PROFILES

Matt Gibbons - President

Matt Gibbons - President
Nickname: Gibby
Date of birth: 08/12/1989
Sponsors: Raro
Pbs: 3km; 9.12, 5km; 16.20
Support Crew: Parents, Coach, Flatmates
Favourite Things...
· Event/Race: Takahe to Akaroa, Lovelocks, Ponydales
· Quote: "Its time to go to work" (Kobe Bryant)
· Run: Grahams Bush, Organ Pipes, Mcgouns
· Hard Session: 10mile tempo circuit
· Runner/athlete: Nick Willis, Kobe Bryant, Ross Taylor, Johnathon Thurston.
I'm originally from Christchurch lived there all my life. Used to be big on cricket
and soccer but grew tired of team sports. In 2005 I started running casually for
the Olympic club in Christchurch. In 2008 I moved to Dunedin for university
where I am currently in my 3rd year working towards a Bsc in Zoology and Statistics.
I joined the club the second I got here and haven't looked back.

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Andrea Peat - Secretary

Nickname: Andi
Date of birth: 11/06/1990
Origin: Auckland
Sponsors: doubt it!
Personal Bests: 5km; 18.55, 10km; 42mins
Support crew: friends
Favourite Things....
· Event/ race: Edmond Cup
· Run: Reservoir
· Runner/ athlete: Nick Willis
I'm originally a Jaffa - I went to Glendowie College and ran with ACA, but I have just started my third year down here doing Med. I've been running since I was little because it's something our whole family has done. One of the first things I did when I came to Dunedin was join the club and I haven't looked back! It's been heaps of fun!

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Chris Harrington - Men's Captain

Nickname: 'Skippy'
Date of birth: 02/04/ 1990
Origin: From the depths of Sydney, Australia
Sponsors: Junktrunks
Personal Bests: Moro half-marathon '09.
Support crew: My flatmates who I do the running for. And of course, my meanest competitor of all. My dog back at home bred to run fast who I have yet to beat. She might not be able to pass the powerade bottle or talk tactics but she can manage a serious pace on those midnight runs back in Aus.
Favorite Things....
· Event/ race: 14km is the perfect distance made better every time by the beach-side finish in the Sydney City to Surf.
· Run: Nothing beats the burn of Mt Cargill, rewarded by an amazing view that makes it all worth it
· Quote: 'the faster you run, the faster you get there'.
I was little more than a tourist to Dunedin when I arrived with my head buried most of the time in the books, slaving away at the dreaded first year health sciences. One year later I was back with some withdrawal symptoms from running with no knowledge of the best that Dunedin could offer. The logical decision was to escape uni by running for the harriers. But my humble running beginnings began a thousand kilometres away in Sydney where I motored along to the school cross country and athletics events. I was an amateur runner before finding my feet in my final years of high school where long distances caught my eye. With 3km the longest distance that was an option I soon found the excitement of the chase and the tactics it offered. Then school work became awfully oppressive and I saw a year's worth of running pass me by.
There is no better study break than going for a run, clearing the mind of formulae and equations allowing you to concentrate on one single goal. It was this that kept me going during my first year of uni. Running can be a totally antisocial sport so come half-way through last year I did something I had never done before, joined a running club. I was swept up into competitions and club runs soon to find that running with similarly minded enthusiasts pays dividends. The regular highlight of the week was the Wednesday club run where I slowly learnt a bit of the city I lived in. My competitive side took over and soon I began competing in longer and longer distances, finding my way into the Otago squad running against others from all over NZ.
With a twin back in Sydney who got an impressive time in the half-marathon, it was only natural that I had to test our rivalry. I signed up to the moro half marathon thinking this will be the longest distance I will have ever run. Running through the cold and damp of winter was an experience making me run just that little bit faster (to get home asap). The pre-race adrenaline rush hit me days in advance fueling the anticipation. Where the city was recoiling from the undie500, there were thousands of us who braved the hot race day in an amazing event that was stage to my new personal best.
While an individual effort, there were team events in the horizon. Dressing in our finest, we took to the road for the national relay championships. My second 8-team relay event, I didn't know what to expect except for a glorified goat track that wound its way through Christchurch to Akaroa. An amazing race where the weather and terrain were your worst enemies along a road that the team van struggled to climb at times. Memorable!
I couldn't resist another year with the harriers with more races to win and PBs to set.

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Barbara Roy - Women's Captain

Date of birth: 22 October 1990
Age: 19
Origin: Wellington
Personal Bests : 800m; 2 .14, 1500m; 4.28
Support crew: Family and Flatmates
Favourite Things....
· Event/ race: 1500m
· Run: Trails in the Reservoir
· Training Workout: 400m reps
· Runner/ athlete: Kim smith, Nick Willis
I am originally from Wellington where I attended Wellington Girls College and ran for Wellington Harriers Athletic Club. Now studying 2nd year Physio. I joined the club last year and have always loved running, but didn't start getting serious till half way through High School. In my first year at Otago Uni I got a blues award, which was pretty exciting! I really enjoy the track session and am currently ranked fourth in NZ for W19 1500m. I also have a great time competing for the club in the cross country season especially in the relays!

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Treasurer: Olivia Tuck

Nickname: Liv
Date of Birth: 16/11/1988
Sponsors: The Cook!
PB's: 200m; 26.1secs, 800m; 2.21, 10k; 47mins
Support Crew: Mikey WeddellFavourite Things...
· Event/race: Ponydales and Lovelocks
· Run: Ross Creek or any runs in a forest
· Hard Session: Sprint rep sessions
· Runner/Athlete: Pamela JelanooI study Psychology at uni. I enjoy running, which works well as a break from studying. I'm originally from Nelson and ran with Athletics Nelson for seven years and attended Nelson College for Girls. I prefer the track and field season where I run 200m, 400m and 800m.

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