Sperrin Harriers Running Club was formed by Francis Purvis and Irwin Speirs in March 2006.
These two men believed that there was a niche in the world of athletics for a running club that would serve the wider Sperrin region of Mid-Ulster. Within the town of Cookstown however, there already existed a running club called Cookstown Harriers that drew its members mainly from the Cookstown area and had a small membership.
A meeting was held with Cookstown Harriers Running Club and they kindly agreed to disband and allow the formation of a new running club. This new club would be known as ‘Sperrin Harriers Running Club’. This name was synonymous years ago as there formally was a running club in the Mid-Ulster area with the same name.
The formation of the new club and its committee was just the beginning of a colossal amount of hard work that had to be completed should the dream for a new running club that would cater for the wider Mid-Ulster area become a reality. New club colours had to be agreed and it was decided that the club colours for Sperrin Harriers would be red and white. New kits were duly purchased and officially launched on the 26th April 2006, however, they were worn competitively for the first time at the Rome Marathon in Italy on the 12th March 2006 and received their first outing on home soil at the Omagh Half Marathon held on the 25th March 2006. The club also had to register with Athletics Northern Ireland and has been affiliated to the province’s athletics governing body from 2006.
In August 2006 Sperrin Harriers hosted their Annual 5-mile Classic Road Race for the first time. In previous years this event was successfully organised by Cookstown Harriers. Athletes from all over the province attend this race with the largest number of entrants received currently stands at 212. The male course record is held by Paul Rowan who ran a time of 24 minutes and 16 seconds in August 2002. Jill Shannon holds the female course record running a time of 27 minute’s 30 seconds. This race has become a permanent fixture on the Northern Ireland Athletics Federation Fixture List and is a firm favorite with the athletics fraternity continually attracting top athletes and a large number of club and fun runners each year. The Club is grateful to all those organisations, too many to mention, who have provided financial support to their Annual Road Race.
Sperrin Harriers continues to go from strength to strength and has currently 60 members. To promote athletics in the Mid Ulster region the Club also host its own ‘Summer’ and ‘Winter League Series’ in which the athletes compete against each other over various distances from 5k to 10 miles. These races, while competitive offer athletes the chance to meet socially and help to engender a spirit of ownership within the Club.
Sperrin Harriers also like to give back to the community by supporting various charities regularly donating money raised at races and club events. To date the Club have supported CLIC Sargent, Mental Health, and the Foyle Hospice.
The Club attracts members from Maghera, Magherafelt, Cookstown, Dungannon, Coalisland and Greencastle. In order to accommodate the athletes, training is based in two towns. At Loughry Campus, just off the Dungannon road, Cookstown and Hatrick Park, home of the Rainey Old Boys Rugby Club, Magherafelt.
The red and white vets of Sperrin Harriers are always sure to be seen at race meets throughout Ireland, north and south, as the Club endeavour to attend as many races as possible throughout the year. To date Sperrin Harriers athletes have travelled to Monaghan, Letterkenny, Dublin, Larne, Omagh, Armagh, Ballymena and Limavady to name but a few. Sperrin Harriers have also been represented in marathons all over Europe with athletes competing in Paris, Rome, Edinburgh, London, Amsterdam and Barcelona.
Sperrin Harriers have among their members some very talented athletes who have represented Northern Ireland and Ireland in Road Running, Track and Field, Cross Country, Mountain / Fell Running and Triathlon.
The first Sperrin Harriers Club Committee, established in 2006, consisted of the following people:
* Chairman............Francis Purvis
* Vice-Chairman....Irwin Speirs
* Secretary..........Kevin Murphy
* Treasurer..........Raymond Ferguson
* Vice-Treasurer...Trevor Dallas