2015 – Page 4 – Stilton Striders

Autumn/winter club runs

Autumn is here, so for the first time in a while we have a choice of club runs this Wednesday (30th Sep) – both at 7pm.

The usual road run will be in Melton from KE7 Sports Centre, suitable for all (with a guided 5 mile group at the pace of the slowest, as well as lots of optional extensions for quicker runners).

For the more adventurous we have the return of our headtorch runs – an hour in Stathern Woods, returning to the Red Lion for refreshments afterwards. Head (or hand held) torches mandatory – let us know in advance if you want to borrow one – trail shoes and hi viz / reflective kit highly recommended.

The choice is yours!

2015 Equinox 24 photos

16 Sep 2015 – Derby Midweek Races

RACE 1 – 1 mile – After taking part in four races over the previous weekend, Stuart Gregory once again picked up his running shoes and made the relatively modest trip to Derby for the first set of races in the Derby mid week races. The night is split into two separate races a 1 mile road race and a 5km road race. In the first race of the night Stuart lined up with 49 other runners. As the race set off, Stuart did his now familiar greyhound out of the traps approach, unfortunately as he was still feeling the side effects of a big weekend of racing he completed the mile in 8m 01s his second worst time to date.

RACE 2 – 5km – After a short break to allow for drinks and recovery from the first race, Stuart lined up for the second race of the night with 65 others. The second race takes in two large laps of the footpath along side the by-pass. After the first lap Stuart was sitting in 64th place overall having taken over 15 minutes to complete the first 1.5 miles and this pace continued during the second half of the race as Stuart recorded his second worst 5km result to date finishing in 64th place with a time of 32.29. A very good set of events and well worth the £3.00 entry fee. [Stuart]

October local races

A couple of races are coming up in October which are being organised by some of our members – it would be great to have a decent turnout of Striders to show our support.

4 October – Great Dalby Dollop – 5k (Great Dalby Dollop Poster)

11 October – Eaton Stampede – 10k (Eaton Stampede details)

Final summer outrun (9th Sep)

This Wednesday at 7pm is the final summer outrun of the season. We’ll be running a relatively short 5 mile course in order to ensure we can safely complete the distance as a group before the light fails us. The Crown in Old Dalby will then be our venue for our annual cake night! As is traditional with our outrun programme, we will be collecting donations on the night to raise a few pounds for the Air Ambulance whilst replenishing the calories we’ve just burned off.

See you all there!

From September 16th our Wednesday evening runs will be back in town – see the diary dates page and the Autumn/Winter page for more details.

5th Sep 2015 – Longshaw Fell Race

A fine day on the fells marred by a number of incidents highlighting the need for FRA safety equipment on more exposed races. In separate falls, two Striders sustained injuries to their hands. John Houghton breaking a bone two miles into the race and Steve Dewick dislocating a finger in a fall when crossing a stream two miles from home. First Strider home Greg Pettingill 36th (3rd MV50) 51:04; Michael Atton 47th 53:01; Simon Bottrill 58th 56:18; Dan Valencia 65th 57:34; Stephen Boylan 88th 65:06; Steve Dewick (DPFR) 112th 71:47.

[Greg]

5 Sep 15 – No walk in the park 5k

Stuart Gregory travelled up to Chesterfield for the latest event in the Saturday morning 5k series, “No walk in the park”, finishing in 27.38 for 71st place.

31st Aug 2015 – Old Dalby Hill Race

The 3rd Old Dalby Hill race held again naturally on Old Dalby day in very wet conditions, she would definitely be taking a stud today.

A small but high level field of rainproof runners, quite a few shirts from both Ivanhoe and Barrow Runners but a massive contingent of Stilton Striders! Reigning two-time champion Tim Hartley of Barrow out injured wouldn’t be able to defend his crown thus we placed our hopes on a Stilton victory after such a good week.

Race starts at 11:10 with Luke Eggleston doing his stung cat routine (!), getting the excuses in early (3rd event of the weekend, don’t like short races, wearing meagre shorts I should’ve saved for my wedding night) I more or less think that being near Fell legend Greg Pettingill is a good pacing move (who similarly did the fell race yesterday).

The fast initial dash upon tarmac for the first half mile is quickly replaced to a groan as we go off road into `moon boots` the second ploughed up field we come to. Throughout the race there are five of us interchanging positions pretty much continuously myself (Rob Beers), Greg, Matt Atterbury, Mike Bryan and Michael Atton depending on our strengths it’s a really good fight.

For me I lost it a bit coming down the steepest part in Old Dalby Woods, similarly like myself Greg mentions he isn’t the best at stiles either. I come in as 7th Strider just behind Greg and Michael which shows the quality of runners we had out today and how much strength in depth we are starting to show as a club now.

Jay Barton came 2nd overall, excellent considering it’s not his terrain at all and he raced yesterday (Coming first!), Katie Hateley 1st lady and 1st local lady, Mike Bryan 1st local male runner and some great individual running from quite a few.

Superb goodie bag courtesy of the Grange at Asfordby Hill with a very welcome and large scone in it, however the rain made short work of the paper bags they came in to which we all had a friendly dig at Houghty for! [Rob]

Full results:

2 Jason Barton 31.04
4 Jim Hatherley 32.44
8 (1st local) Mike Bryan 34.00
9 Michael Atton 34.03
10 Matt Atterbury 34.12
11 Greg Pettingill
12 Rob Beers 34.29
17 John Houghton 37.49
18 Michael Cooke 38.56
20 (1st lady, 1st local lady) Katie Hateley 39.07
23 Andy Nicholls 40.46
27 Luke Eggleston 41.29
29 Tony Allen 41.35
37 Steve Boylan 47.33
45 Stuart Gregory 55.22

30th Aug 2015 – Badgers Atherstone 10k

Having got out of doing the extremely hilly League race at Hermitage by being in another country, I allowed myself to be talked in to entering the 2nd Badgers Atherstone 10k Road Race by Mr Jason Barton. As this was my first race over 5k for quite some time, I started scrawling through my old race times to come up with what I think I should achieve over a nice quick 10k course.

HOWEVER, the bullet that I dodged at Hermitage came back with a vengeance at Atherstone! The course has a lovely downhill/flat finish that takes up the last 2 miles, although the first 4 contains 20 metres MORE ascent than the ENTIRE course at Hermitage!!! Any dreams of quick times went out of the window, and were replaced with hopes of respectable times, followed by prayers of finishing!!!

Throughout the race, Jay was battling with Che Compton of Kent AC for the lead, with Jay gaining an advantage on the inclines and then immediately losing it on the descents. The long straight and flat finish through Atherstone town centre allowed for a true head-to-head battle. With half a mile to go, Jay was slightly ahead and managed to hold off his adversary to finish 10 seconds clear, and win the race.

Humble as ever, Jay stood around the finish area cheering people in and chatting with fellow runners, asking how they got on, but at no point disclosing that he had won the race in a course record time of 35.51.

Way back in the field of 367 runners, I too was having my own battles and winning them to eventually finish 42nd overall in a relatively satisfactory time of 44.29.

The church by the finish line were doing cups of tea/coffee for 50p and FREE CAKE!! Whilst inside, I happened to let slip to one elderly lady manning the tea stall that my accomplice was the overall race winner and we were then subjected to a 15 minute wave of praise as Jay was given a full hero’s welcome! He was asked about the course, asked about the club (which we advertised whole-heartedly), and was even asked for kisses by one of the old ladies present while introducing him to her daughter who had also ran.

During the presentation there was mass exasperation when Jay’s time was read out as 31.19 with everyone expecting some Kenyan to step forward to claim the £50 cash, £15 gift vouchers, and trophy (for some reason his time had BOTH been written down wrong AND then read out wrongly too).

The race pack at the end was brilliant with a technical tee, heavy medal, snacks, drinks, and L’Oreal for Men sample pots and Moisturiser testers. Not bad for the £14 it cost to enter. A very well organised race that has a testing course, but I will be returning to next year and would recommend it to anyone. [Shane]