14 Wing athlete the best the Forces has

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register

A Canadian Forces (CF) member serving at CFB Greenwood is the CF Female Athlete of the Year for 2007.

While this is the first honour of its kind for someone working at the Greenwood base, it marks the second time distance runner Captain Tammy Hiscock has won the prestigious award, which recognizes the elite of Canada’s military athletes. She claimed it for the first time in 2004 after being named the Air Command Athlete of the year, a title she has earned four out of the past five years.

Hiscock was all set to head to Ottawa November 22 to attend the weekend awards ceremony with top athletes representing other branches of the CF, but travel plans were sidelined by the winter storm that crippled the province. Unable to get a flight out of Halifax, she learned about her win after the event, but managed to take the circumstances in stride.

“It was disappointing not to be there, but that is life, I guess,” says Hiscock.

December 1, with her parents in attendance, she was presented with the award by 14 Wing Commander Col Derek Joyce here at home.

A 20-year member of the Forces, Hiscock has been posted in Greenwood since May 2007. Prior to her current posting, she served at Canadian Forces bases in Borden, Ottawa and Shearwater. When she moved back to the Valley, home for her, she continued her dedication to the sport of long distance and cross country running that began entirely by accident 12 years ago.

Before she started running, Hiscock had always been an active person, but she usually confined her physical activity to the gym and aerobic classes.

“On this one occasion, the gym was closed and my husband suggested I stay active by going for a run with him.”

The invitation lead to her first 10-kilometre run - and a love of long distance running that has garnered Hiscock many accolades and trophies, as well as a reputation as one of Canada’s top female military athletes.

A morning runner, Hiscock is out everyday at 5 a.m., regardless of the weather. She views her daily run the same way many people look at their morning coffee: “It is the way I start my day.

“If I don‚t get my run in, I really feel I have missed something.”

Since discovering “her new passion” for running at the age of 35, Hiscock has traveled extensively, competing on Canada’s national military racing teams five out of the past six years. She is one of the few runners who take part in both short- and long-distance marathon and cross country run events. Outside military events, she also competes on the Run Nova Scotia circuit.

“Nova Scotia has a great civilian running circuit - there are races in just about every small community between May and November.”

Hiscock and her husband criss-cross the province to take in runs together, and have made a lot of friends in the process.

“Even though running is a solitary sport, there is a real camaraderie among the people who enjoy it,” says Hiscock.

In 2007, Hiscock competed in 17 competitive races that included two Canadian Civilian Nationals, three provincial level championships and the Canadian Forces National Championships. She finished in first place on 14 occasions in the Masters category and had five first place wins in the Open category, where she competed against runners half her age. At the 2007 CF Running Nationals in Ottawa, Hiscock placed second overall and first in the Master’s category in the 5k race. The next day, she competed in the ING Half Marathon, where she finished fifth out of 650 Masters competitors and 20th overall out of 4,300 runners in the Open category.

14 Wing Public Affairs spokesman Captain Scott Spurr calls Hiscock’s latest title “a real feather in her cap.

“We are very proud of Tammy and see her achievements as a reflection of the overall commitment that the Canadian Forces and its members make to personal fitness.”

In spite of her many accomplishments and “all the fuss over something I love to do,” Hiscock says her main goal has always been “to stay healthy” and in top shape, something she admits is more challenging with each passing year.

“Even though I compete against runners half my age, I compete mainly against myself. And, I think if I listen to my body, I will be able to continue doing so for many years.”

Hiscock heads to Afghanistan in the new year for a six-month deployment, and she’ll have to confine her daily run and training to the gym and the treadmill.

“The heat and the dust over there are very hard on the lungs and the surface isn’t great for running, so I’ll just keep at it indoors.”