2023/2024 Season
Race 6/6 Bosworth Battlefield
At Bosworth today, Katie Houghton finished off her age group win for the series with the overall race win today – the coveted number 1 token! Absolutely superb running Katie throughout the series and especially today.
We had a great turnout and team spirit with a number of people turning up after battling illness, already running 15 training miles that morning (!) or rushing to get there from other events. Also running for the ladies were Katy H, Jane M, Nikola D-R and Sandy B. For the men, a whopping 14 of us, were Josh D, Ian B, Adam H, Luke K, James S, Mark T, me, Anthony I, Lee H-H, Steve M, Alan B, Chris G, John M and Chris G. Thanks to everyone that has contributed to Team Striders over this series and helped us to avoid relegation, including Anne G for the cakes, Chris G and everyone who’s helped erect/dismantle/transport the tent and Suzie S/James S for bringing the hot drinks.
Ian Bickle has a few of the XC badges left, so if you ran 1 or more races this series and haven’t had a badge yet, please contact him (or we can pass on the message).
Race 4/6 Martinshaw Woods
Post race photo – note that we didn’t win the trophy Mark is clutching. It was Mark’s trophy from the club presentation event the night before and prior to his open top bus parade through melton later in the day. Refer to Latest News page for details on the presentation evening.
Race 3/6 Holly Hayes
Race 2/6 Bagworth Heath
Today the Derby XC races returned at Bagworth Heath – the muddiest there I can remember – with a decent turnout allowing us to record full teams for both men and women. Katie H-H, Vicki L, Katie H, Suzie S, Sandra B and Nikola D-R ran for the ladies and Rich P, Luke K, Anthony I, Kurt W, Andy N, Mark T, Wayne H (running his first ever XC after being a member for 16 years), Alan B and Michael C ran for the men with both of our first finishers in 8th place but fantastic running from everyone. Indeed just making the start line can be a real challenge. The next one in the series is this coming Sunday – so come along and join in the (muddy) fun!
Race 1/6 Ravenstone
Earlier today Team Striders took on the first of the Derby Runner XC league races completing a multi terrain (grass, mud, hills, track, clay fields etc) 6.2 mile (10k) route in glorious sun shine. Unfortunately the mens team, due to holidays, injury recovery and other racing commitments were one short for a mens team, however the ladies had a full team , plus two. Lets get full team numbers out for the next race on November 18th – details will be out nearer the date. Richard P (5th), Anthony I (86th), Rob M, (124th), John H (139), Matt T (150th), Alan B (191th) and Chris G (209). Ladies: Vicki L (25th), Izzy C (26th), Suzanne S ( 83rd ), Melissa H-H ( 114th ), Nikola D-R ( 121st ) and Sandie B (122nd ).
2022/2023 Season.
Race 5/5 Bosworth 5th March
- On Sunday Stilton Striders Running Club competed in the final Derby Runner Cross Country league race of the season held at the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and organised by Hinckley Running Club. This was the final race of a winter series of five races involving clubs from across the county. The technical challenging route of just over five miles involved fields, tracks and woodland and of course hills , including the infamous “Bosworth Bog’ where runners have to cross a section of wetland as well as crossing streams and ditches. Other races in the series were held at Holly Hayes, Martinshaw Woods, Bagworth Heath and Ravenstone, each with their own challenges. Though-out the season Stilton Striders put out full teams and their mixed team managed to secure top spot in Division 2 promoting them to the elite Division 1 for the 2023/2024 season. It has been a long time since the mixed team have competed in this elite division and this is just reward for all of the members commitment and efforts across the five races.
Anthony Ison collected the trophy for the mixed team topping Division 2.
Race 4/5 Ravenstone 19th February
Today’s XC race at Ravenstone (nr Ashby) was fantastic – new course, decent weather, not muddy plus a number of Striders cheering us on (thanks Katie, Carol, Steve and Chris for being there despite being injured). Runners as pictured below, plus Robert C – there’s always one missing from the photo!
Special mention to Suzi Skelton making her XC debut for the club .
Mens Team consisted of Adam, Michael, Ian, Duncan, Andy,Robert and John . Ladies were Katie, Suzi, Anne, Sarah and Leigh.
Race 3/5 Martinshaw Woods 15th January
We had full teams at Martinshaw but plenty of shortbread, flapjack and protein balls leftover at the end – plus some of the brie/cranberry sandwiches from the night before! Hot drinks were provided to help us warm-up too. Taking part for the ladies were Kate H (making her Striders debut and being our first lady back), Carol S-M, Anne C, Sarah L and Leigh P (ably guided by her friend Toni) and for the men Michael M, Ian B, Andy N, Anthony I, John H, Kurt, Rob M, John M and Chris G.
As there are only 5 races this season the final agecat report will be generated based on your best 3 of the first 4 races, ie after the race at Ravenstone on 19th February. This is so that we can organise the individual prizes ready for the presentation after the last race. Please note that the last race at Bosworth Battlefield Centre on 5th March DOES count towards the team prizes.
Race 1/5 Holly Hayes 20th November
Well today was all about the cross country, with the first of the Derby Runner XC series races at Holly Hayes Wood, Whitwick.
We had a great turnout with 7 women and 13 men enjoying the best of autumnal woodland running. Amazing running from everyone but special mention to Rhiannon and Katie both in the top 10 finishers. Also well done to Carol and Steve on their first race as a Strider and Leigh for not breaking her new guide Toni! Thanks to Anne G for the lovely baked goods and Ian’s daughter Ayesha and her friend for being great hostesses.
Finally – with great support from Nikola and Jane cheering everyone one – it was no surprise to hear one of the other clubs saying they wish they were members of our club!
XC3 2022 Open link for provisional results
On Sunday a group of Stilton Strides entered and ran in the third race in a series of five Derby Runner cross country events organised by West End Runners. The 5.55 mile (8.85km) course was both a physically challenging race due to the very heavy going with lots of mud to contend with and also it was a very technically difficult course as it meandered through Martinshaw Woods with the bright sun making it difficult underfoot navigating the tree routes and open ditches. In the mens race Josh Dadd was first Strider home in a very creditable 32nd place out of a field of nearly 300. Next home was David Brook (58th), Ian Bickle (78th), Andy Nicholls (99th), Anthony Ison (118th), Ian Drage (127th), Duncan Greene (137th) and Robert Craig (142nd). Robert was hampered by losing the sole off one of his shoes half way round. Also running was Michael Cooke (166th), John Martin (226th) and Chris Genes (244th). In the women’s section, which started 5 minutes after the mens race, debutante Zoe Wyrko finished strongly in 78th position, followed by Jane Martin (97th), Anne Craddock (111th) and Leigh Pick (119th) who as a partially sighted runner was guided around by Nick Pryke, which was a credit to them both considering the difficult and sometimes congested course.
Earlier in the day Ayesha Bickle completed in an equally challenging Primary School age race and finished in a well deserved 6th position
December 19th details of third race in Derby Runner XC series. 16th January 2022 Martinsthorpe Woods. Race Info – Martinshaw Woods XC – 16 January 2022 (1)
December 15th provisional results for Bagworth Heath Bagworth heath XC2 2021
December 2nd 2021 Information Sheet for Race 2 12th December 2021 here Bagworth Heath race info sheet 2021
——————————————————————————————————————–
Following Sunday (14th November) Holly Hayes Race SSRC Ladies team will be awarded trophy for finishing second in Division 2 for the 2019 season. The awards will take place at The Lady Gary Pub , Whitwick
Refer to following link for the Derby Runner Age Category Results for the 2019/2020 Season. agereport
During the winter the club competes in the Derby Runner Cross Country League. Normally a series of six races set over challenging routes in the North of Leicestershire. However, due to the loss of venues due to Covid-19 restrictions the 2021 season only has four races listed until they can re-negotiate additional ones.
In addition we have sent teams and individuals to enter the Midland and Leicestershire XC Championships. Dates for 2021 TBC.
For the Derby Runner XC we normally car share to get there and we provide tented changing and we enjoy hot drinks and cakes and biscuits post race.
Below are the provisional fixtures agreed at the Derby XC league meeting. We will update as and when confirmations are received.
14/11/2021 Holly Hayes (Hermitage)
12/12/2021 Bagworth Heath (Desford)
16/01/2022 Martinshaw Woods (Westend)
30/01/2022 Mallory Park (Dave Mann)
06/03/2022 Bosworth Battlefield (Hinckley)
Most races will be £4-£7 per person plus parking.
Junior races will be £2 per runner and the start will be 10.30.
At certain venues we have used a split start, men first, then ladies. It was agreed that all races will be a split start this season.