Author: Murph

First parkrun week of the year and the first milestone tee shirt goes to Ben Petit for his 100th appearance which he completed, along with 27 other Striders and a handful of volunteers, at a breezy Tees Barrage. The next largest Strider turnout was at Stewart Park with others at Albert Park, Flatts Lane, Sedgefield, York, Riverside and Hartlepool where the only Strider PB of the day was recorded by Rachel Carr. The tourism prize goes to the first two Striders to ever attend Pendle. It’s not a race but… Lloyd Ryan set the pace at Albert Park whilst leading the field home and Sarah Winter finished 3Rd female at Tees Barrage.  

The weather took its toll on some of the local parkruns this week and possibly the festive spirit took its toll on some of the athletes with numbers taking part falling sharply. The last parkrun day of the year did not elicit any new PBs or offer any new milestone T shirts to those athletes who performed at Albert Park, Stewart Park and Sedgefield – although Stephen Mitchinson did become the 18th Strider to join the unofficial 150 club. Tourism was rewarded for Jeanette and Paul Appleton as they both set the Strider record at Ormeau parkrun. Lisa and Jason Pattison chose Christmas day at Albert Park to be welcomed into the 50 club. Now to set a 2018 PB.

Only one milestone tee shirt to report on this week and it’s an aubergine 25 volunteer one that goes to Kirsty Alderthay at Tees Barrage where she was joined by 31 Striders out on the course. Striders were scattered far and wide at parkruns this week. We had athletes at Albert Park, Flatts Lane, Stewart Park, Sedgefield, Hartlepool, Inverness, Strathclyde and Stevenage where Vicky Meaby and Kate Butterworth finally did their difficult second run. Only two Pbs across all Striders this week, both at Albert Park. Teresa Parker took one of those. The second goes to Rachael Hall who is now looking back at the 23mins barrier as a thing of the past and planning her assault on sub-22.     It’s not a race but… Lisa Molus took 2nd female…

It was a weekend for the hardy runner, across England parkruns dropped off the list almost as quickly as you could refresh your web browser. A record low of 13 Striders braved those elements to get their running fix for a Saturday morning. A little thing like the weather was not going to stop Lisa Molus getting her 50th run completed at Albert Park ably supported by four other Striders. Hartlepool played host to a further four Striders plus the odd one at Stewart Park. Tourists ventured west out to Princes and south to Andover. It's not a race.... However , Lisa Molus also captured first female finisher at Albert Park and Angela Cox was third female at Hartlepool.

A chilly but calm morning saw Tees Barrage welcome Nigel Radcliffe as the fifth different Strider to don the Run Director vest – ably supported with seven other Strider volunteers. Out on the course 21 Striders ran with PBs for Jade Featherstone and Rachel Dooris and a festive coloured 50 tee shirt goes to Tom Day. We also had athletes at Hartlepool and Flatts Lane. At Redcar David Horton PB’ed with his warm up for the cross country. Did Drew Smallwood and Gavin Morley battle it around the Sedgefield course? Either way, they both claimed new course records. New PBs also for Louisa Houghton and Teresa Parker at Albert Park and Suzanne Brodie at Stewarts Park. It’s not a race but… Lisa Molus again grabbed 3rd at Albert Park.  

Striders at Stewart Park, Flatts Lane, Catterick and Inverness. Liz Simpson earned herself a nice aubergine tee shirt at Tees Barrage as one of the seven Strider volunteers on the day and Kevin Dove earned a nice festive red one.  There were 28 Striders braving the conditions. These clearly suited Zoe Walls, Jade Featherstone, Andy Johnston and Sarah Winter and they all glided over the course to set new PBs. It took almost exactly three years to put the 22min barrier behind her at Albert Park but this was the week Caroline Horton smashed it. Stella Hudson joined in the celebrations with her own new PB. It’s not a race but… Sarah Winter dipped on the line for 1st again at Tees Barrage and Lisa Molus grabbed 3rd at Albert…

The big Strider parkrun turn this week was again at Tees Barrage with 25 athletes and seven athletic, if somewhat cold, looking volunteers. That includes a 25th volunteer appearance for Adam Potter. Finlay Pennington joined the small band of Striders with 200 runs under their belt. Paul Johnson acted as the trail blazer leading the field of runners through the icy patches. We also had Striders at Sedgefield - PB for Jonathon Archer - Albert Park and Stewart Park. Further afield tourism runs at Leamington, another PB for David Edwards, and at sunny Seaton for Stella Hudson. It's not a race but... Paul Johnson was first overall at Tees Barrage and Lisa Molus came in as third female at Albert Park.

First things first, Jonathon Archer was so quick at Tees Barrage last week we missed his PB. Albert Park was again the place to be this week. Eight Striders and the first eight finishers all sub 17min! One of those, in a very impressive new PB of 16:52 was Lloyd Ryan. Tees Barrage saw a big turnout of Striders as volunteers under the leadership of Angela Cox. The 37 runners included 3 PBs for Stella Hudson, Jade Featherstone and Kevin Dove - and with a bit more encouragement from her pacer we could have added Gail too. We also had athletes at Stewart Park, Hartlepool, Sedgefield, Flatts Lane - PB for Finlay Pennington - and tourist of the week was PB setting Helen McIlvenny at Horton. It's not a race…

Albert Park appeared to be the place to be this week. Eight Striders and PBs for Dean Philillips, Philip Morley, Rachel Dooris, Neil McGee, Sarah Winter and Finlay Pennington. The Tees Barrage crowd witnessed Jade Featherstone join the 1 club and Louise Walters complete her difficult second run in a new PB. Not to be outdone, Rebecca Stout also PB'ed. We also had Striders at Stewart Park, Flatts Lane, Sedgefield - PB for David Edwards, Hartlepool and Darlington - PB for Fran Corvesor. Further afield we had tourists at Hull, Stretford and a new Striders all comers record for Suzanne Brodie at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea It's not a race but... Caroline Horton was first female at Hartlepool and Sarah Winter was second female finisher at Albert Park.

David Holmes became the newest Strider to gain the black tee shirt at parkrun when he completed Stewart Park this week. We also had runners at Albert Part, Sedgefield, Blackhill, Tees Barrage, Flatts Lane and Hartlepool. Two PBs to report, Angela Cox at Tees Barrage and Liz Jordan at Flatts Lane. It's not a race but... Sarah Winter was again first female finisher at Tees Barrage with Lisa Molus, Rachel Dooris, Helen McIlvenny and Lucy Owens filling positions 2, 4, 5 & 6 respectively. Rachael Hall grabbed third female finisher at Hartlepool.