Hackney Harriers: Races, Training and Socialising: Mary Gill

By Mary Gill August 2026

I moved to London in 1979, originally from Yorkshire, I was transferred to London by my company to work in the City. I’ve always been into sport including running, but at that time my main sport was squash. A few years later, softball became popular and I played that several times a week in Regents Park. I’d always enjoyed running and wanted to find some women to run with. Some friends and I saw an ad for the Victoria Park Vixens, a mixed running club which we joined. I lived in North London so it was quite close. A short while after that, a women-only club was formed by our friend Carole so we broke away and became Hackney Women Harriers. It was lovely to run with other women. We supported each other and no one was ever left behind! We ran several times a week, entering races in London and around the country. We enjoyed many years of running, socialising and making great long-term friendships. I left London in 2002 and moved to Derbyshire where I continue to run and enter 10k and half marathons, but in recent years I’ve moved over to mainly trail /fell running. I also paddleboard and occasionally wild swim. I made lifelong friends in Hackney Women Harriers, and their friendship helped shape my life.