October racing: Stroud Half, Eastnor 7, Abingdon & Amsterdam marathons, Gloucester 10k
Stroud Half Marathon
** **Sunday 21 October 2018
On a perfect morning for distance running, a crop of Striders assembled to race the annual Stroud Half Marathon. With the biggest field in its history, the event once again provided some great results for club athletes.
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First home for the Striders was Will Ferguson, continuing his fine form in his year of PB-setting by clocking a new club record and PB time of 1:11:00 dead, for sixth place overall. Next home, running his third half marathon in just a month, was Will Pearce, in a solid 1:22:43 and 39thplace. He was followed home by Jon Howes, who surprised himself with a quick time of 1:24:15 and Alex Monro who ran a second PB in just a few weeks of 1:28:13.
Helen Knight was the first lady home for the club, once again only just outside the magic 1:30 mark in a super time of 1:30:43. Helen was followed home by the club’s second lady finisher, Sarah Richards, in a PB time of 1:30:52. The next Striders finisher was Paul Northup, continuing his return from injury with a 2-minute improvement on his Cheltenham Half time in 1:31:28. In only his second half marathon, Eoin McQuone clocked a solid 1:33:39 and super-vet Edward Collier finished in 1:35:55. John Willson completed his third half marathon in just a month in a time of 1:39:48.
Javid Norat finished in 1:41:06, Andrew Gage ran a PB time of 1:44:31, Kyle Sollars clocked 1:52:00, Emma Abbey finished in 1:57:20, Jill Hooper registered 1:59:55, Sue Clark finished in 2:00:14, and Dave Mayo, in his first race for two years after struggling with injury, battled round for his 2:24:27.
Abingdon and Amsterdam Marathons
** **Sunday 21 October
Over the longer full marathon distance, two intrepid Striders faced the 26.2 mile-distance in Abingdon and Amsterdam. Running his fifth marathon, vet Gavin Jerman battled chronic calf cramps to run an incredibly even-paced PB time of 3:31:14. Meanwhile, across the channel in Holland, cross-country specialist Tom Fletcher ran a really solid 3:19:43 around the iconic Amsterdam course.
Eastnor 7
** **Sunday 21 October
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Over in the beautiful parkland of Eastnor Castle, four Striders took on the challenging Eastnor 7, a trail run through some of the most beautiful countryside in the region. On the day, Andrew Paterson came home first for the club in 10th place in a best course time for him of 51:12. Next home for the Striders – and second lady overall in 20th place – was the evergreen Amelia Mullins, in a strong time of 56:30. James Gibbs came home in 29th place in 57:41 and Charlie Haward clocked 1:12:09 in 95th place.
Gloucester 10k
** **Sunday 28 October
On a surprisingly cold and windy Sunday morning, and only one week after setting his Half Marathon PB in Stroud, Will Ferguson finished 17th in a highly competitive 10k field, only just outside his 10k PB, in a superb time of 32:21. Next home for the club was the determined Rachael Cary, finishing just outside 40 minutes in 40:19. Also running for the club were Nigel Bailey, who clocked 45:25, and Emily Pilkington, who registered 56:52.
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