Scrabo Striders invade Comber

The Comber 10K road race, organised by the Ballydrain Harrier and Athletic Club, took place on Friday 16^th June in dry, humid and very warm conditions. This increasingly popular local race is a flat and fast course over two laps starting on Mill Street with what can only be described as a sea of runners and finishing in The Square. There was lots of support all along the route which contributed to a great atmosphere and a great evenings running. A big thanks to Ballydrain Harriers for making the race such a success and for the great spread afterwards!

We had 64 entrants, so purple vests were almost one in ten of 674 runners who took part in the event. A fabulous turnout. The Club would like to thank all those who came to cheer us on too! First Strider home was Curtis McCaw in an amazing 35 minutes 37 seconds earing him 9th place overall. Then came Jared Martin, Jonathan Wray and Paul Sheldon with times all sub 45 minutes. Our first lady across the line was Tina Miller in 45 minutes and 8 seconds earning her 143rd place in the overall race.

A total of 19 Scrabo Striders completed the course in under 50 minutes. Next in was Andrew Campbell, Graeme McGowan, Chris Stevenson, Gary Hunsdale, Nigel Martin, Kieran McNamara, Manuel Farrelly, Russel Armour, Connor McNamara, Keith Campbell, Thomas Kirk, Colin Harper, Mervyn Kinney and Garry Cavill.

Then came Caroline Smyth, Mark Halus, Caroline Dwyer, Lynn Sheldon, Maureen Rea, Ronnie Geddis, Olli Seeger, Neil McVeigh, Justin Clegg, Deborah Erskine, Ian Frazer, Dawn Ross, George McGonigal, Jenny Fry, Alison Busby, Amanda Martin, Andrea Cairns, Sheena Crone, Robert Neill, Noel Angus, Steven McCormick, David Turton, Tracey-Anne Kirk, Toni Kisimova, Linda Dugan and Lorraine Adams, bringing the total number of Striders finishing in under an hour to 45.

Next came Wendy Thompson, Nicola McNamara, Sharon Graham, Catherine Lavery, Christine Lougheed, Kathryn Chesney, Angie Crone, Karen Farrelly, Greer Munday, Carleen Seeger, Kathleen Henderson, Jenny Smyth, Joanne Wray, Steven Craythorne, Lorraine McCrum, Jill Geddis, Shelley Adams and Kim Cochrane. The committee would like to say a huge well done to all and thanks for representing the club so well.

Showing true dedication to the sport a lot of Scrabo Striders got their trainers on early the next morning for the regular Saturday Parkruns. At Ward Park in Bangor the club had six entrants where Chris Stevenson was first for the gents followed by Kevin Lewis (new Personal Best), then Sharon Andrews first for the ladies followed by Barbara McKechnie, Carol Bailie and Liz Turton. At Parkway in Comber fifteen Striders took part. First gent home was Curtis McCaw followed by Jared Martin, Gary Hunsdale (new PB), Conor McNamara (new PB), Nigel Martin, Paul Moore and Paul Sheldon. First lady was Lynn Sheldon, followed by Matthew Halus, Mark Halus, Amanda Martin, Wendy Thompson (new PB), Nicola McNamara, Sharon Hunsdale (new PB) and Lesleyann Morrow (new PB).

At Stormont Estate Parkrun Mark Leathem cruised in first with a new personal best followed by Jonny Fitzsimmins and Jonathan Keenan. At Victoria in East Belfast Catherine Cauley recorded a new personal best and Neil McCormick represented the club at Dungloe Parkrun in Donegal. The Hill and Dale Series continued with Race 10, where Kieran McNamara, Nigel Martin and Alan Steen represented the Club.

The Club has now launched youth training nights, every other Monday night on the all-weather hockey pitch at Londonderry Park. These sessions are professionally coached and are available for kids from 7 years and up for a small fee. Conveniently enough, youth coaching coincides with Monday night club training 7:15 – 8:15pm. The next youth coaching night is 3^rd July.

Training for the Ards half marathon at the end of June continues, with the Sunday morning running group putting in some impressive distances and enjoying a well-earned coffee and snack in the town square afterwards. The recent warm weather has made these longer distances challenging to say the least. If you would like to join in the group will meet again this Sunday 9 am, Ards Square.