(Credit: pixabay)
An experienced runner who turned 85 years old and faced off against his great-grandson thinks that sanctioned running competitions could motivate the next generation of athletes.
A resident of Bridgend, Eric Hughes has volunteered at more than 500 Parkruns, which are free community events hosted all throughout the UK. The best part of these races, in Eric’s opinion, is watching kids as young as four take part and being amazed at “the natural talent they possess.”
Eric is heavily involved in planning the Saturday senior Parkrun in Bridgend and the Sunday junior Parkrun in Porthcawl. Parkrun began as a weekly, open-to-all, timed 5 km (three miles) event in London in 2004. Currently, there are over 1,200 Parkruns in the globe.Having run his entire life, Eric volunteers because he sees it as a means of “giving something back.”
Eric participated in the Cardiff race in 1967, the same race that his twin brother Lynn notably broke the world record for the fastest four hours for forty miles (64 km) on a track. On the 50th anniversary of that race, in 2017, Eric made the lighthearted comment that Lynn “wouldn’t stand a chance” against him in an interview with the BBC. With a lighthearted aside, Lynn said, “We won’t go into that,” in response to the topic of when she had last defeated him in a race. Eric has medalled in every one of his eighteen British Masters Championship races over a variety of distances.
During his racing career, one of his most memorable experiences was winning a steeplechase event in spite of “breaking both his ankles.” He remembered, “I slipped and thought I’d sprained my ankle and kept on running, but later found out I’d broken them.” More recently, Eric has enjoyed witnessing the growth of the Bridgend Parkruns from approximately thirty runners to two hundred, and the Porthcawl senior run, which currently has nearly five hundred regular participants. “I think eventually we’ll have such strong athletes in this country, and it’s thanks to the Parkrun,” he remarked.
“Some of them are very young, and when they first arrive with their parents, they run together for a couple of times, but soon they insist on running independently,” he added.Some of them are very young, and when they first arrive with their parents, they run together for a couple of times, but soon they insist on running independently,” he added.
Some of them are quite young, and after a few runs together when they first come with their parents, they soon demand to run on their own,” he continued. The Porthcawl Parkrun director, Steve Brace, commended Eric for being an example for the “relative youngsters around him.” In his words, Eric is an essential member of the volunteer group that “week in and week out, no matter the weather, ensures the safety and enjoyment of others.” Eric’s spirit of competition is still strong at 85 years old.
Alongside his great-grandson, he recently ran in a Parkrun on his birthday. “I opted to run instead of stroll when I got there with my great-grandson. Eric remarked, “He beat me by seven minutes.
