Author: Murph

Many of us started our parkrun journey at Albert Park, so it was fitting that the biggest Strider turnout of the day was at Albert Parks 500th event. Yvonne Smith, Jennie Johnston and Gavin Morley (again!) all set new PBs. The usual sizable turnout at Tees Barrage to see Jackie Glass continue her streak of new PBs. Striders also in attendance at Sedgefield, Hartlepool, Stewart Park - where David Holmes quietly achieved his 99th run - and Fell Foot was the location for Finlay Penningtons 24th different parkrun location. It's not a race but... Sarah Winter was, for the fourth time, first female finisher at Tees Barrage.

A quieter day on the parkrun front for Striders. We had a small number of athletes at Albert Park, Stewart Park and Redcar - where Shaun Fletcher managed to lower his PB time. And the tourism award goes to Jeanette and Paul Appleton for their appearance at Cambridge. The 29 Striders at Tees Barrage witnessed Rachel Dooris earn herself at 50 club tee shirt, Jackie Glass gaining yet another PB and a long awaited new PB here for Andrew Butterworth. There appears to have been a 27-something gang running and in the midst of that group Gavin Morley also continued with his very impressive lowering of his PB - over 9mins taken off at Tees Barrage this year! It's not a race but... Sarah Winter was second female finisher.

We had three athletes at Sedgefield and one of those, Andrew Laverick, bagged himself a 100 club tee shirt. There were 30 Striders at Tees Barrage to welcome Louise Walters to the 1 club and witness Jackie Glass set a new PB. We had runners at Stewart Park, Hartlepool and an octet of runners at Fountains Abbey which included PBs for Angela Cox and Katie Abel. It's not a race but ... First female at Cadicot was Caroline Horton, whilst first and second males at Albert Park, and both in new PBs, were Phil Swash and Michael Burke.

With a lot of this summer's training effort being focused on Sunday, it was a quieter Strider parkrun day this week. We had two first timers at both Darlington and Sherwood Pines plus another at Fountains Abbey. Three at Albert Park, seven at Stewart Park and a couple at Sedgefield where Leah Fletcher set a new best time. Striders biggest representation was at Tees Barrage where 17 Striders toed the line and it was as close to a Strider takeover of volunteers as we have ever had. Alex Taylor completed his first ever parkrun while Suzanne Brodie joined the 50 club. Bev Harvey claimed a new PB.  

The only T shirt celebration of the week belongs to Gary Forster who collected his 50th parkrun at Tees Barrage. A few PBs here also for Fran Corvesor, Angela Cox and Jonathon Archer. We had Strider first timers at Harrogate, Blackhill, Fountains Abbey and Hackworth parkruns this week. Elsewhere, we also had a single Strider at Stewart Park and Flatts Lane where Tara Oxley enjoyed the hill session to set a new best time. Sedgefield welcomed five Striders, here Gavin Morley grabbed a consecutive PB whilst the eight Striders at Albert Park got a sneak preview of the Gail Robinson marathon finishing pace - it almost feels like every time Gail runs here she sets a new PB!

I did not find anybody joining a parkrun club this week although Paul Appleton joined the unofficial 150 club. This was a week to go on tour and grab a PB in the process. Close to home, we had six Striders at Albert Park - where Lloyd Ryan whistled around in a new PB. Five more Striders attended Stewart Park, where last week's star performer, Jennie Johnston, grabbed a PB for the second week in a row. A mini tour group of nine attended Hartlepool. Fiona Shaw, Racheal Hall, Shaun Fletcher were not going to be outdone by Jennie as they too grabbed consecutive PBs - having thrown down that gauntlet, Gavin Morley and Michael Hodgkiss also raced to a new PB here. We also have to credit Jim Wright…

Seven Striders headed over to the all-new Flatts Lane parkrun this week to check out if all those hill sessions had paid off. There were smaller Strider numbers than usual at Albert Park (2) and Stewart Park (3) as well as some tourism at Sedgefield, Newcastle and Keswick. 42 Striders ran at Tees Barrage. The star of the day was Jennie Johnston who celebrated her 50th parkrun with a shiny new PB. Neil McGee also joined the 50 club, whilst club chair, Andy Johnston, grabbed himself a black t shirt and membership of the 100 club. The cooler autumnal weather seems to have suited many people or was it promise of cake at the finish? Stella Hudson, Fiona Shaw, Janice Long, Gavin Morley, Beverley Harvey, Antony Hamling, Racheal Hall, Shaun…

It's one of those weekends when a lot of athletes have other events at the forefront of their thoughts, so less Striders out at parkrun than usual. That said, we had a runner at Hartlepool, Newcastle and Durham, another four at Stewart Park and five at Albert Park. Tees Barrage saw Striders out in force with 23 runners and a team of seven Strider volunteers under the watchful eye of run director Gail. Alison Brame became the 34th Strider to join the 100 Club whilst Jackie Glass completed her difficult second run and set a new PB in the process. It's taken a while but that must make it all the sweeter -Tara Oxley also grabbed a new PB. It's not a race...but special mentions to Lloyd Ryan who led…

This week saw two Striders at Albert Park and Stewart Park plus another athlete at both Inverness and Hartlepool. Keith Evans set at Striders best at Tring and seven cake munching Striders on tour took on the Conkers parkrun as part of their warm-up for a camping weekend. The big turnout was at Tees barrage with 32 Striders running there, plus five more in Angela's volunteer team, to witness Claire Taylor complete her 50th parkrun and welcome Kay Brown, Jackie Glass and Alexandra Edwards into the 1 club. As far as I can see there was only one Strider PB anywhere and that accolade goes to Gavin Morley. It's not a race but... Lisa Molus was the leading female finisher whilst Lloyd Ryan, David Fender and Paul Johnson lead the…

Albert Park saw the biggest turnout of Striders this parkrun week with 10 athletes taking part. Sarah Winter achieved both a new PB and was the first female finisher. Lisa Molus and Helen McIlvenney filled second and fourth places. Rachel Carr was chasing hard and also PBed. Stewart Park attracted nine Striders - some as part their longer marathon training run, some checking out the relays course? Rachael Hall, third female, and Liz Jordan both claimed new PBs. Sedgefield welcomed six Striders - all of whom put the competing Olympian soundly in their place! In the process both Kirsty Alderthay and Shaun Fletcher lowered their PBs for the course. We also had Striders in attendance at York, Darlington, South Shields, Brockenhurst, Hartlepool and Hackworth  where Andrew Laverick claimed a new…