Press Report February 8

by kevin w » Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:55 am

It was a huge weekend for Springfield Striders with three major highlights of the club calendar all taking place on the same day.

The club hosted the Cold Christmas to Good Easter off road marathon, which had been postponed due to snow earlier in the year. The runners would probably have preferred the snow to the heavy and muddy conditions they faced on a dull, dismal day.

Sean Ketteridge of Colchester Harriers led from start to finish with an excellent time of 3.22. Bob Langley of Halstead Road Runners and Paul Scrivener of Mid Essex Casuals were the other medallists.

Pete Tremain again organised this major operation with precision delivering over 80 runners to the start by coach and ensuring they were all fed and watered at regular intervals as they ploughed their way across fields to the finish.

The Striders have been travelling to Shropshire for over twenty years to compete in the Long Mynd fell weekend.

On Saturday Kerry Marsh finished as third lady on the short out and back course to the top of Titterstone Clee.

Even though a short race it has become notorious over the years in misty conditions and runners leave the summit in all directions. Unfortunately for the Striders Paul Stukas who safely reached the top failed to spot a hidden boulder on the descent through the mirk and fell and broke his arm. However he still finished the race in a respectable time. It is a real shame for a runner who has battled back from a detached retina injury incurred while competing in a triathlon last year.

The main race of the weekend though is the Long Mynd Valleys race, which is as tough a ten miles as can be found in the country.

The Striders’ star fell man Roy Scott became the first Strider in 20 years of trying to beat the two hour mark for this calf burning race as he clocked 1.57.53 for a superb 12th place.

There were weekend prizes for Tim Brockington, John Williams, Andy Kettles and Kerry Marsh with Jason Praill also tackling the main event.

However it was at the Great Bentley Half Marathon where most of the Striders were in action. Over 50 runners sporting the white and yellow vests turned in some superb performances. With the race also doubling up as the Essex Championships the club were out to continue their dominance on the roads of the last two years.

Paul Molyneux was again the man to watch breaking his own club record yet again to claim the individual gold medal in a time of 1.09.02. He was joined in the gold medal winning team by Paul Dobson and Mark Newton. Dobson also picked up silver in the over 40 category with Gary Chandler taking bronze. Chandler claimed another bronze in the team stakes joined by Lee Martin and Mark Waine. There were also golds for Malcolm Savage (over 60) and Lynn Tanner (over 55).

Tanner appears twice in the recently published "Power of 10" for her 5 mile and 10 km times last year.

The ladies team of Nicola Wood, Karen Mills and Nikki Brockbank completed the impressive medal haul with a team bronze.

With 14 medallists it should not be overlooked that there were many Strider PBs lower down the field. Those that in some cases smashed their times by huge margins included Greg Potts, John McEachern, Liz Irvine, Nikki Brockbank, Sarah Wenman, Lauren Ashton, Nicole Callaghan, Kate Mills, Gary Joslin, Mark Newton and James Neugebauer.

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