Storm Claudia times it right for a slightly quieter week for Scrabo Striders! By Sarah Luce

Parkrun Highlights

At the weekly Parkrun, there were 50 Striders across 11 different venues. A big presence at Stormont saw Penny Hamilton get a PB (24.04) while Alyson Graham got a course PB. Also celebrating course PBs were Georgia McGonigal at Valley and Mairead Curran at Bangor where it was great to see Paul Magee back representing the club. Willow Farrington was first female at Belvoir Forest.

Junior Parkrun

Our younger athletes took part in two Junior Parkruns this week. In Comber, Harry McCready was third overall, Heath Farrington was third male, Keara Simpson was second female, Calum McCready got a PB and Harriet Frazer ran a course PB. Over in Bangor, Iona Chanas was third female.

British & Irish Masters XC International

The British & Irish Masters Home Countries International, widely recognised as the most prestigious master’s cross-country event, celebrated its 36th annual staging on Saturday. The team competition brings together representatives from the home nations and Ireland, each vying for honours in a series of age-group races. The event is renowned for its high level of competition and the strong sense of camaraderie it fosters among athletes. Norman Mawhinney represented Northern Ireland in the M65 category, which covers a distance of 6K. Demonstrating both determination and skill, Norman completed the course in 26.15 finishing sixth overall in his race. Norman's performance proved instrumental in leading the Northern Ireland team to an overall third-place finish in the competition, marking a significant achievement for both him and his teammates.

Festive Moy Park Belfast City 5K & 1K Fun Run

The Festive Moy Park Belfast City 5K and 1K Fun Run returned on Sunday, marking the start of the Christmas season in Belfast city centre. Nine Striders joined the crowds for the 5K event, setting off from the iconic Belfast City Hall and finishing on Donegall Place. Trevor Woodside led the Striders home with an impressive time of 18:46. The Ferguson/Collins trio—Simon (25:41), Karen (25:42), and Elijah (25:43)—finished within two seconds of each other. Clare McIlveen followed in 28:41, with Jasmine Holden close behind at 29:55. Lorraine Adams completed the course in 30:11, ahead of Colin Clarke (34:27) and Jennifer McAteer (39:03).

Orihuela Half Marathon and 8K

In Spain, Orihuela Half Marathon and 8K takes place in the historic city of Orihuela, in Spain’s Vega Baja region. Lone Strider Darren Johnston was glad he had opted for the 8K “Gran Premio Caja Rural Central” given the 25 degree heat on the day! The circular urban route combines flat terrain with views of iconic landmarks like the Cathedral and Santo Domingo and Darren completed the course in 41.56.