Episode 132 - Digger Hargreaves
2018-10-04
HostsMelissa Erbacher Scott Trickett
Roving reporterTony O'Connell
GuestBruce 'Digger' Hargreaves
Show notes
The parkrun adventurers visit new events and see old ones with fresh eyes. We speak to Tamborine Mountain parkrun Event Director and Melbourne Marathon Spartan legend Bruce ‘Digger’ Hargreaves. And TOC is back with a roving report from Timboon parkrun.
From the Facebook post
Bruce "Digger' Hargreaves is lining up to run his 41st Melbourne Marathon, he has never missed one! Tune in to find out about the early days and if he is ready to smash 42.195km next Sunday. We also chat about Tamborine Mountain parkrun and TOC visits Timboon parkrun Dig in here...
Enhanced transcript
Checked transcript — speakers named, sound described, segments marked.
Read the transcriptGuests
Bruce 'Digger' Hargreaves
Running all 41 Melbourne Marathons since the $2, Frankston-start inaugural event in 1978; his serious illness in June 2018 and fight back to the start line; the six surviving Spartans and the loss of Manny to cancer; discovering parkrun through Bruce and Jill Fordyce, becoming ED at Tamborine Mountain and building a 20-25 strong local running club; why parkrun feeds rather than kills fun running; his Comrades Marathon obsession and green-number chase; and a plea for small country marathons.
Roving reports
In this episode
Channel 5 News Crew
TOC (Tony O'Connell) files a roving report from Timboon parkrun (event 71), walking the back half of the course with tail walker Maureen and a group of local walkers, discussing the two-and-a-half-kilometre downhill-then-uphill course and the Timboon Gourmet Trail (cheese, whiskey, olives, strawberries, fudge, beer, wine and the locally famous ice cream). Mel closes it at [00:48:54] calling him "one of our most prolific members of the Channel 5 News crew".
Hotline
Listener question segment. TOC phones in a second insert at [00:49:33] asking "What's the craziest thing you've fallen over when you've been out for a run?" Scott answers that he only ever falls over his own feet (plus a footnote about breaking ribs after ducking a swooping magpie); Mel says she has never fallen on a run but tripped over her dog aged nine and needed three stitches. Scott notes at [00:53:04] that hotline questions "have dried up again" now Streaky September's bingo card has finished.
Streaky September
Wrap-up of the 2018 Streaky September challenge. Scott confirms he streaked unbroken and is "two for two", stopping on 2 October; Mel missed days through illness and family upsets and is finishing her day 30 on catch-up days into early October. They praise participants who set personal monthly bests, confirm it will run again next year, and float a "streak the date / run the date" challenge for March.
Launches and anniversaries ("Where is the cake?")
Two launches this weekend: Charleston in South Australia (which sets Mel off about the Charleston dance versus the show's 80s-inspired theme music) and Horseshoe Bay Reserve parkrun in New South Wales. Anniversaries: Champion Lakes (WA), Hamilton Island (Qld), Petrie (Qld), Portarlington (Vic), plus a special mention for Bushy Park in London — the anniversary of parkrun itself.