In this edition we profile a current club member (Greeba Heard), her incredible progress and motivation, then highlight members’ charitable fundraising efforts and revamp the London Marathon eligibility criteria for the club’s place(s) plus introduce our new race “the Bison Bash” as well as a round up of the many events over the last month or so.
Please go to the race page for more details…!
With the clocks moving to BST, our thoughts turn to long summer evenings, with club runs over the fields and footpaths – and maybe retiring to a country pub afterwards for a little socialising. If this sounds like your sort of thing, then check out the summer outruns page and we’ll be announcing this year’s schedule shortly – starting on 1st May.
Please see the link below for this month’s Striders newsletter, including a welcome to our newest members, messages from our new club captains, race reports, upcoming events, diary dates and more…
A small group of Stilton Striders travelled to Burbage Common near Hinckley for the 91st Leicestershire and Rutland Cross Country Championships.
On a mild misty day with rain having fallen on the course overnight, the course was soft underfoot with some very muddy sections. Third race of the day was the under 20, senior and masters (over 35) women’s race and Natalie Teece had a fantastic run covering the advertised 6k (more like 4.3 miles) in 30 min 19 secs to claim a bronze medal in the masters category and 11th place overall. Natalie went on to celebrate by running an extra 10 mile training run after the race…
Final race of the day was the men’s under 20, senior and masters race over 10k (6.5 miles). First back for the Striders was Darren Glover (44 min 15 secs, 72nd overall, 26th in masters category), followed by Paul Geeson (after a parkrun in the morning, 46.32, 99th overall, 37th in category) and Nick Brown (46.50, 104th overall, 41st in category).
Great enjoyable event. [Darren]
A nice muddy run for the few Striders that joined 341 runners at Huncote ending the year. This is a friendly approx 10 k covering footpaths, a climb up Croft Hill and a stream crossing.
Rob Beers led the way in 52.01, Paul Geeson 53.31, Vicki Lowe 61.00, Matt Chalmers 61.51, Rebecca forester 74.13 , Sarah Lawrence 74.14, Jacqui Riley and Dan Howley 74.16. [Vicki]
So I travelled up the road to have a dirty run in the annual Gaddesby Gallop, I’d like to do more X country but they tend to be on a Saturday which is a bit awkward for me but I was given the green light for this with strict instructions to meet the other half for lunch before half 12. I did the run got home had a shower and was in the pub in town by quarter past 12 where 5 mins later my lunch arrived, perfect.
Anyway, the Gallop is a 5.2 mile off road race with a dew pond, a drainage pipe and Stream crossing as well as stiles and gates to contend with. And a christmas hat to wear if you want. A field of 120 gathered in quite decent conditions on the day and I wasn’t sure how my new bright yellow inov 8 would perform in the mud so I took it steadyish to start and as my confidence grew and started to get a feel for it I worked my way through the field catching people all the way round feeling good.
I finished in 10th position in 38min 2 secs, other Striders running were Christie Jones one of our new recruits who got round in 51 min 27 in 69th place and just behind was Steve Dewick in 52.10 in 74th. But run of the day must go to another Strider , I didn’t know who he was (or that he was a Stilton Strider) until I saw the results but in 5th place , in 36 min 23 secs was Owen Blair, who is a junior. Amazing run, I spoke to him and his dad briefly after congratulating him on his run, he was only a little lad, very impressive.
I really enjoyed it, great event, bring on more mud.
[Darren]
Overshadowed by Seagrave but a day with far better weather our small but happy band of Stilton’s headed to race 2 of the Derby XC league at Markfield.
So having done near 17 miles of Seagrave challenge the day before the quads weren’t great, luckily for me I was joined by a great team of XC newbie Matt Gayton, the Stilton debut of Mark Ashmore (and his Junior runners!), in form Natalie Teece and Striders legend Nick Brown. Matt asked a pretty good question before hand “These are the same people who run the league runs?” yes totally, same people from the same clubs no Dathan Rietznhein clones, same people as you beat in the league runs!
Today is one of the races where they split Male and female runners by 10 min staggered start, I’ll be honest the worst bit in these races are the starts when 400+ plus blokes go all out sprint for the first corner. I`m pretty much taking my time and enjoying it, not far in I’m forced to anyway as my laces somehow come undone three separate times! Once the pack starts to thin out they do get a lot more friendlier and enjoyable. Because this series is now so popular or even oversubscribed, very much like a fell race your stuck often in lines and have to take your passing chances when you can get them, let’s be honest they are all a good bit of fun so don’t no use getting upset over your garmin time. This is my first race in spikes and very happy given its now getting quite muddy underfoot, the others grumbled about the uphill’s but today I felt I did some of my best work on the ups and downs. So with the lace problems of earlier most of the race for me was a negative split and playing catch up which actually made it very enjoyable.
Matt and Mark had a pretty good race, Nick did far better than he`ll let on! Natalie had a stormer (told her she would!) being 2nd lady most of the way and eventually 4th, pretty sure she can go on from this and score even higher. Naturally no PB`s or sterling efforts from myself but enjoyed massively see you at Bagworth Heath! [Rob]
Holly Hayes – Race 1 of the 2016/17 Derby Runner XC series
A great turn out for the first run this year of the excellent Derby Runner Cross Country series, on Sarah Lawrence’s birthday. The debut of the shiny new club tent was successful and we have a photo to prove it!
It was a two lap course, about 5.7 miles long and only a bit undulating. After a leisurely start, we embarked on a lovely autumnal run through the woods, with only a bit of mud and five river crossings, including the Mann trap on the home straight.
Luke Eggleston came past running really well and finished in 80th place (41.22), then Greg Pettingill (46.14), Matt White (51.16), Clive Kent (55.41) and Ben Pickard (who diverted to rescue a fellow runner and finished in 57.30). Vicki Lowe was the first Stilton lady home in 63rd place (53:23), followed by Sarah Lawrence (66.51), Charlotte Allen (68.58), and finally Jenny Kent and Laura Pickard (73.50 and 73.51). The support from marshals and volunteers was fantastic with great Halloween-themed costumes and enthusiastic cheering! Followed by a lovely pub lunch at the Copt Oak.
Next time we need to remember a table, cake, flasks and mugs for tea, water, loo roll (no toilets!) and the club flag… [Jenny]
