Patrick Roddy
Sport: Running
Course: Cosmology PhD
Ambitions: Ultimately to be a sub 2:20 marathoner.
This year my aims are:
* Sub 15 5km
* Sub 31 10km
* Sub 69 HM
* Top 40 at BUCS XC
* Top 70 at National XC
Sporting Achievements:
2016/2017/2018/2019 BUCS XC 54th/51st/47th/48th
2019 Coventry Half Marathon 6th
2016/2019 Kenilworth Half Marathon 1st/2nd
2017 Home Countries International XC 17th
2015/2016/2017 Inter County XC 85th/44th/80th
2019 London 10km 14th
2018/2019 LUCA XC Overall 1st/3rd
2018 Midland XC 14th
2016/2018 National XC 89th/83rd
2018 Oxford Half Marathon 6th
2017/2018/2019 Warwickshire XC 2nd/5th/4th
2013/2015 U20 UK Half Marathon Rank #2/#1
Pbs: 3km 8:49, 5km 15:08, 10km 31:44, HM 70:12
Bio:
I began running when I was 16 to train for a local 10km that went past my house. Having done a decent time I then joined the local club, who had to make a junior section just for me. Over the following two years before starting university I competed in on the road from 5km to half marathon and cross country. Before starting my undergrad I had 10km and half marathon PBs of 33:39 and 72:52 respectively - the latter putting me number 2 rank in the UK at the half marathon.
I did my undergrad at Cambridge University which had a very deep cross country team, which helped me to continue to improve. Over the four years there I competed in the 1st team Varsity match (top 8) against Oxford every year, including the year in which I had broken my back over the summer when cycling into a lorry (crushed my T5 vertebra, wouldn’t recommend). In my later two years, I competed in the BUCS A race (top 6), ultimately being part of the bronze medal-winning team in 2017. What made this more special is that I was the Club Captain in my final year and it was the first time Cambridge (or Oxford) had medalled in over 10 years). I have had many selections over the years for Warwickshire at the Inter County Championships (top 9), and for the Midlands – competing in the Home Countries International in 2017 as part of the bronze medal-winning team.
I moved to London for the PhD in 2017 and have been an active member of RAX since (am repeating the role Treasurer this year), as well as Thames Hare & Hounds. I did all of the cross country races in my first two years, winning the LUCA (i.e. LUSL) title in my first year and coming third the following year. I have also helped RAX get their highest ever team position at BUCS XC – which is set to improve this year looking at the team. For TH&H I have helped the team come top 10 in the National Cross Country and come third in the Surrey League over the last two years. For the time being, I am trying to improve all-round as a runner, be that at cross country, road, track and the occasional hill race I enter (won a Highland games hill race this summer). Ultimately I want to specialise in the marathon, planning to make my debut at London 2021 – whilst I’m still a member of UCL!