Running Ronnie makes Striders history

Dale ‘Ronnie’ Staton made local athletics history at the weekend, becoming the first Gainsborough and Morton Strider to complete a 100-mile race inside 20 hours.
Ronnie StatonRonnie Staton
Ronnie Staton

The local ultra runner completed the arduous Centurion Winter 100 in just 19 hours and 34 minutes, finishing in an impressive 14th place overall.

The event started in the picturesque Oxfordshire village of Streatley by the River Thames, with the course reflecting the shape of a cross and taking runners on a series of four different 25 miles ‘out and back’ spurs, using sections of both the Ridgeway and Thames Path National Trails.

With around 14 hours of the event taking place in darkness, the competition presented racers with a significant psychological challenge to match the obvious physical one.

A delighted Staton said he had matched his ambitions with his performance.

He said: “Thank you for the amazing support once again.”

“I had a really tough race but I’m very pleased to have got the result I went for.”

“I’m not injured just a little battered.”

It’s another great achievement in a year that saw Staton run coast to coast in aid of a Retford youngster.

During the summer, the fitness trainer completed a gruelling 200-mile run from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay, running coast to coast without stopping.

His efforts were all to raise money for Retford boy William Stones, who suffered a cardiac arrest aged 14 months, and after spending six months unable to do anything except lie in his hospital bed, is now able to walk short distances with the aid of a special frame.

Staton’s efforts helped raise awareness, and funds, to help William walk unaided.