End of an era. This is Ron Hill in his heyday. He passed away in May after 82 years most of which was spent running. In his twenties he lived a few miles away from my home near Stockport, often we'd see him pounding the streets and, on occasion sprinting up Brabyns Brow, a steep hill which I'd have to climb every day to catch the school train. I have to credit him with providing my early interest in running. As might be guessed from the photo he was somewhat of an eccentric however he had an analytical mind regarding running and realised that one potential avenue for improving times lay in the development of specialist sports clothing. He was the first to run in a string vest in hot weather and then, using his experience as a textile chemist, went on to found the very successful Ron Hill Sports. Many runners focus on one particular aspect of competition - Ron did a bit of everything, track running, marathons, fell racing, cross country, breaking plenty of records along the way. I recall racing at a very windy Salford Good Friday 10K where Ron sheltered behind me from the gale and, turning back with the wind, racing away from me to the finish. He told me afterwards that he always keeps an eye out for tall runners (like me) on a windy day for that very purpose.
The Cake Race - the general idea is that entrants bring along a cake to the fine town of Diggle, run eight miles over Saddleworth Moor to Yorkshire and back and have a cake fest when they return. Well it worked very well except that this year we weren't allowed to bring our own cakes due to the risk of cake poisoning or something. Instead the organiser decided not to have a prize giving and spent the prize money on baker's cakes - any excellent cakes they were too - I had a mini Victoria sponge, a chocolate brownie and an iced bun and a nice natter with sister Mary and Emma C at the end. I had a good run too coming first in my age group - might have won a cake in a normal year!
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