Keith Tonkin
Keith says ...
My earliest O attempts at M19 were needless to say rather average but it was not long before
I had started running other than on Sundays. ShUOC also had a strong social side which helped
engender club spirit.
After university I stayed on Sheffield and joined a strong SYO club. I also joined Dark Peak
Fell Runners and moved into running fell races and mountain marathons, these sports developing
strength & endurance. Moving South in the mid-eighties with work I joined Guildford.
I have been orienteering for over 25 years. Over that time I have been fairly consistent but
perhaps not that successful. I don't have a lot of ground speed and usually perform best
when there are lots of contours, not too many paths and it's dark! I believe my more
memorable achievements over the years have been:
... plus Keith forgot to mention that he has been a member of the winning British Relay team in M35, M40 and
in 2004 M45 was added to the list. Next stop ... M50!!
I still orienteer very regularly, completing on average around 50 events a year. I have
co-ordinated the South East Night League (SENiLe) since 1993 and run a website for this
slightly eccentric aspect of the sport at www.senile.org.uk.
Since getting over a cartilage repair I've started training more than I've done for quite a
few years and hope to produce some good results in 2003-4. I also have ambitions to move back
into some endurance events in 2004, knees willing, and do rather fancy trying an adventure
race & a triathlon (if I can learn to swim!)."
The Laird of Keith!!
"I started orienteering in 1977 at Sheffield University (ShUOC), encouraged by having seen
Scotland's WOC76 on TV and believing that the sport offered both a means to get fit and a
challenge. It also offered a way to get away from the stresses of studying and over the
3 years of Uni I must have travelled thousands of miles and seen much of the British Isles.
1st JK93 M35
1st British Night Champs M35
Running for England as M35 in Holland, N. Ireland & Wales
14th KIMM Elite (with GO's Tim Denton)
2nd BOC03 M45
1st Harvester Relay (SYO)
2nd Saunders MM
2nd Mourne MM (with Kay Tonkin)
Bob Graham Round completion
1st Masters & Maidens half marathon (in a rare appearance at a road race)
