Rowland Hughes - Kit Secretary & Committee Member

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Rowland Hughes - Kit Secretary & Committee Member

I’ve been a runner, off and on, since childhood. I was a decent schoolboy sprinter, but I hated cross-country and had no natural endurance at all. After years of playing football, I started running a bit in my late twenties, ran a few 10ks and a half-marathon, and even tackled the New York Marathon in 2004 (which wasn’t pretty). But I was running alone and didn’t have any kind of structured training plan.

Then I badly broke my leg and dislocated my ankle while playing football, which took a long time to recover from. I managed to rehab quite well and got back to running a little bit, but then my son was born and all exercise stopped for a while. Before I knew it I had put on a lot of weight and was really out of shape. I moved to Harpenden in 2013 and was determined to get fit. I ran the Herts 10k in 2014, then started jogging a bit on the Nickey Line and cycling to work. A year later I decided to join Arrows. My original goal was just to get vaguely close to my old PBs in 10k and half marathon – but I really thought they were out of reach. Within a few months I had completely obliterated them – I had no idea what a difference running with the club would make.

Injuries have taken a bit of a toll recently but hopefully, I’ll be pounding the pavements of Harpenden for many years to come.

 

Sharon Stanley - Club Secretary

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Category: Committee Profiles

Sharon Stanley Club Secretary

Co-opted onto the committee at the AGM Feb 2023

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If anyone would have told me when I used to sit on my settee looking out of the window, watching runners go by, that I’d take up running myself I would have said “you’re mad!!”.

So what got me into running?  I started a new job in 2010 and they were putting a team into the Great South Run. I thought, “I can do that” and attempted to start running around the village where I live. Well, I was walking more than running so I joined Harpenden Arrows and the rest is history. I should add that I actually did the Great South Run in both 2011 and 2012.

Running with the Club really does help to motivate you, whether it be a short 4-mile run, hills, the 5k monthly event, Park Run or an even greater challenge, there are a great team of members of all different abilities who are there to run with you and when you really don’t feel like putting your running shoes on simply turn up and someone is always there to motivate you, give you tips, support and encouragement. You’ll feel great at the end of the run.

 

Chair of Committee

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Category: Committee Profiles

Simon Speirs (or Speirsy) - Chair

Having done 10 years as Men’s Captain and now as Chair I have always wanted to help everyone to enjoy running for running’s sake, rather than for whatever the reason that got you started in the 1st place. I enjoy just putting my shoes on and going off for a trot anywhere or anytime and I’d like people to feel the same. But so often running is such an individual sport - battling against the clock, yourself, a hill or just that next step. Being part of a club and a team helps to keep my enthusiasm for running alive.

Personally, I like trying lots of different distances, running on the trails rather than on roads, mixing up my training and using a head-torch to keep off the roads during the long winter months. I know that this is not for everyone or even possible through injury - but hopefully no-one will mind me trying to encourage others to give it a go. I also cycle but please don't hold that against me!

If you have any ideas for races, events or suggestions to get more participation from within the club or the wider community - please drag me aside at any time or send me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Simon stood down from the role of Men's Captain and was elected as Club Chair at the Feb 2022 AGM.

Membership Secretary

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Lyndon Hearn - Membership

Until 4 years ago I thought running was for people shaped like pipecleaners with an unhealthy desire to be cold.  At least that's what childhood cross-country taught me...

I stumbled into a love for running by accident in 2014.  As my three kids were starting to grow up, I had rediscovered my teenage enjoyment for cycling.  I was chatting to the chap in the bike shop who suggested that a *tiny* bit of running may help my cardio, and thus my ability to ride up hills.  My first ‘run’ was 2k and my knees were sore for 3 days.  But something felt good and I wondered if the next one would be a bit better and a bit easier… and before I knew it I’d run my first 5k, 10k, and 3 months later my first half marathon.  I was hooked.

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Helen Harper - Treasurer

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Helen Harper - Treasurer

Helen joined the club in 2015 and whilst she has not recently been running much, she is never far away from supporting the club and its members as Treasurer and principal supporter of the Club 5k. Helen joined the committee as Treasurer in 2021 and keeps us all informed and on the straight and narrow.

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More Articles ...

  1. Graham Harper - Committee Member
  2. Anita White - Social Secretary
  3. Michael Hessey - Committee Member
  4. Djerk Geurts - Welfare Officer & Committee Member