FRACTEL AMBASSADOR - Klay Hopgood

FRACTEL AMBASSADOR: [WhyWeRunWednesday] with Klay Hopgood ( @klay_hopgood ).

We are stoked to announce Klay as our latest FRACTEL™ ambassador! Based out of Safety Beach, Victoria, Klay has tackled most distances in the running world, both on and off road. Klay’s down to earth perspective and passion for all forms of running is what makes him a greatly respected member of his local and online community. With a big line of events coming up for the rest of the year, we’re looking forward to seeing him tick a few goals off and be at the front of the pack at the same time! Here is what Klay had to say when we asked him about his ‘why’…


“Running started naturally for me, living without public transport options, it became a way to get to places and friend’s houses. I always enjoyed running, but as a “sport” it came second or third to other sports. I always wanted to run a marathon as a challenge and after injuring a knee and realising I’m not bullet proof, I decided to prioritise running while I still could and achieve that goal. Since then I’ve been hooked! Running to me now is a way to stay grounded. Whether it’s 100km on trails or 10km on road, the process is always the same.

What do I want to achieve? What do I need to do to achieve it? In these moments life becomes simple and clear and all the background noise is gone. You have obstacles that you face and need to overcome, and when you do, you feel stronger as a person; it allows you to grow. The simplicity running offers of clear goal setting and dealing with the risk of failure is something that I value. The successful completion of something I wasn’t sure I could achieve makes all the hard work worth it and inspires within myself more extreme goal setting. I also never expected to make as many close friends through running, nor did I realise the importance of the community on reaching my own goals, plus the satisfaction in helping others achieve theirs.

The next 3 months for me include Athletics Victoria Half Marathon, Melbourne Marathon, Bright Alpine Club “4 Peaks” and Alpine Challenge 60km.”


Thanks Klay! Keep up the awesome work, both personally and within the community. We can’t wait to see you take on the Half Marathon soon. You can follow Klay’s training on Strava at ‘Klay Hopgood’ or on Instagram @klay_hopgood.

#whywerun #fractelrunning