THE Wee County Harriers got together to remember an old friend last Tuesday as members went for a jog around Gartmorn Dam.

Andy Harker, considered one of “life’s good guys”, died three years ago.
Following his death, friends from his running club started the tradition of remembering the man from Sauchie through the sport he loved. 

This year, the Harriers were joined by his son, Mark, and brother-in-law, Colin. 

George Furmage, the club chairman, told the Advertiser about how it all started: “I just told people to wear club colours and we’ll just run around the dam, take a few minutes and think of Andy. 

“People felt it was a fitting tribute to the guy so we now try to do it every year. It’s good because a lot of the faster folk run with the slower people who they wouldn’t normally speak to and they get to know each other.

“I basically say if you didn’t know Andy then speak to someone who did or think about someone who you’ve lost when you’re out running around the dam.”

Dam Good Coffee at Gartmorn Dam opened its premises especially for the club, so people could have a chat afterwards and share memories of their friend with one another. 

“It was actually perfect,” George said. “Everyone just being able to catch up, blether and have a coffee. 

“I always remember him with a smile on his face. He always had a good word to say about people.

“I said to people, ‘If you didn’t know Andy, just think of the Highlander on the Scott’s Porage Oats because he reminds me of Andy. The big guy with the big smile’.”

But for George, there was something different about this year’s event and for him it epitomised what the club was all about. 

He added: “The thing that I noticed about this time was there were quite a few members who were injured, who just came along to remember Andy. They just sat and had a coffee.

“It’s just things like that because of what it is, they make that extra effort to come along and it makes it a bit special.

“Most running clubs focus on training, training, training, and it used to be a running joke with our guys that it was a social club with a running problem.”