Author: Murph

23 Striders attended the alternative parkrun course at Tees Barrage this week. It was a successful debut as run director for Gail Robinson, with a strong team of Striders in support as volunteers. Adam Potter joined the growing number of Striders in the 100 club and Donna McDermott joined the 2 club. At Albert Park, Gavin Morley, Tegan Monty and Stevie Cooper all PB’ed. We also had athletes at Stewart Park, Sedgefield and Hartlepool locally. Whilst further afield we had representation at Bradford, Penrith, Birkenhead, Lancaster, Andover – where Keran Hodgson set a new best time and Lanhydrock where Andrew Laverick did likewise.

Another record week at Stewart Park saw over 400 park runners in attendance, five of whom were Striders and one of those, Michelle Hart, grabbed a new PB. There were PBs aplenty elsewhere – Rachael Hall at Albert Park – whilst also getting to 150 parkruns. Jennie Johnston (again!), Amelia Whitehouse, Gavin Morley and Racheal Carr at Tees Barrage.  Lucy Owens and Jim Wright at Darlington and Hartlepool respectively. We also had athletes at Sedgefield, Hackworth, Gibside and Rising Sun.

Another week of record attendances across parkrun, locally Stewart Park saw a new record attendance of 399 which included five Striders. Albert Park also hosted five Striders including Steve Mitchinson claiming a new PB and Helen Hall completing her difficult second run in a new PB. Elsewhere, we also had Striders at Sunderland, Sedgefield and Hartlepool – Congrats to Helen Walker for a new PB there. Our big turnout was at a Tees Barrage with good conditions for a quick run. So whilst Donna McDermott joined the 1 club and Phil Swash did his difficult second run in a new PB – Jennie Johnston, Bev Harvey, Dean Philips, Racheal Hall, Leah Fletcher, Keith Evans, Gary Forster, Sam Johnston and Jim Wright all took advantage of the conditions and also PB’ed.…

The big Strider turnout of parkrun day was the 19 athletes at Albert Park where Fiona Shaw became the 31st current Strider to join the 100 club. Emma Smurthwaite opened her parkrun account and joined the 1 club. It was also a good morning for Janice Long, Rachael Hall, Michelle Hart, Sam Johnston, Ben Robinson and Jim Wright all of whom lowered their PB times.  Elsewhere, there were 13 Striders at Tees Barrage. Here Keran Hodgson joined the 50 club and Chris Newton PB'ed. Further afield there were also Striders at Whitley Bay, Sedgefield, Stewart park, Hartlepool and Fountains Abbey.

It’s a holiday weekend and parkrunners were out in force throughout the country meaning a record national attendance of over 120,600 athletes completing an event.  Hand in hand with that goes record attendances at many individual events such as Keswick and Bideford where there were Striders in attendance. Tees Barrage also saw a new record attendance including 28 Striders and new PBs for Teresa Parker, Drew Smallwood and Leah Fletcher. Of the 13 Striders who ran Albert Park, Sam Johnston continued his sequence of PBs and Rachael Hall added another one to her list. I always feel any 80%+ age grading is worth a mention – well done Caroline Horton. There were Striders at lots of other locations including Stewart Park, Hartlepool, Newcastle and Ayr. At Penrith Finlay Pennington grabbed…

Twenty seven Striders, many armed with collection buckets to aid with the AED fund appeal, attended Tees Barrage parkrun in ideal weather conditions. Sarah Winter did the double by collecting a PB and being first female finisher. Sam Johnston also had cause for a double celebration by completing his 150th parkrun in a new PB for the course. Lindsey Spires, Claire Taylor, Rachael Hall, Leah Fletcher and Michelle Hart all took advantage of the conditions to set their new PBs. Phil Swash joined the one club. Elsewhere, we had athletes at Redcar, Stewart Park, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Northallerton and Hackworth where Katie Abel took 3rd female finisher and also set a new Striders record for that course. Gavin Morley grabbed a new PB at Albert Park – there have now been…

Well, the winter training sessions seem to be paying off in abundance for the Striders who attended a parkrun this week. So, prepare for quite a list. Albert Park saw 13 Striders including Sam leading the way as a pacer and PBs for Janice Long, David Holmes, Gary Forster and Andrew Laverick. Five Striders hit the hills of Sedgefield where Jill Abel, Keith Evans, Katie Abel and Michael Fawcett all raced to PBs, with Katie also being third female finisher. Helen Walker completed her difficult second parkrun at Hartlepool and Leah Fletcher completed hers at Tees Barrage. There were 28 Striders at Tees Barrage with Helen McIlvenny first female home and Lucy Owens racing to a PB and second female, David Fender and Paul Johnson again battled it out to be…

The headline this week goes to Julia Coleby as she completed her 100th parkrun at Tees Barrage. You had a feeling before the start of the Tees Barrage parkrun that the conditions were set for a quick one and it did not disappoint with 58 people recording best times. That included 12 of the 36 Striders! So congratulations go to Kelly Atherton, Gavin Morley, Suzanne Brodie, Jan Wilkinson, Mark Watson, Darren Smart, Shaun Fletcher, Helen McIlvenny, Andy Johnston, Finlay Pennington, Paul Johnson and David Fender. David and Paul were locked in a bit of a battle as they finished 2nd and 3rd male – Sarah Winter was 3rd female finisher. Liz Simpson, complete with an ample supply of cakes, completed her 200th run. Elsewhere, there was a Strider at Albert…

Northallerton parkrun welcomed three new Striders to their event for the first time this week and one of those, Katie Abel, romped around to be the first female finisher. Vicky Meaby and Kate Butterworth selected Hartlepool to do their first ever parkrun. Elsewhere there were PBs aplenty – Kelly Atherton at Albert Park, Michael Fawcett at Sedgefield, Gavin Morley, Richard Whitehouse, Andy Johnston and Ben Robinson at Tees Barrage and tourist of the week Michelle Hedley at Keswick. Viv Murphy became our newest member of the 200 club at Tees Barrage just pipping Liz Simpson to the post. Liz now just needs to find 3 seconds to celebrate in style next week – oh, and some cake of course!

16 Striders toed the line at Albert Park parkrun this week and when crossing the finish line Janice Long had completed her 50th event. Helen McIlvenny was the second woman finisher whilst Paula Newton, Suzanne Brodie, Gail and Ben Robinson all grabbed personal bests on the course. At Tees barrage Paul Johnson pipped David to take 3rd male position – amongst the 25 other Striders following them home Drew Smallwood, Michelle Hart, Andrew Laverick and Thomas Day all had a good morning and lowered their best times. Stewart Park saw a new record attendance which included four Striders, two of whom – Mark Dickinson and Gary Forster – grabbed themselves new best times. A bit of tourism going on at Hartlepool where five of the six Striders attending were visiting…