Race reports - 5 and 7 April 2023

Playing the short game.

As Easter weekend approached, CLC Striders athletes fixed their sights on the shorter 5k distance. On Wednesday 5 April two competed in the first race in the Hereford Couriers 5k series and on Friday 7 April three took part in the first Bristol Track 5k of the season at Odd Down in Bath.

Over at Hereford on a soggy Wednesday evening Helen Knight and Rachel Vines battled hard over the 5k distance, starting from Hereford Racecourse on a route through the surrounding suburban roads. Helen Knight finished as 1st last in her VF40 category in a fabulous new PB time and club record of 18:34, while Rachel Vines came in as 2nd in the VF40 category in a time of 19.44, comfortably under the 20-minute marker. Both laid down great markers that augur well for fast times to come over the spring and summer.

Down at the Odd Down cycle track in Bath, on Good Friday, Chris Driskell, Paul Northup and Joel Freeland ran in the first wave of a series of races that drew athletes from near and far. Running his first 5k for many years, Chris Driskell started steadily and came through strongly to finish in a time of 19:01 in 9th position in his V45 category. Chris was followed closely by Paul Northup in a time of 19:04 in 8th in his V55 age category and, nursing a tender calf, Joel Freeland in a time of 19:13.

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