Scrabo Striders Surge into Spring

With Spring finally arriving and the sun shining for once, after a quiet week last week, members of Scrabo Striders seized the opportunity to stretch their legs at a range of events this week, with distances ranging from 1K to Ultra marathons!

The first major event of the week took place at the Queen’s 5K Race Round the River. This race, which loops around Annadale Embankment and Stranmillis Embankment, offers a scenic but fast-paced route, crossing both the Ormeau and King’s bridges. It attracted 13 members of Scrabo Striders, including junior athletes and seasoned veterans.

The junior race featured Harry McCready and Rory Braniff, who completed the 3K in impressive times of 12:30 and 14:31, respectively. As the elite race kicked off, it was the Striders’ new captain, Matt Bell, who stole the spotlight. Not only did he lead the team across the finish line, but he also posted a remarkable personal best (PB) of 17:42. Michael Warke followed with another PB of 18:48, while Norman Mawhinney was close behind, finishing in 18:54.

In the open race, Trevor Woodside was the first Strider to cross the line, finishing in 18:42. James Cole-Boyle achieved a solid 19:18, and Michael Burgess, who also set a new PB, completed the race in 19:41. Other strong finishes included Luke Braniff 20:46, Chris Edwards 27:01, and Sarah Luce 27:10, who led the women’s contingent, followed by Clare McIlveen 27:43, and Catherine Lavery 27:57. The runners enjoyed the hospitality provided by Queen’s Athletics Club after the race, with plenty of Pizza to replenish the Striders energy.

At Belfast Zoo, the juniors took on the "Kilimanjaro Kilometre" at Belfast Zoo, which proved to be an exciting challenge. Michael Bingham, Joshua Bingham, Jodi Morton, Angus Orr-Stewart, Hamish Orr-Stewart, Struan Orr-Stewart, and Olli Simpson showed great spirit and determination. For the adults, the "Mane Event" offered a hilly 5K that tested endurance and speed. Despite the tough course, the Striders posted some excellent times. Trevor Woodside finished in 22:35, earning a first-place in the M40 category, while Norman Mawhinney clocked in at the same time, securing the first-place finish in the M50 category. Darren Johnston clocked in at 28:30, Louise Bingham 28:33, Keara Simpson 30:38, Alyson Graham clocking in at 32:44, Jonathan Keenan 32:52, Ashlyn Allen 33:20, Zara Johnston 33:54, David Morton 34:16, Clare McIlveen 34:38, Elaine Johnston 40:47, Gillian Bailie 47:36.

As the weekend rolled on, several Striders ventured to Omagh for the 35th edition of the Omagh 5K and Half Marathon, one of Northern Ireland’s largest running events. Mina Darling represented the Striders in the 5K, finishing in a respectable 31:36. Meanwhile, in the half marathon, Michael Johnston set a new PB with an outstanding time of 1:32:58, followed by Chris Burns 1:47:34, coach Graeme McGowan at 1:49:27, and Martin Conroy achieved a new personal best of 1:54:32 for the half.

For those with a passion for destination races, seven Striders participated in the Prague Half Marathon, part of the “Super Halfs” series. The 25th-anniversary race, which attracted 16,000 participants from over 125 countries, offered both a competitive atmosphere and an unforgettable experience. Simon Ferguson led the Striders home in 1:42:41, with Peter McGonigal close behind in 1:44:18. Karen Collins was the first female Strider 1:49:28, followed by Jenna Lavery 2:05:55, Emma McCracken 2:33:07, Cheryl Alexander 2:33:07, and Elaine McGonigal 2:33:14, completed the Strider’s strong performance in Prague.

In addition to the Prague adventure, Georgia McGonigal ventured to Berlin half marathon to tick off her second “Super Half” completing the race in a fantastic time of 2:29:23.

Meanwhile, five Striders travelled to London to compete in the London Landmarks Half Marathon. This iconic race, which passes landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, and St. Paul’s Cathedral, was the perfect backdrop for their accomplishments. Sarah Luce, ran a personal best of 2:06:40, alongside Nicola Forsythe 2:20:18 PB, Richard Murray 2:37:03, Angie Crone 2:39:16, and Sarah McMaster 2:50:40.

For some, the marathon distance was the ultimate goal. Daniel Warke, who had been training tirelessly for a new PB at the Vienna Marathon, achieved his goal with a spectacular 25-minute improvement, crossing the line in 3:15:11. Amanda Martin also took on the marathon challenge at the Lake Garda Marathon in northern Italy, enjoying the scenic route and completing the race in an impressive 4:26:25.

Four Striders participated in the Gaithouse Florida Endurance event, taking on a picturesque 4.9 km circuit at Florida Manor. Michael Burgess stood out, completing 15 laps and covering over 73 km or 45 miles. Sonya Summersgill also impressed, finishing 13 laps, while Jenny Taylor triumphed in the 6-hour challenge, finishing 10 laps and becoming the first female to complete that distance. Alyson Graham, in her inaugural 3-hour endurance event, completed five laps and was the first female finisher in her category.

Of course, no weekend would be complete without parkrun, with the Striders taking park in a dozen venues across the UK. Comber parkrun was particularly popular, with 17 Striders taking part, congratulations to them all, Keara Simpson set a CPB of 24:09. Victoria parkrun was also popular and conditions were close to ideal, with Chris Burns, Heath Farrington, Gillian Lockhart, and Sharon Murdock managing either CPBs or PBs. Several Striders took advantage of the good weather to visit Waterworks, Rutland Water, Montalto, and Fulham Palace for the first time.

The juniors descended on Comber junior parkrun en masse, and saw impressive performances from the next generation of Striders. Willow Farrington took first place overall in 8:16, with Joe Brown 9:02, Heath Farrington 9:03, and Iona Chanas 9:57 PB, 3rd female rounding out a strong showing. Rachel Brown 11:24, Charlie Stewart 11:27, Lydia Blair 12:07, Nathaniel Frazer 12:20, Leo Williams 16:13, and Harriet Frazer 16:29.

As Spring continues to unfold, the Scrabo Striders show no sign of slowing down. Their commitment to training, supporting one another, and pushing boundaries in races of all distances serves as a true testament to their passion for running.

Chris Edwards