Scents of History
HARE & HOUNDS and looks to its future this year. Duncan Craig delves into running club anniversary SCENTS th HISTORY 150 cross-country celebrates its world’s oldestOF Thames Hare & Hounds the rich history of the 044 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK MARCH 2018 XXXXXXXXMARCH 20172018 RUNNER’SWORLD.CO.UKRUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 045 HARE & HOUNDS ‘Now remember, be considerate of other users of the common,’ says club president Mike Farmery, The event was reported in the two eyes fixed, and thumb poised, on biggest newspapers for Victorian the stopwatch in his right hand. He recreation, The Sportsman and looks up and smiles through round, Sporting Life, and the club was born. steamed-up glasses. ‘If, of course, What followed has been a century and there are any.’ a half of wild popularity, stagnation, We can see his point. The conditions self-imposed exile, reinvention, are grim. Snow is falling in front of innovation and achievement. Its the clubhouse, and not that fluffy, history has encompassed Olympic festive stuff: this is spiky, nasty, triumph, world records and pioneering sleet-snow that has the 70 or so of moments in running history. And, in reads: ‘The Londoner is familiar belt of extravagantly gifted Oxbridge us on the start line hunched over its unassuming way, it has helped Clockwise from left: Hare with no sport so much as that of a alumni that lasts to this day. A trio of & Hounds president Mike and squinting. Underfoot is not to lay the foundations for much of Farmery; a typical day at the paper-chase, for along even the most these would become the club’s most so much waterlogged as just water, what defines the modern running races; the wall of fame; map crowded streets of the city, in all sorts celebrated members.
[Show full text]