07-10-2012
A few people asked me in the pub after our Wednesday night club run either if I knew the lad who’d passed away at the weekend in the Lake District at the Ian Hodgson Relays, or specifically if I’d known Darren Holloway from Pennine. I was and I am proud to say yes I did know Darren
Darren lived in Ilkeston, Derby less than ten miles from where I grew up and I first met him on a Bob Graham leg 2 recce / Christmas social run in 2007. We’d exchanged odd messages on the FRA Forums before we met but when I introduced myself Darren said, ‘I wondered if you were here. I’m really pleased you made it!’
For a long time Darren was a very solid ‘top end of mid-pack’ fell runner but a couple of years ago he decided to try to move up to a higher standard. He lost weight, started to train twice a day including a lot of road cycling (cycling was a real passion and he had an encyclopedic knowledge of continental racing in particular) and this made a real quantum leap in his performances. He had some really good runs at the Lakeland Classics and picked up many prizes in the Peak
Darren was an extremely thoughtful bloke; he always had time for other runners and was more than happy to help on friends’ Bob Grahams, with training advice, to share his experience in cycling and to watch runners slower than him him finish races long after he’d completed an event
Stef and I were in Wasdale the weekend of the Scafell Pike fell race and I bumped into Darren at the campsite before he did the race (he was first V40). He had on his Pennine vest and trade-mark cycling cap and looked as fit as fire. I’m so pleased I saw him then and I think that’s how I will remember him; happy, smiling and doing what he loved.
Andrew Kitts
Katrina says:
What a lovely account of clearly a nice man and a friend of yours xx
12th October 2012 at 6:50 pm
Ali G says:
fine words Andy.
12th October 2012 at 6:01 pm
Andy says:
Yesterday, on a beautiful autumn day family, friends and fell runners came from far and wide to pay their last respects to Darren Holloway. Even the big chapel at Bramcote, between Derby and Nottingham, couldn’t hold everyone who were there in spite of dozens of us standing at the back, including a group of cyclists who arrived on bicycles in Lycra
The service was relaxed and very much a celebration of a sadly too short life (Darren was only 42 when he passed away), but a life into which had been packed a hell of a lot. There was music played, only one hymn sung but several eulogies including words from Pennine fell runner Andy Howie and Fell Pony Steve Taylor. A slide-show was shown with images of Darren racing, training in the Peak, in the Alps cycling and on his successful 2008 Bob Graham Round
After the service ended everyone moved on to Morley Hayes golf club, where sandwiches were eaten, beer drunk but smiles now replacing the earlier tears. Stories were told and great races and challenges discussed including Borrowdale, Ben Nevis, the Tour of Pendle and the Tour de France
To be honest I always have mixed felling about going ‘home’ to the Midlands (my life is very much in Yorkshire now) but I’ll never forget yesterday. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch-up with old friends, make some new friendships, plan adventures and be part of something that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss for the world
12th October 2012 at 11:54 am
JP says:
Nice one Andy,
Sure you all did him proud. Thanks for sharing your entries on this post. Spoke to Chris Speights today (organiser of the Ian Hodgson relay) and he told me about the funeral being yesterday….instantly thought of you. Life’s way too short so we have to appreciate what we have and make the most of life.
Hope you are ok.
JP
12th October 2012 at 6:04 pm
Katrina says:
What a lovely piece of writing Andy .. Some things in life you cant change and you have to accept what you cant change ..You only get one chance to say goodbye in this life so it has to be right and it sounds like Darren’s farewell however tragic and heart wrenching as it was.. was an occasion fitting what sounds to be a lovely genuine man with lots of great friends and will be sadly missed by so many .. I feel for his family and friends .. It was my friends funeral yesterday I couldn’t be there but Iknow like Darren he was a very popular well known man and the church would be packed to the rafters.. So thankyou Andy for sharing your own eulogy with us xx
12th October 2012 at 9:04 am