Brian has many friends in the sport, as do all sportsmen as well all in the hill walking and climbing world, and all speak very highly of the man, his abilities and of him personally. There is no shortage of those willing to speak highly of him – Marjorie Small, Shelagh King, Christine Menhennet, Brian Potts, Douglas Gemmell, Bobby Rosborough and many more have testified to this. There are road runners, hill runners (not always the same thing), trail runners and all the many that follow the pursuit of Munro bagging and collect Donalds and Corbetts and the like, there are yachtsmen too who know the man and have their own different takes on his character, qualities and abilities. We have selected several with varying perspectives on Brian Edridge.
“Firstly, I would say Brian is a gentle man and a gentleman as well as having been a very good athlete.; he also once told me that he had the record for having had the longest but survived climbing fall in Britain – somewhere in Glencoe I think! I think that record might have been superseded now – but, I for one am glad he survived and to have met him.
Brian was one of the people that most encouraged me as a runner and hill runner; he was just very positive about what he thought I would be capable of, encouraged me to race, enquired as to how training was going and along with his lovely wife Maggie – was warm and hospitable, often inviting me and others to their house for meetings and/or celebrations of some sort or other. He had a huge stride and I would struggle to keep pace with him on the long evening drags back up Great Western Road to base!
I used to worry that Maggie would think I was up to no good with Brian – we travelled to races a lot together (quite often along with Jimmy Shields and Ian Murphy), did long Sunday runs and hill sessions together; we were both on the early Scottish Hill Running Commission and he helped me organise a hill running Come and Try event in the Kilpatricks.! He’s also a very talented musician – guitarist, singer and I think penny whistle player, quite often coming down to Old Kilpatrick and Bowling to jam with others, including Pat Bonner of Clydesdale fame, in the local pub.
Then that thing happened – Brian and Maggie bought a yacht and disappeared into the sunset! I now live with a committed yachty and it consumes all other interests, and your bank balance! I’m not sure that they still sail but they certainly had a few adventures back in the day.
Friendships come and go as we all move on in life but Brian is certainly someone who it was a privilege for me to have known and shared happy times with.”
Christine mentions Brian’s musical talents and when queried about them he says “I play the”moothie” fairly well, guitar very basic, and have dabbled with bodhran, tambourine and shakers. Not a real musician!”
Thank you Christine and what a marvellous testimonial to a man – it tells us a lot about his athletic abilities as well as conveying respect and affection for him
Read about more of his friends at the links below.