Trail

With 79 at efforts on Tuesday evening and another 60+ at the Good, Bad and Ugly a surprising number still turned out for two Striders’ organised trail races this week.

48 Striders travelled to the Huffer Puffer on Wednesday with Chris Burgoyne and Tracey Woodyard taking the honours. The weather held for the majority of the field and their were some excellent runs notably from Tony Hopwood and Allison Cook.

On Sunday 35 Striders tackled the latest Lakeland trail from Bocking. A long course but on fast tracks enabled a few unfamiliar names to appear at the top of the leader board. Top Strider was club captain Anthony Marsh with Paul Anderson close behind. The Woodyards were next with Tracey claiming first prize yet again.

Read more: Lee and Sarah Triumph at Terling

Dave Game came up with two very convoluted courses from Langford Village Hall but his excellent instructions matched the challenge.

Jamie and Tracey Woodyard were the only finishers under the hour and at times their local knowledge was a hindrance as the course took some unexpected turns. Tim Brockington came third for a Strider clean sweep.

In the shorter four mile event Mark Waine romped home though he already had some prior knowledge of the course as he had finished 5th in the longer race. Karen Chapman chalked up her first ever win and Dawn Potter was third in the ladies event.

The Striders have been on the trails in the last week at three different trail races.

The Felsted trail race, which was run in blazing conditions, saw Mark Waine win the shorter distance without falling flat on his face and captain Anthony Marsh was a fine third. The top Strider lady was as usual Tracey Woodyard. In the longer run the top Striders were Darren Coates and Tracey Alexandrou.

Last Saturday two Striders managed to find out about a Thrift Green Trotters trail race from one of our regular pub run pubs the Viper. Jamie Woodyard and Anthony Marsh thought that the route was excellent and we will use it for a pub run later this summer. Apparently the results are also being kept a secret.

This Sunday it was the countryside around Duton Hill that saw two races and there was also an excellent beer festival at the local pub. The closure of two footbridges meant that there was quite a bit of turning back on oneself and those that did not read their instructions carefully were likely to go off course although they were still on the course if you see what I mean. You had to be there. The strong wind sent you off at a rate of knots but of course you had to struggle back against it. Some very nice paths and deep ditches were negotiated by all with the top Striders being Darren Coates again in the longer run and Roger Gooding (2^nd) in the 7 miler. Top ladies were Kerry Marsh and Katherine Hull.

There are plenty more trails in the offing with the three legged trail at Rayne on Wednesday, the Striders birthday trail next Saturday and a Tiptree race on the Sunday.