PROFILE Rob Cunningham
Age 22, running for four years, joined the Club in summer 2009. Personal background
I’m currently living on the wrong side of the Pennines in Manchester whilst studying at Law School – I’m hoping to be a solicitor. I am involved in charity work and also work part-time as a cashier – this mainly consists of upsetting people and getting shouted at.
Back home I’m part of what’s become a bit of a running family with mum Carole, dad Chris and sister Rachel all Ilkley Harriers. If my twin brother Andy and younger sister Fran decide to take up running as well then we’ll all end up on some kind of Louis Theroux documentary.
What started you running? I remember doing cross-country occasionally at school, hated it. It wasn’t until I was 17 that I got into running. We stopped doing PE upon starting Sixth Form at St. Marys so I joined a nearby gym to stay fit (and escape General Studies). Eventually I got bored with the treadmill so progressed to going for short runs instead and it took off from there.
How do you find the time to run? I’m a student! But also living, working and studying all within close proximity in central Manchester means I’ve no commute so when I’m done for the day I can head straight out for a run.
Favourite type of running
In terms of racing definitely road although I’ll run pretty much anywhere and love running on the Moor. Quite a fan of hills but I’d never make much of a fell runner, mainly through fear of breaking my legs on the way down. Having said that I’ll give
ILKLEY HARRIERS NEWSLETTER • APRIL–JUNE 2010
anything a go – the Addingham Gala Fell Race last year was brilliant.
First racing experience The first race I ever did was the Leeds Half Marathon in 2007 – I had started running not long before, as had Mum, and we both decided to enter as a training goal. Gradually a few mates from school signed up as well so there was a good bit of friendly rivalry in the build up as to who’d get round quickest. At the time I was a checkout supervisor at Booths on a Sunday and didn’t book the day off in time and had only managed to get a couple of hours off in the morning so all the way round I was worrying about being late for work. I think definitely had an impact on my time because I did Leeds two years later after a lot more training and experience of racing and ran exactly the same time to the second.
Racing achievements/PBs 37:32 in the Abbey Dash last year for a 10K PB stands out. As does finishing 6th in Ben’s 5-mile run. Other PBs: London Marathon (2010) 3:19:58, ‘Kilomathon’ 26.2km (2010) 1:54:23, Bath Half Marathon (2011) 1:24:21, 5K Parkrun (2011) 18:49.
Favourite/most satisfying race Not the most original answer but it has to be the London Marathon. I’d wanted to do it for a couple of years but never been successful in the ballot and then last year I was fortunate enough to claim one of the club places. It was an absolutely brilliant day. I’ve never done a run that compares in terms of the build-up, crowds, support
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