Rob Rider

    Date of birth: 25/10/1965

Email address: rob_sapper@hotmail.com

Date started running/competing:1977

Event competed in: 800m - Half Marathon - Race Walking

Short biog: Have competed for the Club on and off since 1977! Ran for various German clubs TüS Iserlohn, Hannover 1996 and the Royal Engineers as part of my time in the Army. I'm now making a comeback!

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

Coe, Ovett, Paula Radcliffe, Pat Kippax - many!

Personal bests (Event type, time/distance, location, date):

800m 1.57.94 Bremen 1994; 1500m 4.02.98 Minden 1994; 5000m 15.51.12 Bad Pyrmont 1994; 10 km Road 33.02 Düsseldorf 1996; 10 mile Road 55.36 Brüggen 1996; Half Marathon 75.20 Fleet 1993; 3000m Walk 13.08 Oxford 1986; 10km Road Walk 47.47 Bexley 1987

Favourite race and why: Hamburg Alsterlauf 10km each September. Great fast flat course in the best city in the World! The 5m Thames Hare and Hounds Old Boys race each December on Wimbledon Common is a classic route. The Greenwich 10km might become so!

Career highlights: Running a fast 800m (1994) or leg of a 4x400m (1996) or coming 2nd out of 4500 runners in the 1996 KöLauf in Düsseldorf!

Injuries: All of them and often, calves, hamstrings and an inflamed lower back. Achilles used to be difficult when racing on the track.

Career ambition: To keep running until I drop, lose 1/2 a stone and run sub 38 minutes for 10km and under 18 minutes for 5km. To run a few decent races for the club.