Written by: Nancy Britten

My first Harie of the week interview took place on a grey and windy Thursday morning. Unfortunately for Martha, I’d decided 9:30 am was the best time to meet. In hindsight, that was very antisocial of me- especially since she’d trekked all the way from morningside at such an hour! The ensuing interview, however, with a very smiley Martha did two things: first, it provided a great start to the day and offset the frankly miserable weather; second, it convinced me to pay a visit to run club on Sunday to experience the wholesome vibes for myself.

Name? Martha Hawksworth 
Degree? Earth Science and Physical Geography (3rd year)

What do you love about your course?
All the field trips! I love being outside and exploring. Geology is a great excuse to do both. 

Coffee order?
Hot chocolate. (Ahh we have ourselves a non-coffee enjoyer) 

Favourite Coffee Spot?

Summerhall is a favourite spot and Lady and the Bear is another go-to. (both solid picks-extra points for the subtle nod to our sponsors at Summerhall)

Where are you from?
Perth

How did you get into running?
Both parents ran, so I joined when I was younger but didn’t join a club until I was 12. I started out as a 400m runner on the track and gradually moved to longer distances. (a classic Harie origin story) 

Freshers’ Week recap? How did it go?
So good! Everything went so well. Out of three freshers’ weeks so far, this one was my favourite. Being on committee and planning everything was just as fun as taking part. 

Why did you choose to come to Edinburgh?
I wasn’t fixed on a university, but when I visited I loved the city. Great for running and I’ve really enjoyed living here. (Strong endorsement for the capital and the hills)

Do you have any goals for the year?
Looking forward to leading more run club sessions and meeting new people. I haven’t raced since school, so I’d love to try cross country again, although track will always have a special place in my heart. 

How was the first run club of the year?
It was so good and so much fun. Around 25–30 people came along (great turn-out!) plenty of new routes to explore. Last year I joined the jogging group and loved it. Thomasina took us on lots of nice routes too. Big shout out to Thomassina for the encouragement to lead this year. (Some top-tier headhunting from Thomasina here.)

If you didn’t run, what sport would you do?
Climbing would be so cool. Or maybe something rogue like golf- I used to play a lot in school and might pick it up again. Living next to Bruntsfield Links makes the idea of a quick pitch-and-putt pretty tempting. (Haries X Golf society collab pending?)

If you could only race one distance forever?
3 km. I’m still not a fan of long, long running- sprinting has a special place in my heart, so 3 km feels like the perfect in-between. 

Highlight of last season?
The final jogging group of the year in December. We finished at Uplands Roast, and it was so cosy even though it was freezing outside. (I’m convinced that the Uplands hot chocolate solves everything)

Dream dinner party guests?
Jakob Ingebrigtsen- he’s so cool, Femke Bol for some 400-hurdles chat, and Mikaël Attal- he’s a geology expert and all-round fun fact machine. (Martha elaborated that Mikaël Attal teaches at the uni and is universally considered a bit of a legend)

A non-running related fun fact?:
I play the violin for fun- started when I was about seven or eight. (Multi-talented and modest about it.)

Favourites

• Meal to cook: Chilli con carne
• Harie: Caitlin Heggie- because she worked so hard over Freshers’ Week to get everything going.(Caitlin, take a bow.)
• Place travelled: Norway- it’s so scenic. 
• Rock: Gneiss. It’s a beautifully banded metamorphic rock I spotted on a field trip to Inchnadamph. (Nice… gneiss… apologies for that one)
• Hill in Edinburgh: Blackford Hill- less busy, great for a loop.
• Running route: Up Blackford, toward King’s, then down through Morningside.
• Dream sponsor: Lidl! Specifically the bakery. I have a cinnamon bun obsession. 

Would You Rather

• Never run a Meadows lap again or only run Meadows laps? Never run a meadows lap again. (controversial)
• Run up Arthur’s Seat in a blizzard or through New Town during the Fringe?Run up Arthur’s seat in a blizzard. (anything, literally anything to avoid the fringe carnage)
• Only run at 6 a.m. or 9 p.m.? Only run at 6! I’m definitely more of a morning person (respect.)
• Only run when it’s pouring with rain or when it’s boiling hot? Only when it’s rainy!