This amazing member has done so much for the Steeplechasers over the years! She has been on the Steeps Racing Team, was a Spires Coach in 2021 and 2022, is serving on the Volunteer Appreciation Committee and the Competition Committee reporting Scoretility, volunteers at races, and always has a smile on her face! She also won the 2022 Steeplechaser’s Woman Runner of the Year Award. Meet Claire Heasman!
My love for the sport of athletics started in the summer of 1984 when I sat, enthralled by the television coverage of the Los Angeles Olympics Games but it was the following year, aged 11, on the suggestion of my High School PE teacher, that I joined my first running club. We were lucky that our town had, what was at the time, a new synthetic running track. We trained there year-round, two-three times per week and I ran middle distance on the track in the spring/summer and cross country in the winter all the way through my teen years. Running was my primary sport, but if I wasn’t doing that, you’d find me either on the field hockey pitch or the basketball court.
In my 20s, I switched focus to concentrate on field hockey, but I still ran in some capacity for fitness.
In 2005, whilst travelling around the world for a year with my husband for our honeymoon, I got to run in some amazing places, and this re-ignited my passion for running. On our return, we moved from England to Scotland and I discovered that the local running club had their clubhouse literally around the corner from our home. The town didn’t have a local athletics track, so the running club’s primary focus was road running and cross country. I returned to competitive racing, mostly on the roads over 5K, to half marathons, and cross country. The transition from former track runner to road runner took some time. I learnt a great deal from the seasoned endurance runners in the club.
A transatlantic move came in 2010, two children soon followed, but I kept up the running, typically pushing one or both children in the running stroller, and I started taking part in the odd race locally. I ran my first Frederick Half Marathon in 2013, in 1 hour 32 minutes and 46 seconds, which was good enough for 9th Overall Female on the day. In 2015, through another running momma, I connected with a small group of local competitive runners. After that, most weekends were spent trying to keep pace with Arthur Leathers, Andrew Spangenberg, Bobby Zaal, and Jesse Henderson!
For the next few years, I saw a steady improvement in my race times, but I didn’t actually join the Steeplechasers and the Racing Team until 2018. At the Frederick Half Marathon that year, I’d improved my time to 1 hour 25 minutes and 30 seconds, which earned me a place on the podium (3rd) and 1st Female Master. Some might say that I’m getting better with age and they might be correct but I think much of my improvement is due to consistent training, a solid strength training routine, embracing recovery, and having team mates around me that keep me accountable.
Some might say that I’m getting better with age and they might be correct but I think much of my improvement is due to consistent training, a solid strength training routine, embracing recovery and having team mates around me that keep me accountable.
Claire Heasman
After having surgery for Haglund’s Deformity in my right heel in 2021, I was unable to run for five months. I was unsure of how my return to competitive running would go but 2022 turned out far better than I envisaged. I ended the year having achieved four lifetime PR’s (1 mile (5.19.7), 5K (18.04), 8K (30.33) and half marathon (1 hour 24 minutes and 10 seconds). I’m certainly looking forward to what 2023 has in store.
