The club as it is today was formed in 1986 at Westborough Sports Centre by a group of runners training for the London Marathon, although the original Maidstone Harriers club can trace its roots back to the 1930s. That club subsequently merged with City of Rochester AC to form what is now Medway AC. Grant Woodman's history of the current incarnation of the club, which first appeared in the club newsletter is reproduced below.
The present day club now has over 100 members, aged from 18 and upwards, and is primarily a road racing and cross-country club. We cater for all standards of runners, from the serious to those just looking to keep fit. We meet every Wednesday evening at the Maidstone Hockey Club Pavilion, Armstrong Road, Maidstone, from 7:15pm, with our run beginning at around 7:45pm. (See below for full directions) We normally have a large circuit of 6-8 miles, and there is now a separate group led by Bob Foster who run a shorter circuit of 3-4 miles on Wednesday nights, which is ideal for beginners.
Club members race reguarly all over country, sometimes even further afield, and there is usually a good contingent of Harriers at races throughout Kent during the course of the year. The club also participates in the Kent Fitness Cross Country League, and organises two events - the Maidstone half-marathon in late October each year, and the Ditton Turkey Run in Mid-December - see the links on the left for full details.
Where are we?
Maidstone Hockey Club's pavilion is in Armstrong Road, Maidstone, just off the A229 heading south out of Maidstone. Click here for a map of the area.
CLUB OFFICERS AND CONTACT DETAILS
If you wish to contact the club or any of the Club Officers below please use the club e-mail address: maidstoneharriers@hotmail.co.uk
| Life President | Grant Woodman |
| Chairman | Dave Hattersley |
| Secretary | Paula Stockton |
| Treasurer | Sharon Hawkins |
| Race Secretary | Bob Foster |
| Membership Secretary | John Brown |
| Events Secretary | Bob Foster |
| Social Secretaries | Jo-Anne Creed & Sarah Brenton |
| Club Championship Organiser | Michael Murdoch |
CLUB HISTORY
By Grant Woodman, Club President & Founder Member
I was a member of Westborough Sports Centre where I did circuit training and Five-a-Side Football. I saw an advert for ``jogging and Beyond” for a 16 week training program designed for the first Maidstone Marathon in 1983. This was on a Monday night at 8pm. It was organised by Alan Saker, Peter Mullervy, Tom Joyce (sadly he is no longer with us) they were all members of Elliots AC. I went to the club nights with my friend Nick Green, there were about 15-20 runners and we ran about 6 miles and were given a program to work to each Monday. We did a few races leading up to the Marathon, one was the Rochester Half Marathon which I completed in 1hr 25mins.
There was also a seminar at the Hazlitt Theatre to promote the race. Mike Gratton a local athlete from Canterbury was the guest speaker. He went on to win the London Marthon that year in 2hrs9mins. The Maidstone Marathon had 1983 entries, the same number as the year it was held. We all entered the race calling ourselves the Maidstone Harriers. Much to the coaches surprise I was the first runner to finish in 2hrs53mins. As any of you who have run the course know, it was very undulating. The full marathon ran for 11 years and I managed to complete all of them. By the time the last race was put on in 1993 the club were organising it, unfortunately there were only 80 finishers so we decided to call it a day and concentrate on the Maidstone Half Marathon and 10K.
To celebrate our first marathon we had a night out and Peter Mullervy was willing to carry on meeting on
Monday nights for a run. We did this for the next few years, finishing up at The Admiral Gordon for a
drink afterwards, until they kicked us out! Gradually more runners joined us including Janice Oakley,
later Moorekite. She was very enthusiastic and organised and we were not used to that. We then
branched out met on a Sunday at my house at Boughton Monchelsea for cross country along the Green
Sands Way. One lap 8.5miles, 2-laps 17-miles. They were great times, we spent many a day making
signs for the runs and cutting back hedges and stinging nettles so we could run the footpaths during the
growing season.
Janice suggested we should become an affiliated club and this took place in 1985 in my front room and our committee was formed with Janice as secretary and Nick Green as Treasurer, the other members being myself, Richard Thompson and Austen Donlevy. I feel privileged to have been involved in founding the club, I have made many friends over the years and am honoured to be President.
As you know we moved to Maidstone Hockey Club at Armstrong Road in November. The original Maidstone Harriers used to meet here before they disbanded in 1967 so it will be like returning home! Apparently they disbanded because the Borough Council asked for rent of £1 per week which they didn’t want to pay.
I have as you see been with the club a long time and am very enthusiastic about it. We are always looking for ``new blood``, Dave and I can’t go on forever. Don’t forget it is every members club and it is a great club.