeks.

Love it!

So where has this new career taken me? Well first of all Skiing (spending Kids’ Inheritance) and then being

fitter than I have ever been in my life.

My targets have changed somewhat since that first marathon. In 2014 I completed three marathons; in 2015

I completed eleven; and 2016 I completed seventeen. London this year takes me to 32 marathons in total.

I have completed six out of the seven continents and am currently looking at booking No. 7, Antarctica. This

winter, I completed marathons in Buenos Aires (South America), Niagara Falls (North America), Marrakech

(Africa) and Tel Aviv (Asia), that’s after doing New Plymouth (Australasia) in 2015: we are very much

marathon tourists in our retirement. During this time, I have improved my marathon time by 40 minutes,

including having three PB’s in 2016. I just got quicker and quicker, thanks to my support crew!

Also, my long term targets have shifted somewhat since I went “professional”. I am aiming to achieve

London Good for Age as I turn 65 (2018). I am currently only 13 minutes 47 seconds off achieving this,

despite running a marathon every three weeks, so with careful planning and focus this can be achieved. In

addition, I will be completing my 100 marathons and my final continent.

My “professional” aim is now to inspire others by showing that ordinary people can do extraordinary things,

whilst age should be no barrier to sporting achievement. You have to be “fit to be old” in this day and age.

If I can do it, anyone can.

Chris Hobson