Wife of Team GB runner Chris Smith says she ‘did not realise impact until his death’ as memorial fund is set up

A memorial fund has been set up in honour of Chris Smith, the Team GB fell runner who died on holiday in Scotland last month.

Chris set off on a run from Invervar near Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross, on the afternoon of Tuesday October 27.

The 43-year-old was aiming to tackle a route including four Munros – Meall nan Aighean, Carn Mairg, Meall Garbh and Carn Gorm – and planned to return two hours later.

Emergency services were called when he did not return and a search-and-rescue operation began, with his body being found two days later.

Lindsay Smith with her husband Chris Smith, 43, a Team GB fell runner who died while on holiday in Scotland last month.

A memorial fund (https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/chrissmith) has been set up in honour of Chris, who was originally from Aberdeenshire but lived in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, with his wife Lindsay and two young sons Cameron and Alastair.

Speaking exclusively to The Scotsman earlier this month, Lindsay Smith paid tribute to her late husband, saying that the family takes comfort in knowing that he was “doing something he loved” when he passed.

She said: “We spent the night before in a wildlife hide spotting pine martens which is something that he had really wanted to do with the boys, we were so proud of what the children were doing. And we had been on a really lovely walk the morning before he went on that last run.

“We were having such a great time on holiday and that’s a real comfort to us as a family.”

Lindsay added: “He was so happy, just before he went for his run he was talking about going up in the hills and how much it meant to him. How he just couldn’t wait to get back up there and run.

"So we really take comfort in the fact that he was doing what he loved.”

Speaking about the memorial fund, Lindsay said: “There are three reasons why we’d like to do this: first as a legacy for Chris and his two children so they always know how awesome their dad was and continues to be.

“The second reason is I’ve read so many tributes that have referenced Chris giving training tips to others, encouraging less experienced runners – and this has come from everyday joggers right up to people who are now elite athletes.

“From my point of view I guess I didn’t really know how much of an impact he had on other runners from this perspective until this awful thing happened. I want to do something with that.

“And the third reason is because Chris was always positive in everything he did – we very much made things happen together and I can say, hand on heart, if he had anything to do with this, without a doubt, he would have wanted me to do something positive with this tragedy.

“None of this will ever bring him back, and truthfully I would do anything to change that and bring him back, but as a family it will really help us and we really hope whatever we decide to do with this money it will one day help other people and in particular other runners.”

Chris’ funeral will take place on Friday afternoon at a church in the village of Cuckfield, near where the family live.

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