Sporting Achievements

I have always loved playing sport, although I've only ever been of average ability.

I never really achieved much in any sport, but here are my biggest achievements.

Finished Chicago Marathon in under 4 hours

I took up running quite late in life, when in my late 40s. It was my first ever Marathon, although I had experienced Marathons supporting friends before, I had no real expectations of what to execpt and what time I could do, although I did have between 4 and 4:30 hours in mind. I started off at slightly under 4 hour pace and the adrenalin of the event seemed to just keep me going. The final three miles were just awful and seemed to last forever, but I had managed to get enough time in the bag to finish in 3:56, just under 4 hours. The whole marathon experience is brilliant, it is a 3 month journey starting gradually building up the training. The actual event itself is also brilliant, particularly if it is a major marathon and in a different country.

Bowling Hat Trick in Cup Final

It was the Wellingborough and District Works Cricket Cup final in, I think, 1988. Weatherbys were playing Scott Bader. I was a second line bowler, medium/slow pace, quite erratic. We were bowling first, doing ok when I was brought on. During my second over the batsman knocked one to a simple catch at mid on, it was not a great ball but an easy catch. The next next ball I managed to get straight, the batsman made a right hash of it and it was a clean bowl. The third ball was not good, too short and an easy slog, however it went straight to a man on the boundary, not an easy catch. I had taken a hat trick! We went on to win the game and the cup and I got man of the match. I still have the ball.

Indoor Cricket League Winners

In the early 90s Indoor Cricket was all the rage and our works had some teams in the local league. I was in a men's team and also managed a mixed team. My wife was also part of the mixed team. We were a very good team, the players worked together very well. We played very well won the mixed league a couple of times.

Table Tennis Division 2 Winners

I played a lot of table tennis in my teens and twenties in the local leagues. My brothers also played and we had, along with a few other people, our own teams. I was in our 'A' team, but was never the number 1 player, that was my brother Ian. We did quite well, a bit of a yo yo club between the top and 2nd division. We won the 2nd division a couple of times.

Win Table Tennis Holiday

When I was about 15, we went to a holiday camp on Hayling Island. During the week there was a table tennis demonstration by the England player Chester Barns. After the demonstration they asked for volunteers to play against them. I had not really played table tennis before, but the family had played a bit together during the holiday, so I gave it a go. They thought I had some natural ability so I won a place on a Table Tennis training camp at another holiday camp later that year.

Represented County at Badminton

When I was 17 I went to a Badminton club. I was ok at Badminton and was once selected to play for the County in a mixed doubles match. We didn't win the match and i was only selected the once, but it was a good experience.