From Ards to Ardboe for Striders!

This week’s racing calendar was a bit lighter than last week, with 3 striders travelling to Ardboe, Cookstown on Sunday 6th July for the Great Rossa Run, 5k, 10k and half marathon options.  Norman Mawhinney was the only strider to take on the half marathon race and finished in an impressive time of 1.34.02.  Two striders took on the 10k route, Catherine Lavery with a time of 57.41 and David Morton with a time of 1.34.02.

Also on Sunday saw East Antrim Marathon Series Skools Out 10k race take place in Armagh.  Jennifer McAteer was the lone strider who completed this distance in a time of 1.21.

Although there wasn’t many races this weekend, Striders still got their running fix in on Saturday with Parkrun.  41 members descended on Comber Parkrun to help Janice McCartney and Jennifer McAteer celebrate their joint 100th parkrun.  Janice completed her 5k in 31.01 and Jennifer in 38.11.  Also, in Comber Rory Braniff achieved a Course Personal Best with a time of 24.42 and Lisa Boal achieved a Personal Best with a time of 33.47.  Beverley Blaine also celebrated her 50th parkrun too.

Other members travelled to 11 other venues which included Stormont, Hillsborough Forest, Bangor, Belfast Victoria Park, Ormeau, Valley and further afield, Battersea, Newcastle West, South Manchester and even Canning River in Australia.

On Sunday the Juniors had their turn at parkrun with again Comber being the most popular. Harry McCready was first with a PB time of 7.28 follow by Keara Simpson who was 2nd with also a PB time of 8.21. Joel Boyd got a PB time of 11.34 and Sophia Rea completed her first ever parkrun.  Lyla McNamara achieved a PB at Bangor parkrun with a time of 11.11 and Toby Heywood secured 3rd place at Bude Marshes junior parkrun in Cornwall with a time of 8.49.

In other striders achievements Willow Farrington has been awarded Member of the Month for June.  Willow who just completed her junior striders journey and has now progressed to senior level kicked off June with some very impressive results, from being 1st female finisher in Scrabo Striders Anniversary Race with an impressive time of 25.39 she also completed Comber 10k in a time of 48.21. Fantastic Achievement Willow, keep up the good work !!!

Also, last weekend saw Striders join together in Romas for Charity Quiz to raise funds in memory of Amy Forsythe, a strider member and young sports journalist who passed away suddenly last year after a sudden illness at just 22 years old.  Amy’s family are raising funds for Ulster Hospital Intensive Care Unit who cared for Amy in her final days.  A quiz and ballot took place and an amazing amount of £1100 was donated to the Forsythe family total which now stands at over £13,000 which will be presented to Hospital over the summer months.

Scrabo Striders is an all inclusive running club which provides coach led training 4 nights a week, to find out more you can visit our Facebook page.

By Nicola Forsythe