Category: Run reports

It was event 3 of the Track and Field series last Tuesday. Katie Abel, Antony Hamling, first timer Lee Hamilton, Stephen King, Tom Day and myself representing the club. First up was the High Jump. It was a disaster. I nearly knocked myself unconscious by slipping and hitting my head on the metal upright. So that was my evening done. It gets worse. The guy behind me ended up in hospital after slipping and dislocating his knee.  Things improved on the relative safety of the track. In the 800 metres Tom recorded an excellent 2 mins 26 secs in his heat. Ste won his heat in a lifetime best of 2 mins 43 secs. Great stuff. Antony and Katie ran consistent times of just over 3 minutes. Our resident 200…

It was a decent turnout at the barrage on Saturday. 39 Striders ran and a few more volunteered. Conditions were good and so were the performances.  Debbie Edwards wasn't hanging around - and a big pb and lifetime best parkrun time ensued. Great work Debbie. Teresa Parker ran superbly - and was rewarded with a pb and a regional age grading. Nice on Teresa. Amy Galillee was running so that, of course, meant a pb for her - making it a fantastic 10 pb's in 10 weeks. Not to be left out, Paula Newton and Scott Henderson got new pb's and Helen Mcilvenny was 3rd female finisher. Andy J, Anne D, Ben R, Dave F, Elizabeth M, Gail R, Helen J, Jennie J, Karen C, Katy W, Nigel R, Sam…

It was a pleasant sunny morning at the barrage on Saturday - and 20 Striders turned up to have a nice run. Of those, 4 walked away with new pb's. Stevie Cooper and Antony Hamling are both in great form and took 27 and 34 seconds respectively off previous best barrage times. I bumped into Janice Long the day before and suggested that conditions at the barrage would be good for a fast time. She took full advantage, running a barrage pb and her second fastest parkrun time ever. Nice one Janice. Nicola Darragh was the final member of the barrage pb club. Andy J, Ben R, Beverley H, Claire T, Colin, Gail R, Karen C and Sue R all volunteered. Elsewhere, Tracy Bradburn continued her impressive run of form…

A few weeks ago I predicted that 2019 could be a breakthrough year for Amelia Whitehouse. Like Amy Gallilee before her, Amelia had been getting tantalizingly close to a first sub 30 minute 5k. Well, I'm delighted to report that she broke the 30 minute mark in spectacular style at the barrage on Saturday - bypassing 29 minutes completely to record a time of 28.59. Well done Amelia, that's an absolutely brilliant performance. Another Strider in top form is Tracy Bradburn. It was 4 pb's in 4 weeks for Tracy, and a lifetime parkrun best of under 32 minutes. Great work Tracy. Sarah Winter was 3rd female finisher whilst Adam, Claire T, Gail, Gareth, Neil M, Nigel, Philip B and Viv all volunteered. Dave Fender failed his fitness test and…

We'll begin, as always, at the barrage. 32 Striders took part - with Tracy Bradburn continuing her excellent run of form by recording a 3rd pb in as many weeks. It was a good day for the men with Striders in positions 3 to 6. Of those, Jamie Bentley and Ben Warwick took 44 seconds and 1 minute respectively off previous pb times. Great going guys. Sarah Winter was second female finisher. Adam, Angela, David M, Julia C, Lisa P, Sue R and Viv all volunteered. Elsewhere, we had pb's for Andrew Hall and Phillip Baines at Albert Park. Fiona Shaw pb'd at Ayr as did Janice Long at Stewart Park. Katie Abel and Andrew Laverick do seem to like the coast. After recent pb's at Redcar they did the…

It was a more low-key affair for Tuesday's second athletics meeting at Middlesbrough. Katie, Antony, Scott and myself representing the club. First up was the Discus. In a huge competition, Scott won the men's senior event with a throw around the 26 metre mark. Good work Scott. Katie was competing in an unbelievably strong woman's competition. (The first 3 ladies throwing longer than Scott) She did really well, and after some technical advice from Scott, got a personal best of just under 13 metres. Next up was the 100 metres. Scott, a very successful sprinter in his youth, went off in heat 1 with the elites. He recorded a speedy time of just under 13 seconds. Antony had recorded a sub 30 second 200 metre time the previous week. On…

30 Striders attended the barrage parkrun on Saturday - where Amelia Whitehouse put in a superb performance. Having equaled her barrage best a few weeks ago, this time she smashed it by over 30 seconds. I have a sneaky suspicion that this could be a breakthrough year for Amelia, and wouldn't be surprised to see a sub 30 minute time from her by the end of 2019. Andrew Hall had the benefit of some free pacing from a skinny, old, bloke. It must have helped a little as he took a minute and a half off his previous best time. Good stuff Andrew. Jason Pattison and Beverley Harvey also shaved a couple of seconds off previous best times. Sarah Winter was 2nd female finisher. Adam P, Angela C, Antony H,…

A nice little stat to start with. Following a spate of new memberships, Striders are now the most represented club at the barrage parkrun - overtaking Billingham Marsh House.  We've now got 186 members who have recorded at least one run at the event - and have notched up an impressive 7113 runs in total. Club chairman Andy Johnston put in a shift at a sodden Ropner Park last Tuesday. His training efforts were rewarded with a new pb and a first sub 22 minute time at the barrage. Nice one Andy. Charlton Athletic fan Tom Day ran a quick time to notch another pb, and move himself up to 69 on the top 500 list. Good work Tom. Aaron Atkinson collapsed in a heap after crossing the finishing line.…

In most of Stevie Cooper's previous 157 runs at the barrage he'd finished in around the 22 minute mark - but never dipped under. With a little 'polite encouragement' from me in the final mile, he finally got his sub 22 time on Saturday. Great work Steve, thoroughly deserved, I'm very pleased for you. A similar story with David Edwards. I can't be sure, but it looks like some more pacing was occurring, and David dipped under 24 minutes for the first time in over 100 barrage runs. Nice one David. Not to be outdone, Philip Baines recorded a lifetime parkrun best. Dave Fender failed his fitness test and didn't run. Adam, Andy J, Antony, Ben R, Gail, Helen J, Helen W, Julia C, Lisa M, Liz S, Sam J…

The tears were streaming down my face as I drove to check on Dave's availability on Saturday. It was his birthday you see, (he's 83) and I had visions of matron , once again, standing at the entrance, with that familiar sombre look and shake of the head. Another failed fitness test. But when I arrived matron was nowhere to be seen... and was that music I could hear in the background? Creeping round to a side window I peered in - and what a sight! All the residents (who were able) were dancing, whilst matron was doing back-flips. At the far side of the room Dave was playing 'A Taste Of Honey' on the trumpet - with an intensity not seen since Herb Alperts famous performance in 1965. Dave…