The Runner’s Runner of the Year 2018

As always in December I produced the ‘Runner’s Runner of the Year’ videos for my running club awards evening. Annoyingly this year I was unable to attend the actual awards evening as Dan’s work do fell on the same night and we were unable to get anybody else to look after Oscar for the evening. It was a shame as I love watching the expressions on the faces of runners at the evening as they realise that they have been nominated and they become engrossed in reading the lovely comments that have been sent in about their running over the year.

Due to time constraints I’m not even on the club committee anymore, but I was still asked to make the videos this year. It’s a job I really enjoy though, as it’s so lovely reading all of the amazing achievements that each of the runners at our club have had over the course of the year.

Our club awards evening is held at the start of December, and in the weeks leading up to the awards evening members are asked to nominate both a male and female runner who they feel have been inspiring, encouraging, supportive, hard working, have improved a great deal or have just been a fantastic runner across the year! It’s an opportunity for an award to go to somebody who isn’t necessarily the fastest runner at the club and is an award viewed very highly by all club members.

Once nominations are closed, I usually have about a week to put together the videos, choosing one or two reasons given for each person nominated to display on the video alongside images of them in action throughout the year. The videos take me probably about 20 or so hours to create in total – with the picture-finding being the most time consuming part!

Male video for 2018:

(Winner: Craig Clements)

Female video for 2018:

(Winner: Sarah Rowse)

Once again I received a few nominations this year.

* Mary’s achievements this year speak for themselves but her determination and belief in herself is unmatched. Go Mary!!

* Mary is one of the strongest people I know! There is no challenge too big and once she’s made her mind up, she will keep going until she’s absolutely smashed it. Even though she’s completed huge challenges such as her 100 miler, she could not be more humble and is always so supportive of other runners with their goals too. Mary is simply an inspiration.

* Mary has shown so much True Grit this year after her setback on the SDW100. She has shown that with hard work you can achieve your dreams, from training in the wee hours to get the miles in, to dragging herself off the floor at mile 74.

Super sappy, but I say it every year – whenever I watch the videos back and look at all the fun times and achievements everybody I run with has had it instantly picks me up and makes me want to get back outside running with my friends again. So, so glad that I decided to join that beginner running group way back in 2011.

Does your running club do anything similar?

2 thoughts on “The Runner’s Runner of the Year 2018”

Maria @ Maria Runs says:

January 12, 2019 at 5:01 pm

Aw, that’s so lovely, as are all the comments.
Our club has some awards, but there is lots of positive posting all the time on the group facebook page so we get to see how everyone is getting on.
Maria @ Maria Runs recently posted…Aylesbury parkrun as a last minute decision, and resting my knee

1. Mary says:
  
  January 18, 2019 at 2:14 pm
  
  Positive posting is great. I love when people genuinely care about the progress of others. It gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling inside!