Bruce Hargreaves

Bruce "Digger" Hargreaves (born 1953) is an Australian-based marathon runner who has completed 150 marathons and 45 ultra-marathons(races longer than the Olympic Marathon distance of 42.195 km) as at October 2018.

He is also a Melbourne Marathon Spartan Legend which means he has completed every Melbourne Marathon since the event began in 1978 (along with five other runners: See: http://melbournemarathonspartans.com/legends/ ). In 2019 the Melbourne Marathon had its 42nd Edition when 5 Legends completed their 42nd Melbourne Marathon and all five will be on the start line for the 43rd edition, on the 12th December 2021. No other race in the world has had a 43 year streak from Event 1, and Melbourne has 5 runners who have run and finished all editions of their race.

Bruce was the Australian Ambassador for the Comrades Marathon from 2008 until 2015, and now is the second person along with Mr Mark Bloomfield from Washington DC to be granted the status of "Ambassador at Large" for the Comrades Marathon Association. The Comrades Marathon is held annually in South Africa, and as at 2016, Bruce has successfully finished 7 Comrades Marathons.^[1]

In 2018, the Comrades Marathon Association awarded Bruce one of the three 'Spirit of Comrades' awards bestowed each year.(http://www.comrades.com/home-about/spirit-of-comrades?tmpl=component&page=Jaco)

Bruce is also an Ambassador for the Townsville Marathon (Far North Queensland) which is run on the 1st Sunday of August every year since 1970.(http://www.townsvillerunningfestival.com/)

Bruce has run Marathons in Europe, USA and Asia.(Including London, Stockholm, New York, Mumbai, Havana and Boston.)

Bruce's running achievements are very modest when compared to the elite runners of this world, but his commitment and dedication is rarely equaled.

He regularly signs up to lead 'Pacing groups' in various Marathons, therefore bypassing a chance to get the best out of himself; rather he regular focuses his effort into helping others do their best, and now with a serious illness in 2018 which has slowed him down, he still signs up not as a pacer, but at the "Sweeper" at the Gold Coast Marathon(Australia), to ensure that he still gets to help more runners finish their dream of a Marathon finish.

Bruce has led pacing groups in five different countries (Australia, India (Mumbai: 2012/2014), New Zealand (Rotorua 2014, Auckland 2015), USA (New York 2014) and Germany (Berlin 2017).

In Australia, he has regularly lead pacing groups in the Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Marathons.

Bruce's Marathon PB(PR), is 2 hours 47 mins 02 seconds. He has run a sub 3 hour marathon nine times.

Bruce is also the Race Director/Race Co-ordinator of the following races:

Maidenwell Marathon Weekend

The "Time Honoured" Lamington Classic, Australia's oldest trail run which was established in 1970.

The Australia Day Weekend 'Tamborine Mountain Relay and Marathon', held in the Gold Coast Hinterland

He is also a 'course director/advisor' for various races in South-East Queensland.

Over the years Bruce has written many articles on his running experiences, or has had articles written about him.

In his travels, Bruce leaves more behind than footprints, at the moment his philanthropy extends South Africa through the Ethembeni School(https://www.ethembenischool.co.za/), besides being generous with certain worthy causes within Australia.

Away from running, Bruce runs his own Geotechnical Business with bases in both Brisbane and Sydney (and has so for over 35 years), so he understands what it takes to survive both in his running shoes and the world of business.

Bruce is also a corporate speaker who has over 50 years of running and motivational stories to tell.

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