Beyond the Postcode: Chris Hobson’s Record-Breaking Antarctica Ice Marathon

Hosts Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life introduce Beyond the Postcode, a podcast about people who live or work in HD8, and interview Clayton West resident Chris Hobson, a Guinness World Record holder as the oldest person to complete the Antarctica Ice Marathon.

Chris describes reinventing herself after retiring in 2014, joining a running club, gaining a London Marathon place, and adopting a run-walk strategy that helped her avoid injuries and keep running. After learning about the 100 Marathon Club, she set goals that led to around 126–127 marathons, including “marathon tourism” across continents, with notable experiences like the humid Singapore marathon and extreme conditions in Antarctica. She recounts multiple canceled Antarctica attempts, last-minute entry logistics, the silent, hazardous environment, and her motivations around staying healthy in older age.

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

00:35 Meeting Her Husband

02:14 Record Holder Intro

02:27 Retirement to Running

04:18 First London Marathon

06:16 Run Walk Strategy

07:58 Chasing 100 Marathons

09:24 Marathon Tourism Begins

11:14 Heat and Humidity Chaos

14:25 Antarctica Ice Marathon

15:26 Antarctica Trip Cancellations

16:32 Last Minute Race Slot

18:03 Gear Panic And Prep

19:03 Bank Fraud Block Drama

21:12 Running In Antarctica

23:55 Staying Active In Retirement

25:55 Fitness For Older Adults

27:54 Local Tip And Music Picks

29:46 Wrap Up And Next Guest

Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Toweyfrom HD8 Life host Beyond the Postcode, a podcast from HD8 Life and Under the Mast, exploring people who live or work in HD8.

This episode features Matt Glennon, a professional footballer turned hairdresser who owns and works at salon G27 in Emley, and also works as a pundit and grassroots goalkeeping coach.

Matt describes moving through clubs and locations including Scotland, Carlisle, Hull and Huddersfield Town, then settling in Shelley for its schools, green spaces, nearby pubs and quick access to the stadium. He recounts opening the bar at Emley’s Media Stadium in 2007 and later converting a 300-year-old post office into his salon, discussing community ties built through clients, friendships, and the emotional support side of hairdressing.

Matt explains his transition from football after injuries and surgeries, taking a fast-track barbering course in Nottingham, cutting teammates’ hair in boot rooms and before matches, and adjusting to self-employment after football’s controlled environment. He talks about the mental side of goalkeeping, crowd abuse, and how cutting a first paying client felt more nerve-racking than playing at Celtic Park. He outlines juggling salon work, BBC Radio Leeds match work, and his local goalkeeping academy

The episode closes by previewing the next guest, Chris Hobson of Clayton West, who holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to complete an ice marathon.

00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Postcode + Meet Matt Glennon

00:36 From Stockport to Huddersfield: Finding a Home in Shelley (and the school hunt)

02:24 Discovering Emley: The stadium, the mast, and setting down roots

03:19 Turning a 300-Year-Old Post Office into a Salon (and winning the village over)

04:06 Salon Life = Community Hub: Regulars, friendships, and the ‘counselling’ side

06:25 The Big Pivot: Why a Pro Footballer Became a Barber/Hairdresser

08:02 Cutting Hair in the Boot Room: Clippers, teammates, and matchday trims

10:28 Training, mistakes & mindset: From hairdressing ‘maths’ to handling abuse

13:09 Most terrifying moment: The first paying client vs playing in front of 60,000

15:00 What football really teaches (and the bubble players live in)

15:11 Ready to Retire: Work Ethic and the Transition Out of Football

16:03 A Day in the Salon: Long Shifts, Regulars, and Staying Busy

16:26 Life After the Final Whistle: Money, Identity, and Starting Over

17:31 Football’s Controlled Lifestyle: Time Off, Weigh-Ins, and No Real Autonomy

18:46 Family Sacrifices: Moving Clubs, Relationships, and Raising Kids

19:47 Working With His Daughter: Trust, Responsibility, and a New ‘Boss’

21:10 Wearing Many Hats: Salon, Goalkeeping Academy, and BBC Radio

23:20 Goalkeeping Academy: Building Confidence, Resilience, and Joy in the Game

25:32 Life Skills & Knockbacks: From On-Pitch Mistakes to Business Setbacks

26:30 HD8 Top Tips: Rooftop Garden at The Dunkirk + Quiet Gym Time

28:13 Three Songs for the Drive: Heroes, Tipsy, and Getting Away With It

29:46 Wrap-Up and Next Episode Teaser: Guinness Record Ice Marathoner

Beyond the Postcode: Liz Wood, The Watering Can Florist and HD8’s Florist to the Stars

Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life host Beyond the Postcode, a podcast about people who live or work in HD8. In this episode they interview Liz Wood of The Watering Can Florist in Emley, discussing her move to HD8 after making a fresh start with Mark, first living in Bird’s Edge, then Three Acres during the “Beast from the East,” and later settling in Emley, where they quickly bought their current home. Liz explains how The Watering Can began at a small unit (“the shaky shed”) at Yummy Yorkshire, then pivoted during COVID when the unit was taken back, shifting to doorstep deliveries of compost and plants and continuing flower work once supply returned. She shares how she got into floristry through her mother’s flower club, trained at Kirklees College, gained experience at The Posy Bowl in Huddersfield, worked at Gertz Florist in Lepton, and eventually bought the business. Liz also describes running her florist as a wine bar in the evenings using recycled and borrowed furnishings, offering live music and popular drinks including rhubarb and ginger liqueur with Prosecco, and notes customers often bought flowers after a pint. She recounts notable clients including a delivery of 100 white roses from Sir Elton John to Penistone's Paramount Theatre for a Billy Elliot opening, and work connected to Armitage Bridge recording studios, including getting a signed card from David Jason. Liz outlines her current work with weddings, farewell flowers and launching a monthly flower club The episode closes by teasing the next guest, Emley’s Matt Glennon, about his journey from professional footballer to hairdresser.

00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Postcode + Meet Liz Wood (Watering Can Florist)

00:35 A Fresh Start: Moving to HD8 and Finding Home

01:50 Birds Edge to Emley: The House Hunt That Felt Like Fate

04:45 How The Watering Can Florist Began (Yummy Yorkshire ‘Shaky Shed’)

06:06 COVID Hits: Pivoting to Plants, Doorstep Deliveries & Surviving Lockdown

09:09 Why Flowers? Family Roots, Training, and Buying Her First Shop

13:23 Next-Level Pivot: Turning a Florist into a Nighttime Wine Bar

15:01 Recycled furniture & building the hidden bar behind the florist

16:20 Beer pumps by day, flowers on the side: the hybrid shop idea

17:09 Live music & the rhubarb-and-ginger Prosecco craze

17:38 Big-name orders: Sir Elton John’s 100 white roses

19:29 TV studio connections & David Jason’s ‘Lovely Jubbly’ note

21:16 Where she’s at now: weddings, farewell flowers & launching the Flower Club

23:29 HD8 Top Tip: finding your style at Cocoa (and Dare Boutique)

25:48 Springtime playlist picks + podcast wrap and next-episode teaser