Chris joined OXAC in 1978 following his younger brother Mark, competing initially on the track. He first ran APSOC and VAAA cross country races in 1979.
By the close of the 2014 season Chris had run in 400 APSOC events, winning nine handicaps (McPhail, 1982; Jamieson, 1989; Brighton 2005, 2009; the Tandem; and the Lodge 16k 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005). He was also the fastest APSOC marathoner in 1990 and 1995.
Chris claims not to have been a very good runner, but has obviously enjoyed his involvement in the sport. Apart from representing OXAC for many seasons in APSOC competition, he has been part of their VAAA and AV premiership teams in both track and field and cross country. He has finished 25 marathons, the best of which was 2:57:42 in the 1995 Melbourne Marathon.
Chris has been involved in the administration of OXAC in various roles – committee member, newsletter editor, winter captain, summer captain, Vice-President and President for ten years to 2016.
As captain of the OXAC winter team, he was on the APSOC committee in 1981 and 1982. At that time the committee consisted of the President, Secretary and the captains of each of the clubs. It met once a year to plan the season ahead. With a new committee structure, Chris was APSOC Secretary from 1990 to 1999, and was then Vice-President in 2000, President in 2001 and 2002, and Immediate Past President in 2003.
Beyond these associations, Chris won a bronze medal in the World Masters 20km Walk in Melbourne 2000. He completed the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker in 2005. He was also selected to carry the Olympic torch in the relay for the 2000 Games.
Chris has a list of PB’s covering every distance from 100m to the marathon, and the walks from 1500m to 20k. To select a few – 5k 17:34, 10k 36:01, half marathon 81:07, 1500m walk 6:51, 5k walk 27:20 and 20k walk 2:18:07.
With such a record of involvement, APSOC was pleased to elect Chris to Life Membership in 2003.
