Wife of runner ‘did not realise his impact’
A memorial fund has been set up in honour of Chris Smith, the Team GB fell runner who died on holiday in S cotland last month.
Chris set off on a run from Invervar near Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross, on the afternoon of Tuesday October 27.
The 43-year-old was aiming to tackle a route including four Munros and planned to return t wo hours later. Emergency services were called when he did not return and a searchand-rescue operation began, with his body being found two days later.
A memorial fund has been set up in honour of Chris, who was originally from Aberdeenshire but lived in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, with his wife Lindsay and two young sons Cameron and Alastair.
Speaking exclusively to The Scotsman earlier this month, Lindsay Smith paid tribute to her late husband, saying that the family takes comfor t in knowing that he was “doing something he loved” when he passed.
She said: “He was so happy, just before he went for his run he was talking ab out going up in the hills and how much it meant to him."so we really take comfort in the fact that he was doing what he loved.”
Speaking about the memo - rial fund, Lindsay said: “There are three reasons why we’d like to do this: first as a legacy for Chris and his two children so they always know how awe - some their dad was and continues to be.
“The second reason is I’ve r e a d s o ma ny t r i b u t e s t h a t have referenced Chris giving training tips to others, encouraging less exp erienced runners – and this has come from ever yday joggers right up to people who are now elite athletes.
“Fr o m my p o i n t o f v i e w I guess I didn’t really know how
much of an impact he had on other runners from this perspective until this awful thing happened. I want to do something with that.
“A n d t h e t h i r d r e a s o n i s b e c a u s e C h r i s w a s a l w ay s
positive in ever ything he did – we ver y much made things happen together and he would have wanted me to do some - thing positive with this tragedy.
“None of this will ever bring
him back, but as a family it will really help us”
Chris’ funeral will take place on Friday afternoon in the village of Cuckfield.