Honorary Life Member, 2026
Andrew Burgess
Every year, Maidstone Harriers recognises one member with Honorary Life Membership, celebrating someone whose contribution to the club has gone well beyond turning up and wearing the vest. For 2026, that member is Andrew Burgess.
Andrew at a Glance
Favourite distance:
10 miles
Local race favourites:
Cliffe Woods 5
Folkestone 10
Benfleet 15
Still on the list:
Marathon du Mont Saint-Michel
Favourite club memory:
Finishing the Kent Coastal Marathon together with fellow Harriers
Running philosophy:
Enjoy what you’re doing and create memories while you’re doing it
A Fitting Honour for a Long-Standing Harrier
Andrew has been part of Maidstone Harriers since the late 1990s, but his running story began long before that, with his first marathon at Southend in 1984. Since then, he has built a remarkable record across road racing, marathons, ultramarathons, parkrun and club volunteering.
There are the numbers, of course. Well over 300 marathons. His first 100-mile ultra at Reculver. His 300th marathon completed at the c2c Railway Ultra. A recent Three Castles 50km finish. More than 400 parkruns across 80 different locations. Extensive parkrun volunteering. 86 parkrun Run Director credits.
Why This Recognition Matters
But this recognition is not just about the numbers.
Andrew is one of those Harriers whose contribution is woven into the everyday life of the club. He has supported newer runners, helped with club routes, encouraged others through difficult runs and played his part in making people feel welcome.
His own experience of getting lost on one of his first Wednesday night runs has stayed with him, and it says a lot about Andrew that he has used that memory to help make things better for others.
Andrew’s Running Milestones
Andrew’s running story spans more than four decades, the highlights below give a flavour of that journey and the remarkable consistency he has shown over the years.
All data in this section is correct as of June 2026.
| Milestone | Event Details |
|---|---|
| First Marathon | Southend, 1984 |
| Joined Maidstone Harriers | Around May 1997 |
| 100th Marathon | Kent Roadrunner, May 2016 |
| First 100-Mile Ultra | Reculver, May 2021 |
| 200th Marathon | Remembrance, November 2021 |
| 300th Marathon | c2c Railway Ultra, September 2025 |
| Latest Ultra* | Three Castles 50km, May 2026 |
| Latest “Interesting” Marathon* | Southend Multi-Storey Car Park Marathon, March 2026 |
Andrew’s parkrun Snapshot
Andrew’s contribution also reaches well beyond running events. His parkrun history shows both long-term participation and a strong volunteering record, including regular Run Director duties.
| Achievement | Detail |
|---|---|
| First parkrun | Great Lines parkrun, Christmas Day 2013 |
| Different Venues | 80 Locations |
| Personal Best | 22m 58s, Great Lines, 22/12/2014 |
| Total Volunteer Credits | 214 |
| Run Director Credits | 86 |
| Most Recent Run Director Credit | 20/06/2026 |
A Running Life Built Around People, Places and Memories
Andrew’s running has taken him from familiar local events to marathons, ultras and some wonderfully unusual challenges, including a pier marathon, a railway ultra and even a multi-storey car park marathon.
That variety says a lot about the way Andrew approaches running. There is endurance, but also curiosity, humour and a willingness to take on events that most people would never even think to enter.
The milestones matter, but so do the stories around them: the shared miles, the team photos, the support on course, the unusual venues, the cake tables and the moments that get retold long after the official results have been published.
Below, Andrew reflects on how it all started, the events that have stayed with him and what Maidstone Harriers still means after all these years.
Q&A with Andrew
What inspired you to start running, and when was that?
I ran my first marathon at Southend in 1984. I was a student at the time, and one of my coursemates had completed the Exeter Marathon a few months earlier. I’d already done the Bath Half Marathon, so what was double the distance? Also, there was a girl I wanted to impress.
Fast forward to 1990, and I got back together with the same girl. She persuaded me that I needed to do something to reduce the stress of teaching, and suggested that I take up running again.
I ran 275 miles that year. My time for the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon, 2h:24m, remains a personal worst. I don’t count my times as a pacer at the Southend Half, but with age, I know I’m slowing down.
The relationship with the girl petered out about six months later, but the running has been going for 36 years…
When did you join the Harriers?
May 1997, I think. My first race was the Hernhill 10K. This later became the Red Lion 10K, and then the Mount Ephraim 10K.
I had previously spent two or three years as a member of the now defunct Medway AC.
I switched to Maidstone Harriers after seeing several of them after the Sittingbourne 10. I was on for a decent time; they were doing a cool-down while waiting for the prize-giving, and not one of them acknowledged me.
What is your favourite Harriers memory?
September 2017 at the Kent Coastal Marathon. I found myself running with James Lampert, who gave us a guided tour of the area, as he had grown up there, and Amanda Rogers.
Coming towards the 12-mile mark, there was a photographer, so we posed with some formation running, including the “Maidstone Bot”.
Coming through 25 miles, we caught up with David Thornby, and the four of us completed the race together.
I should also give a mention to all those Harriers who came and joined me for my 100th marathon: twenty-one laps of the track at the Cyclopark.
What is the one local race every Harrier should take the time to do?
There are races I do almost every year:
Cliffe Woods 5, which I first did in 1990 when it was the Cliffe Woods 10, 5 and 2
Folkestone 10, my PB and PW course, with the PB dating back to the days of the 3pm start in Folkestone
Benfleet 15. I think I have completed it 23 times, and it’s the only race where I have a DNF.
Further afield, Race the Train is a brilliant event, especially when the weather is “atmospheric”. I highly recommend it to those with young children, as you can book the family on the train and get in a beautiful run. They are encouraged to shout at the runners as they travel alongside them.
Which one race would you like to do in the world if location and money were no object?
The Marathon du Mont Saint-Michel in Brittany / Normandy. The Mont is visible from the start. Now that I’ve retired, I need to work on ticking this one off.
I’d also like to do the Marathon du Médoc, the original wine-drinking marathon in South-West France. I’ve done the Bacchus Marathon at Denbies, so I have some experience of running and drinking.
Do you have a famous runner who inspires you?
No. However, longer-standing members will remember Julie Wing, who was the first Harrier to complete 300 marathons, and she has certainly got a lot to answer for: the Folkestone 10, the Benfleet 15 and the fact that I am a Harrier at all.
I also used to see her regularly, as we worked in the same school for many years.
What’s your favoured race distance?
10 miles. It’s short enough to be able to run relatively quickly, without requiring an eyeballs-out effort, but long enough to give me a sense of achievement, without the last 3.1 miles of the half marathon.
The main attraction of the marathon is that, for people of my pace, it’s a sociable run, where we’re all trying to help each other get to the finish.
If you get a good time because someone has helped you, that’s great. If you get a poor time because you have helped someone else, that’s fine as well.
I believe I am also the only person in the world to get someone her French GCSE and around her first, and so far only, marathon.
Any secrets from your years of racing to share with us?
I think that a lot of them are already out there in the public domain.
The most important thing is to enjoy what you’re doing, and to create memories while you are doing it.
What does Maidstone Harriers mean to you?
The Harriers are a very supportive group of people, who have given me a lot of encouragement over the years.
I think that having designated support runners on our Wednesday evenings is a major step forward, as it makes it far less likely that newcomers will get lost on their early runs with us.
I got lost on my first run with the Harriers and ended up with a nine-mile Wednesday evening run, and I know that others have gone further.
What do you hope to see the club look like in three years’ time?
Much like it does now, but with steady, sustained growth between now and then.
It’s great that we’re doing so well in the Kent Grand Prix, but running clubs, in general, have a reputation for being for “faster” runners, so the community work is also important. Having “slower” runners visible in club kit at parkrun is part of that.
I hope still to be able to support the medium group, without being left behind on my own at the back!
Thank You, Andrew
Thank you, Andrew, for everything you have given to Maidstone Harriers over the years.
From marathon miles and parkrun mornings to Wednesday night support, race stories, encouragement and the odd wonderfully unusual challenge, your contribution has become part of the fabric of the club.
Honorary Life Membership is a fitting recognition of that consistency, generosity and character. We are proud to celebrate you as our Honorary Life Member for 2026, and grateful for the example you continue to set for Harriers old and new.
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