Storm Dave couldn’t stop Striders going the distance

Written by Sarah Luce

Parkrun

Despite Saturday’s wet and dreary start, Striders were out taking part in their weekly Parkrun across 12 different locations. For some members, the 5k served as a warm-up for the afternoon’s endurance races. Comber was the most popular location where recently new to Parkrun Ben Palfreyman achieved a PB of 25.24. Peter Doggart also celebrated a PB trying Newry Greenway for the first time finishing in 22.58.

Closer to home, Bangor saw several Striders achieve CPBs: Keara Simpson finished in 24:46, Andy Scase in 24:56, Louise Bingham in 25:15, and Olly Simpson in 29:06. Meanwhile, Rory Braniff showed strong form at Crawfordsburn, conquering the hilly course with a CPB of 25:20.

Florida Manor Endurance Challenge

The Florida Endurance Challenge was held on Saturday in the picturesque surroundings of Florida Manor, located in Killinchy. This event provides options for 3, 6, and 12-hour races, appealing to endurance runners of varying abilities. Participants are invited to complete as many loops of the course as possible within their selected time frame.

The course itself spans approximately 4 kilometres per loop, featuring a blend of gravel and forest trails. Despite the looming threat of Storm Dave, ten determined Striders laced up their trail shoes and took to the start line, ready to test their endurance and resilience against both the elements and the clock.

In the three-hour race, several Striders showed their stamina and determination. Clare McIlveen completed two loops of the course, running a total of 7.8 kilometres, while other half Trevor Woodside completed three laps, achieving 11.7 kilometres. Following them, Jennifer McAteer and Karen Wilson finished four and five laps respectively, covering distances of 15.6 kilometres and 19.5 kilometres. Both runners appearing to have fully recovered from last weekend’s half marathons. Gareth Gordon and Nicola Caughey demonstrated impressive endurance by completing six laps, amounting to 23.4 kilometres. Karen Collins, fresh from Berlin half last week, pushed herself through seven laps and covered 27.3 kilometres. The furthest distance in the three-hour category for the Striders was achieved by Jonathan Caughey, who completed eight laps, running a remarkable 35.1 kilometres.

In the six-hour VC Darren Johnston completed 11 laps covering an impressive 42.9km.

The longest distance achieved by Striders came in the demanding 12-hour race. Craig Simpson and Sonya Summersgill showed exceptional stamina and commitment by completing an impressive 20 laps, which totalled 78 kilometres over the course of the day. This achievement was especially noteworthy for Craig, as it was his first attempt at an ultra-distance event of this nature. In addition, Sonya’s performance secured her third place among the female competitors, highlighting her endurance and competitive spirit.

Northern Traverse

Whilst the distances covered at Florida Manor were nothing short of remarkable, another feat of endurance was underway across the water in England. Joanne McCandless, one of our accomplished ultra runners, embarked on the formidable Northern Traverse 300km ultra marathon. This challenging event starts at St Bees on England’s west coast and takes runners across the breadth of the country, finishing at Robin Hood’s Bay on the east coast. The route spans three National Parks and covers iconic landscapes including mountains, valleys and moors, with a total ascent of approximately 6,500 metres. It is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular endurance journeys in the UK and for Joanne, this was her longest race to date. She completed the epic traverse in an impressive time of 107 hours and 50 minutes, an achievement that stands testament to her determination and endurance.

Junior Parkrun

Wrapping up the weekend’s running activities, nine juniors took part in their weekly 2k Junior Parkrun, enjoying a much-improved sunny morning. At Comber, the lure of Easter eggs spurred on strong performances, with Harry McCready finishing in second place and Keara Simpson securing third. Rory Braniff followed closely behind, demonstrating consistent effort after his CPB the day before. Meanwhile, Heath Farrington and Harry Monaghan represented the club at Bangor, proudly flying the purple flag.