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Member Profiles
This Weeks Member Profile
The Chairman! - Tony Hale
Now normally I would ask you what you do
for a living, but as we all know you are now retired and a man of
leisure. Could you briefly tell us what you did before your
retirement?
It's not retirement, it's a change of
direction. I'm too young to retire! Anyway, I owned a print
brokering business which I sold.
Why do you run?
Being competitive, I enjoy pushing myself
and competing against others. I also enjoy running at the club
with a great bunch of people.
sometimes running alone by the river with no distractions i.e.
mobile phones, is very relaxing and a good way to chill out.
How long have you been running?
I've been running for about 25 years, that
seems like an awfully long time! Mind you, I was very young when I
started.
How did you come to join the WDAC?
I ran with Tom Wildman and Chris Stout at
Scott Bader Harriers during the 90s. When that folded I ran on my
own for about 4 years and all my times slipped.
Then at one local event I saw Graham Bayes running in the famous
green vest, asked him what it was all about and joined up.
What do you like about Wellingborough &
District?
The people. Everybody's very friendly. The
club's still small enough to know everyone, but big enough to
punch it's weight in competitions.
As well as running you also do triathlon!
Which do you prefer?
Difficult one that, triathlon includes
cycling and swimming which I enjoy, but my real love is running.
What is your favourite race?
For some reason it's the Weedon 10k! I like
the long downhill towards the end of the race and the cakes are
very good!
What is your least favourite race or
event? Was it the infamous Kettering triathlon or the across Wales
challenge or something else?
The Kettering Triathlon was a killer event,
almost literally! It occurred in early May and poured of rain
during the whole day.
The lake temperature was 12 degrees C, the water was the colour of
cold coffee, very muddy and full of weeds, and large parts of the
run route were literally washed away. Some competitors had to be
dragged out of the lake and put under hot showers to avoid
hypothermia setting in (they haven't held it since).
Now at the moment you seem to be
suffering with more injuries than Bruce Willis in a Die Hard
movie! But apparently you used to be good? Could you describe some
of your running/triathlon ‘career highlights’?
Winning my age group in 3 tough triathlons
has been a highlight.
Individually I have never won a race in running but I have been
successful in some relay teams. (Guy, Stuart and little Tim, watch
out this year at the Luton relays, the old gits team, myself,
Steve and Les are out for revenge!).
Completing the Three Peaks Challenge in under 24 hours has also
been a highlight.
What has been you biggest achievement?
Helping the club to grow and prosper has
been good.
For a runner that has achieved as much as
you have, do you have any future targets or goals that you would
like to achieve?
To keep on running for as long as possible
is my main target. Later in the year I join an even older age
group (no, it's not 60+!) so perhaps there are some age category
targets to go for.
Who most inspires you to run?
Tom Wildman has been a great inspiration
over the years. I don't think I could beat him at some distances
until he was nearly 60. Even now, at 70+ he's still competing in
triathlons.
As we all know you are the ‘beloved’
chairman of the WDAC! How are you finding your role as chairman
and what do you fell you have achieved so far?
Being power mad the job suits me! See some
of the answers to the next question.
What do you see in the future for the
WDAC?
To see the club continuing to grow,
expanding the groups, including the beginners and children's
sections, bringing on more coaches from within, competing to our
best ability in competitions, looking like a professional outfit
when we represent the club, even when we seem to be a drinking
club with a running problem!!!!
but most importantly it's vital we all enjoy ourselves.
With your injury this year, you have
progressed far more into coaching – especially with the beginners!
How are you finding that and is it something you enjoy?
Yes, coaching the beginners has been very
rewarding, seeing them improve week by week has been great.
Favourite food?
Italian, I like pasta of all kinds and
there are always enough veggie items on the menu to keep it
interesting. Plus I like Italian beer and wine.
Surely there has to be a few, but what
are you’re most embarrassing running moments?
Tracey didn't have any and I've got 3! One a long time ago and
two recently.
Many years ago at the Duston Triathlon both calves simultaneously
cramped up in the transition area after finishing the bike
section. I lay on my back with my legs in the air screaming in
pain until a St. John's Ambulance man eventually massaged them
back to life.
At last year's Across Wales event, I'd had enough after 3 miles,
mind you drinking with big Tim and Paul the night before didn't
help, and they got me up at 3am. If Julia and Sarah weren't there
to mother me through I'd still be sitting in that field now!
The latest one was at this year's Lochaber marathon. I stupidly
thought I could run through my hamstring injury. How wrong was
that? Please learn from my mistake and let your injuries heal
properly. I gave up at half way and sulked for the rest of the day
and for the first time ever I had the dreaded D.N.F.next to my
name in the results section, but considering the 100`s of events
completed over the years I can`t complain.
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