Scrabo Striders Article 25th October 2022

Last weekend the focus shifted from road to cross country for member of Scrabo Striders Running Club, as the Bobby Rea Memorial International Cross Country took place on Saturday 22nd October at the Billy Neill MBE country park. The event is part of the Athletics NI Cross Country League so attendance was high, with athletes competing to gain points for their club and their county. As was expected the going was muddy with a route change from previous years.

In the Boys Under 10 race Scrabo Striders Adam Haylett and Rory Braniff completed the 1 kilometre course in 4 minutes 12 and 4:22 respectively, taking 52nd and 65th place in a field of 81 competitors, while in the U12 Boys race Archie Lappin covered the 1.5km distance 5:52 taking 99th place in a field of 112.

The distance steps up to 2.5km for the Boys U14 competition where Luke Braniff took 86th place in 9 minutes 53 seconds in a pack of 110 runners while Riley Hanna covered the 3.5km course in the U16 Boys race in 14:30.  Great to see the junior members of the club stepping up to the challenge of cross country so well done all.

The distance steps up again, this time to 6km for the Senior Women and Men 60+ race. Scrabo Striders had a dozen ladies compete with Shannon Clegg first across the line for the club in 27 minutes 46 seconds, followed by Rachel Lyttle 31:32, Martina Finn 34:30, Claire Briggs 38:11, Pillippa Wilson 41:07, Emma Johnston and Emma McCracken both on 41:14 and Sheena Crone in 41:59. Braving the tough hills of this new route Jenna Lavery was next for Scrabo in 42:19 followed by Hannah Robinson and Cheryl McCartney in 49:32. Great running ladies.

In the same race Norman Mawhinney took overall 4th position as first Scrabo Strider home in 25:33 followed by John Brown in overall 24th place in a time of 32:15. Thirty-one ran.

The final race of the day was the Senior Men over an 8km course. Ten Scrabo Striders competed with Thomas Steele first Strider home in 32:51, 96th position in field of 220 runners. Next in for Scrabo was Andy Haylett in 35:15 followed by Norman Mawhinney (his second race of the day) in 36:37, Graeme McGowan 37:11, Jonathan Bull 39:11, Peter Briggs 41:49, Michael Burgess 42:24, Johnny Wray 42:31, Steven Pearson 48:46 and Heath Graham in 48:52. Well done all.

Scrabo Striders members continue to feature heavily in two popular competitive running series. In the Fibrus Fives, a series of 5km and 5 mile races Norman Mawhinney is currently 3rd after 12 races and also 5th place in the Cinema Coffee 10k Series with Scrabo’s A team placed 1st presently and the B team 6th.

Saturday morning Parkrun, the weekly timed running events at a park near you proved as popular as ever with 46 Striders taking part across 15 different venues. Ten runners tried out a new venue for the first time with 5 course personal best times achieved, namely Kieran McNamara 21:29, Michael Burgess 22:09 and Catherine Lavery 27:41 at Ward Park, Bangor while Graeme Farrington 25:66 at Stormont and Matthew Halus 20:48 at Dunleath Playing Fields to claim 2nd place!

Second place spots were also grabbed by Daniel Clarke at Stormont in 20:13 and Curtis McCaw at Comber finishing in 18:48. Fantastic times gents. The furthest from home Parkruns this week were completed by Paul and Lynn Sheldon at Whinlatter and Ian and Carol Bailie at Rother Valley, both in England.

Junior Parkrun takes place on Sunday mornings and young Striders turned out in force at Comber, with Joe Brown finishing in 9 minutes 38 seconds, Adam Haylett 09:44, Isabella Haylett 09:54 for 2nd female placement, Keara Simpson 10:32, Liam Robinson 11:01, Faye Alexander and Lexi Brown in 12:25, Olly Simpson 13:26, Jack Robinson 13:27, Eva Alexander 13:32, Rachel Brown 15:46 and Lydia Blair 15:57. Over at Bangor junior Parkrun  Willow Farrington took 3rd female place in a time of 08:45. Well done all.  The kids run a 2km course.

Scrabo Striders offer four training sessions and two social runs a week for all abilities, as well AS A Sunday night trail run. With something for everyone, prospective new members are encouraged to come along and give it a go without obligation. You can be sure warm welcome. More information can be found at .