News from Sandbach Striders 09/06/2014

Last Monday Sandbach Striders running club held their annual relay competition for their members. 

Perry Wyatt, Lucy Lee and Steve Treweeks at the club relay

This year it was held at the Cumberland athletics track in Crewe. The race was held over three heats which each participant running two 400m laps per heat. The winning team consisted of Steve Treweeks, Lucy Lee and Perry Wyatt.

On Saturday an untypically low turnout of Striders at the free weekly parkrun at Astbury Mere in Congleton allowed Amy Mayell to be first Strider home in a time of 36:09 with Lucy Lee and her son Nathan following closely behind in 40:02

The number of free weekly parkruns continues to increase around the UK and this weekend sae the start of a new event in Rochdale, Lancashire. Located at the Watergrove reservoir club chairman Michael Escolme ran the inaugural event in torrential rain in 35:32.

Mary Chadwick and Michael Escolme at Watergrove parkrun

Blenheim Palace was the destination of choice for ten Striders in order to participate in this year’s Blenheim triathlon. Held in aid of Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research the sprint event comprises of a 750m open-water swim followed by a 19.8km bike and finally a 5.7km run. 

The full results were:

01:27:27 Paul Barnett
01:31:59 Jason Bulley
01:35:27 Rick Kelso-Davies
01:35:22 Chris Coppenhall
01:41:04 Terry Coppenhall
01:42:14 Jo Bulley
01:46:38 Cheryl Hutchins
01:49:35 Clare Pheasey
01:52:48 Catherine Greaves
02:22:06 Rachel Collett

Striders at Blenheim Triathlon

Also in action at the Big Welsh Trail Half Marathon, a 13.1 mile around the hills and mud of Coed Llangdela Forest in Wales was Jill young who finished the race in 2:29:31. Philip Truman opted for the 10k version of the event and finished in 1:05:10.

Jill Young at Big Welsh Trail

Finishing off a full day of running events was the Sandstone trail race. Starting in Whitchurch and finishing 33 miles later in Frodsham. Two Striders completed the event Elaine Tatham in 8 hours 2 minutes and followed 2 minutes later by Paul Nicholls.

Paul Nicholls at Sandstone Trail

On Sunday the ever-popular Potter’s Arf was run. This 13.1 mile half-marathon takes in a tour of Stoke-on-Trent and following tradition was once more held on a sunny summer day. It is one of the best supported events in the country and this year was no exception with thousands of the Potteries residents lining the streets to cheer the runners along. Five Striders braved the hills and the heat to collect their medals, t-shirts and commemorative plate. 

Lindsay shows off some of the Potters 'Arf goody bag contents.

Steve Farnell managed to complete the holy grail of running a personal best time this year at every principal race distance. Lindsay Beeston ran his first ever half-marathon, Tom Mayell also earned himself a new personal best time for a half-marathon. 

Steve Farnell, Michael Escolme, Karen Lovatt, Tom Mayell at Potters' 'Arf

01:40:42 Steve Farnell
01:47:02 Tom Mayell
01:51:30 Michael Escolme
01:51:56 Lindsay Beeston
02:30:14 Karen Lovatt


Completing a busy weekend of running was Tony Taylor who competed in the Carsington 7+, a 12.5km trail race run on mountain bike tracks around Carsington Lake. This event now in its third year is run to raise funds for the RSPCA. Tony finished in 53:26 and came 9th out of 223 runners winning his age category.

Tony Taylor at the Carsington 7+ trail race