By Karen Warnock

The Scrabo Striders Running Club is delighted to report on the outstanding performances of its members in several recent running events, showcasing not only individual talent but also the spirit of camaraderie that defines our club. From local races to international marathons, our runners have demonstrated exceptional dedication and athletic prowess.

One of the standout events this weekend was the GR8 Dundrum Race, which featured challenging courses of 3.5 miles and 8.4 miles. In the 3.5-mile category, the Striders showcased remarkable speed and determination, with Luke Braniff leading the pack at a time of 23:41 coming in 4th overall. Following him was Willow Farrington, who finished strongly with a time of 24:46 coming in as the first female! Stephen Braniff, another commendable member of the team, completed the course with a respectable time of 39:59. These impressive performances reflect the rigorous training and commitment of our athletes.

In the 8.4-mile race, our members once again shone brightly, with Ismail clocking in at an outstanding 1:00:22 to claim a top position in the club. Phil Adams finished with a strong time of 1:12:30 alongside Sarah Johnston with a solid time of 1:12:39, while Graeme Farrington came in closely behind at 1:13:18. Notably, Craig Simpson (1:16:27), Paul Blair (1:16:27), Michael Williams (1:16:42) and Darren Johnston (1:16:44) followed in quick succession.   Sara Luce (1:19:40) and Karen Wilson (1.20:16) completed the windy race close together. Not far behind Jasmine Holden (1:27:17) and Chris Edwards (1:46:10).

Continuing our narrative of success, the Chicago 5K also provided an excellent leg loosener for Graeme McGowan (23:28) and Steven Hanna (28:30), impressive times that highlights dedication and skill.  The fun in the Unites States continued for Graeme McGowan (3:50:14) and Steven Hanna (4:10:42) making their mark during the Chicago Marathon.

In addition to these major events, several club members participated in the Cancer Focus Pink Run, with Lynn McGonigal, Dawn Cudworth, and Sharon Gamble representing our team. Although official times were not recorded for this particular event, their involvement contributes to the good cause and community spirit that the Scrabo Striders work to uphold.

Maintaining our focus on distance running, club member Dave Stevenson demonstrated his prowess during the Manchester Half, securing an impressive time of 1:24:02 and securing a PB. Furthermore, Norman Mawhinney represented the club admirably in the Bucharest Marathon, completing the course with a commendable time of 3:05:13 achieving Bronze in M65 World Marathon Championship and Team Gold for GB (M65)!

Dave Stevenson completed Manchester Half in 1:24:02 resulting in an outstanding PB.  Newcastle Way Half Marathon was tackled by Dan Warke (1:43:27) fourth overall and the full marathon at Newcastle was completed by Liam Rodger (5:57:03) an impressive return after injury.

Our younger athletes also participated in the Comber Cup cross-country races. In the Under 12's category with a short but tough segment, Hamish Orr-Stewart (3:07:46),Olly Simpson (3:59:15) and Callum McCready (3:59:63) represented our club with enthusiasm and determination. Conversely, the U14s participants Harry McCready (13:30), Keara Simpson (14:36), Daniel Barnes (16:37) and Sophia Rea  (16:54) completed 2 short laps equating to 2.8KM.

The Comber Cup also featured strong showings in the Ladies and Men’s categories. In the Ladies' segment each participant had to complete three laps of the course, 5.5K.  Heather Baron (26.23) led the pack, followed by Karen Collins (27:24), Gayle Malaugh (28:55), Sonya Summersgill (29:14) and Penny Hamilton (29:15).  Next in was Katie Lyttle (30:53) with Rachel Boyle (31:41) and Sara Luce (31:49) coming in close behind.  Beverley McKee (32:44), Karen Wilson (35:01) were just ahead of Cheryl Alexander and Emma McCracken (36:22) who crossed the finish line together.   The Men’s race was one lap longer at 7.5K.  Vice-Captain Matt Bell led the Scrabo Striders in with an impressive time of 32:14. Ismail (34:16) and Jonathan Swann (34:20) came in close together just ahead Captain Michale Burgess (39:04) and Andrew Cadoo (40:44).

Parkrun proved as popular as ever with sixteen attending Comber Parkrun, notably David Morton (30:53) achieved a CPB.  Castlewellan saw Keara Simpson (30:23), Darren Johnston (30:58), Paul Blair (30:28), Olly Simpson (31:20) and Craig Simpson (31:26) all attend for the first time.  Martin Conroy (27:58) also attended Garvagh Forest Parkrun for the first time.  Closer to home, Andrew Cadoo (25:16) achieved a PB.  The new Paisley Park Parkrun was vsitited by Jonathan Keenan (24:34), Amanda Martin (26:52), Martina Finn (28:22), Kathryn Chesney (29:25), Georgia McGonigal (31:54), Nicola Forsythe (33:58), Sara McMaster (37:38) and Kim Cochrane (38:40). Junior Parkrun brought in some fantastic results.  At Comber, Willow Farrington (7:56) had a CPB and came in 2nd overall.  Keara Simpson (09:19) was second female with a PB, Maddie Dynes (11:26) was third female and Heath Farrington (9:05) was third overall. Bangor saw four juniors attend and Penelope Davies (10:41) was third female with a PB too.

The club likes to celebrate Member of the Month, sponsored by Boyd Rice Solicitors.  This month the club celebrated the Vice Captain Matt Bell.  Matt has many running achievements under his belt, such as PB times at Belfast Half Marathon (1:28:19) and Bangor 10K (39:34).  A great encourager and help to the club.

These recent achievements not only mark personal milestones for our runners but also reflect the collective effort and support of the Scrabo Striders Running Club. The camaraderie and encouragement that exists within our community have proven vital for our athletes as they navigate their training and competition seasons. Training happens frequently throughout the week, please reach out through social media should you wish to attend.