Category: Reports

26 Aug 2015 – Three club challenge

This year’s event was hosted by the Striders, with a course specially designed and hosted by the Houghton clan at The Grange garden centre.  After traffic problems caused a delayed start, the 95 runners set off into the last rays of summer evening sunshine on a warm, if a little wet underfoot, evening.

Jason Barton set the early pace, leading the field of 40 Stilton Striders, 30 Wreake Runners and 25 Barrow Runners across the early muddy sections and into the wheat fields.  Whilst broadly flat along the River Wreake, the course made its way up three hills – christened “Barrow Bump”, “Wreake Rise” and “Strider Mountain” for the evening – as it headed out to Kirby Bellars and then back towards The Grange.

With Tim Hartley from Barrow coming through to finish the 4.6 mile course quickest, the team challenge was to see which club would get their first 25 runners back with the lowest cumulative position.

Final positions were calculated over a fantastic Tartiflette (and a drink or two), and for the first time since 2009, Stilton came out on top by a slim 8 places overall.

A huge thank you must go to John, Louise and all at The Grange who did us proud, all our enthusiastic marshals and everyone else who contributed – designing, clearing and marking the course, volunteering on the night and, of course, all the runners.  It was a great night, with a really positive atmosphere – roll on 2016!

A selection of photos are here.

23 Aug 2015 – Carl Rutt Memorial 10k LRRL

Five Striders joined over 500 other runners in Whitwick for this year’s Hermitage 10k, this year renamed in tribute to one of the Hermitage Harriers’ closest friends and supporters.  The race was the penultimate event in this year’s Leicestershire Road Running League and this was reflected in the quality field competing.

First Strider home over the hilly course, continuing the great form shown recently, was Jason Barton in 7th place overall (6th male) in a time of 35.58.  Next Strider, and 4th junior male, was Luke Eggleston in 42.50, with Jon Wilson (48.01), Debs Wilson (60.29) and Stuart Gregory (63.06) completing the team.

16 Aug 2015 – Swim Rutland

Two Striders – Matt Atterbury and Andy Nicholls – made the short trip to Rutland Water for a special race on 16th August.

This one was certainly off road but thankfully not “salty”. The early morning started with a ride on the Rultand Belle across to Normanton church for the 166 swimmers followed by a 2K swim across the reservoir back to Whitwell. With a wide range of abilities, times ranged from 25:42 up to 86:00. Matt finished 66th in 40:30 with Andy 93rd in 44:00. [Andy]

  

16 August 2015 – Belper Rugby Rover 30k

Two late injury worries meant only four Stilton Striders running this year`s Rugby Rover 30k, although we thankfully retained Greg Pettingill in a supportive/advisory measure during the race on a nice sunny day in Belper.  Myself (Rob Beers), Rich Gray, Luke Eggleston and Vicki Lowe donned the blue and whites and made for the start line, thankfully the time honoured route of 13th anniversary of this race has not changed. Luke, winner of yesterday`s parkrun goes off at the race start like a stung cat despite our best efforts telling him not to. A lovely warm up mile along the canal before the first climb and the more harrowing for many second before quite a rocky and perilous descent along some stunning trail. 5k in and Luke is well within my sights, running well but it`s still very early doors and have to admit knowing the course profile helps as the first half has the steepest climbs. Pass Luke at 8k and then its uphill field upon field towards the radio mast and the highest point, this can be really draining already some are down to a walk.

Pass the pub at Alderwasley and come to my favourite part of the course, its ever changing scenery from running beside a field to through a farm then woodland then a kissing gate, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. I slow up a little through Shining Cliff woods, tummy issues throughout the race after a party the previous night, last time I listen to `you’ll run it off tomorrow`.

Two years ago it wasn’t all run-able to certainly was this time, come out of Shining Cliffs woods and know I’m on the path home, even the Bovines in the field don’t bother me for once. 18.6 miles is a long way in most people`s books but the undulation (ok sometimes quite hard hills) and terrain do really take it out of the legs so very happy to be getting stronger with age!

Aiming for sub 2:40 and make it in at 2:37 in 42nd place! Rich gets a course PB in 2:48, a very tired but well ran Luke in at 2:50 and Vicki Lowe at 3:14.

A great race which I’ve said many times, friendly and laid back, cheap entry with a great tech T-shirt, even as training it’s a good day out and a lovely course, hope we can get a few more in 2016.  [Rob]

15/16 August 2015 – Dig Deep Peak District

DIG DEEP INTRO ULTRA 31 MILES…
Stuart Gregory was the only Strider to head north for the peak district running festival otherwise know as the dig deep weekend.  Having put in a fairly slow time last year, a plan had been formulated to ensure a much faster time and with 134 competitors starting the race there was all to play for. A run/walk approach from Stuart up to check points 1 and 2 and put him 8 minutes up after just over 9 miles, unfortunately due to a wrong turn, at the check point it took 45 minutes to get back on to the right route having ran 2 miles in the wrong direction this had already added 4 unexpected miles.

From there on it was mainly smooth sailing as by check point three Stuart had been joined by two other runners and began to make up time, non the less he was still an hour behind his target at the bottom of win hill, which marks the completion of a third of the route. This section of the course can only be walked due to it’s steep nature at an average of 32% with some section at 50%. From the top of Win Hill check point 4 after a brief stop to look at the cracking views, we started to make our way down towards Hope village and the cement works, such a nice feeling to walk fast down a hill ”too rocky to run” and not use one’s legs.

A little bit of indecision at check point five saw more time lost, as we arrived at check point 6 in around 6hr 30m 15.5 miles, just over an hour behind last year. As check point six marks the half way point this also acts as one of the main emergency contact points and provides food, water, a rest stop and medical attention if required. 20 minutes later we were off again, overshooting the turn for Bradwell Edge of over half a mile added further distance as we reached check point 7 after another hard climb and most stunning view.

At this stage Stuart had given up on a PB, and had slowed the pace reaching check point eight 45 minutes later than planned after having to walk a further 2.5 miles, due to coming out at the wrong bridge. Things began to run smoother again and it looked as if we were making a lot of time up as we easily found check point 9, and headed off towards check point ten in high sprits, as it looked like I would at least match my time from 2014. Unfortunately this did not last long as it conspired that we had got lost, it later emerged that we were only around 500 to 600 metres from where we should have been and after trying to find a route down to the valley for around 45 minutes a decision was taken after a few calls to race HQ to walk to the nearby car park around a mile away.

At this point we had already completed the required 31 miles with around 5 miles still to go a decision was taken to avoid the final two check points and take a two hour penalty to finish in a time of 14hr 44m 52s once a two hour time penalty was added for missing the two check points. A number of other competitors had also lost their way in the same location but had managed to find their way back in better light conditions.  A good day all round but a little ticker tape required here and there…

DIG DEEP 12.12…

After the previous day, the 12.12 route made for lighter work being fully marked and sign posted and with only one check point.  Having completed 31 miles the day before Stuart pace walked much of the route and duly found out where he should have been the day before, confirming his thinking that he was only 500 metres from where he should have been. As Stuart reached check point one he was slightly down on his time from last year, but after picking the pace up on the second half of the course finish in a time of 3hrs 49m 11s, shockingly 16m 41s quicker than 2014. All in all a good weekend was had by all even if we did get lost from time to time… ah well will hopefully do better next year.  [Stuart]

13 Aug 2015 – Leicester City 5k

12 Aug 2015 – Nottingham City 5k

Stuart Gregory was the only Strider to take part in the final race of the Nottingham 5km series and in perfect running weather lined up with 48 other runners. Before the final race Stuart was sitting just one place outside of the top 20, needing a good result to finish on the first page of the series points standing. Knowing this Stuart started at a steady pace and picked up from there by the half way point it had become clear that he was heading for a high finish on the night.  Stuart then pushed on over the last half mile to move up, and finish the race in a series high 24th place, and a series best time of 27:09, he also just missed out on his first top 10 senior male placing coming in 11th!! senior male overall, but in the biggest surprize of the night did manage to gain enough points to finish in the top 20 overall to round off a very well organized series. [Stuart]

6 August 2015 – Bluebell Chevin Fell Race

Stuart Gregory was the only Stilton Strider to make his way to Derbyshire for the Bluebell Chevin Fell Race (4.57miles) having run a steady time at Huncote the previous day.  Stuart found the first half of the new course very challenging, but was still maintaining a not too distant gap to the main field.  Unfortunately, the second climb up Sunny hill and Chevin hill was a killer.  Nevertheless the second lap of the course proved slightly faster for Stuart who came in 61st and last place, in 1hr 3m 27sec after finding it hard going from the outset.  [Stuart]

5 August 2015 – Huncote Joy Cann 5 (LRRL summer league)

Following the heat of the Hungarton 7, the LRRL summer league returned with the 5 mile race in Huncote, the Joy Cann 5.  Cooler, overcast weather greeted the runners, with a sharp shower thrown in just as many runners were approaching the finish.

Making the most of the conditions on this undulating, but relatively flat, road course was Jason Barton who ran another PB to finish 6th Senior Male (8th position overall) in 27.41.  Also representing the Striders mens team were Luke Eggleston (32.58 PB), Rich Gray (34.11), Tam Nicol (35.29), Nicholas Smith (36.50 PB) and Stuart Gregory (46.10).

Striders’ ladies team was led home by Abi Arnott in 37.38 (PB), closely followed by Lou Houghton (37.56) and Celina Silver (44.16).

1st August 2015 – No walk in the park

After a months break due to unforeseen issues, the no walk in the park series was back, and Stuart Gregory made his way north for the 7th race in the series.  With a slight cold and lots of running in his legs, Stuart set off at a steady pace.  By half way around things had slowed down and he crossed the finish line in his 3rd slowest 5km time to date in 29.11 70th overall. [Stuart]