Peterborough’s greatest male multi-event athlete is loyal as well as gifted

Best known as a 400m hurdler, Reidy has always dabbled in other events. Now aged 38 he can justifiably claim to be the best all round male athlete to come out of Peterborough for many years.

Despite never quite making the big time, Reidy has been a major force in the British hurdling world throughout his career, and has stayed loyal to Nene Valley Harriers who he joined as a teenager.

In his 20’s Reidy was living and working in London and joined top outfit Belgrave Harriers to test himself against the best, but he would still race for Nene Valley whenever the opportunity arose.

“I wasn’t good as a youngster, and people told me I should run middle distance and do some combined events, as I’d never be outstanding in an individual sprint race!” said Reidy looking back on his early years.

“Doing a mix of activities is a great way to start athletics as you test all your physical systems. As a result of those earlier words, I never specialised till I was 18, which is a bit late for a hurdler, and I never ended up in environments that could improve me.”

A key moment for Reidy was when he started training with club coach Tim Needham. The partnership has remained intact for 20 years.

“Tim was the only person who saw potential in me,” Reidy added. “I think he realised my spatial awareness & motor skills were naturally quite high, but saw I lacked power and speed and overall conditioning. He laid the foundations and built me into the athlete I am today, and took me to a high level nationally.

“Of my early coaches, Mike McNeill was great, and I benefited from Ray Church’s enthusiasm for all parts of the sport. His wealth of knowledge can’t help but spur you on. He was so friendly and welcoming on that first visit to the track. Mick Gaylor was my first coach. He taught me some fundamentals about training for track that are still ingrained in the way I train today.

My teammate Adam Fidgett has also been invaluable. He would ring up race organisers and talk me into high quality fields in order for me to raise my game! I’d go to races and run my heart out because it felt like I shouldn’t be there. Sometimes I’d even win against lads who were full time or international athletes. Ultimately I ran 52.87 and was ranked 21st in the UK at my peak.”

Ever the committed team man Reidy has enjoyed plenty of success at Nene Valley saying, “I’m proud of what I achieved with the club, especially winning the Southern Athletics League and gaining promotion to the British Athletics League. We climbed to division two of the British League with a team of local superheroes assembled by Tim Needham”

As a veteran Reidy has focused on multi-eventing and was ranked second best over 35 decathlete in the country last year. He is striving to become the first local veteran to run 800m in under two minutes, and in 2019 he twice missed out by under a second.

“Now as an old man I see the sports potential to keep me fit, strong and mobile as I age” said Reidy, “I intend to still push and hopefully beat the young guys and the other crazy old guys like me. There are quite a few of us nationally over the hurdles and combined events.”