Martin Hyman

Martin Hyman (3 July 1933 – 3 April 2021) was a British long-distance runner who competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics.[1][2]

Biography

Hyman never had a coach; he educated himself in training theories, working with his Portsmouth team-mate Bruce Tulloh. Since Hyman reserved only one hour in his day for training (except for Sundays when he often ran for 2 hours or more), he devised sessions that used the sixty minutes effectively. He regularly ran around 50 miles a week and never went over 70. More than most successful running careers, Hyman's was based on intelligence and determination. Running became an outlet for his driven personality, and he had the self-discipline to get the most out of himself while at the same time living a full life as a teacher and family man.[3]

Hyman competed in the men's 10,000 metres at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.[4] He also represented England in the 6 miles race at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales.[5] Four years later, he competed in both the 6 miles race and the marathon at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia.[6]

Hyman was on the podium three times at the AAA Championships, finishing second behind Gordon Pirie at the 1960 AAA Championships[7] and third at both the 1958 AAA Championships[8] and 1962 AAA Championships.[9]

In addition to athletics, Hyman played a key role in the development of elite orienteering in Britain during the 1980s and 1990s as founder and running coach of the British Orienteering Squad. He was part of the team during that period that progressed the Squad from a very low level to world class.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Martin Hyman". Olympedia. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Martin Hyman obituary". Scottish Athletics. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Martin Hyman profile". Racing Past - the history of middle and long distance running. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  4. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Martin Hyman Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  5. ^ "1958 Athletes". Team England.
  6. ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
  7. ^ "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Ibbotson quits... Pirie flops". Sunday Sun (Newcastle). 13 July 1958. Retrieved 2 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 2 May 2025.