Category: 2017 reports

One Stilton Strider took a long journey to the South Coast on June 10th, competing in the South Downs Way 100 – a nonstop 100 mile footrace from Winchester to Eastbourne.

After 100 miles of trails and 12,000 feet of ascent, starting at 6am and having run all day and seen the sun both set and rise again, the race culminates in a couple of miles through the streets of Eastbourne and one final lap of the athletics track. With the setting of England’s newest National Park over a sunny June weekend and the great organisation and support of Centurion Running and 130 fantastic volunteers, Richard Gray completed the race in 123rd position in 25 hours and 33 minutes.

Richard was raising money for Mind, the mental health charity, and donations can be made via uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RichGray

The Holme Pierrepont Heritage Grand Prix is a series of four races over varying distances, run over the space of ten days.

This year, the race schedule was as follows:

June 27th            Rushcliffe 4 mile

June 29th            Holme Pierrepont 10k

July 4th                Embankment 5k

July 6th                Colwick Racecourse 5 mile

A small contingent of Striders – Ben Pickard, Laura Pickard, Daniel Moult, Nick Pryke and Neil Jaggard entered the full series, with Vanessa Walker just entering the Colwick Racecourse 5 mile as a standalone race.

The weather for each event could not have been more different. On June 27th, a cool, overcast evening greeted 431 runners at Rushcliffe Country Park. Striders positions and times were as follows: Ben Pickard (135th/28:45), Neil Jaggard (170th/29:50), Nick Pryke (203th/30:56), Laura Pickard (314th/36:05) and Daniel Moult (325th/36:37).

An unseasonably wet evening confronted runners at Holme Pierrepont Country Park for the longest race of the series – a 10k which took in almost a full circuit of the lake before heading out into surrounding roads, before returning to the lake to take in another half circuit. The race attracted 449 competitors and Striders positions and times were as follows: Ben Pickard (163rd/45:46), Neil Jaggard (187th/46:52), Nick Pryke (257th/50:24), Laura Pickard (357th/57:46) and Daniel Moult (382nd/59:44).

Warm evening sunshine was the order of the day for the third race of the series – the Embankment 5k – a very flat riverside course that saw a number of PBs broken in a field of 481 with over 100 people finishing in under 20 minutes. Striders positions and times were as follows: Ben Pickard (202nd/22:11), Neil Jaggard (213th/22:36), Nick Pryke (260th/23:38), Daniel Moult (369th/27:08) and Laura Pickard (372nd/27:15).

The final race of the series was run on a remarkably sultry evening at Colwick Racecourse. The course utilised the inner service road of the racecourse as well as the neighbouring country park. 409 runners completed the race, and Striders positions and times were as follows: Ben Pickard (153rd/37:54), Neil Jaggard (169th/38:44), Nick Pryke (239th/42:42), Vanessa Walker (290th/45:46) Laura Pickard (292nd/45:57) and Daniel Moult (322nd/48:18).

The final Grand Prix results were as follows:

1^st overall: Michael Coltherd                      1 hour 30 minutes 46 seconds

2^nd overall: Ben Livesey                                1 hour 33 minutes 51 seconds

3^rd overall: Marlon Dunkley                        1 hour 40 minutes 42 seconds

First lady: Katie Lomas (18^th overall)        1 hours 50 minutes exactly

Striders finishing positions:

Ben Pickard (104th/2.14.36), Neil Jaggard (119th/2.18.02), Nick Pryke (154th/2.27.40), Laura Pickard (214th/2.47.03) and Daniel Moult (228th/2.51.47). 286 runners completed the full Grand Prix.

All competitors deemed the Grand Prix a success in terms of organisation and would thoroughly recommend to all Striders looking for a challenging but enjoyable midsummer series.

A small group of Striders took advantage of this low key 24 hour event at Beacon Hill for a bit of distance training.   After some dodgy pizza (gin?) the night before, Debs Wilson called it a day after 2 very Hilly laps, Jon W 4 laps and Andy Nicholls 5 laps and all home in time for tea, leaving the diehards to carry on for a further 17 hours.

More Striders needed next year – do one lap, run as a team or run yourself into the ground all for £20 with a friendly atmosphere for a good cause.

Andy

I travelled  to long Bennington on Friday evening to do this 10k organised by Grantham RC. I was the only strider, but it was a long way and further than I thought and made it to start line about 2 mins to gun . Great field for this race 800+ with some very fast times at the top .  A circular loop up and down but on the whole a quick course I would say.  Well organised and lots of crowd cheers including Tony with my dog. Well earned bottle of cider in my goody bag for him.  Did 47.35 and pretty pleased with that and was great to bump into my friend jo shore (previously a strider)
– Vik