Strong showings for Striders in half marathons

In Newcastle, 18 Striders had made the journey to participate in the country’s largest 13.1 mile race and with perfect running conditions, Paul Dagg (87:24) took advantage of a forward starting position to record a personal best despite a nasty fall.

Jerome McCulla (87:49) and Lorna Allison (95:25) were hampered by starting at the rear of the 40,000 plus field of runners, but Lorna still managed to record a personal best time with a gutsy performance.

Club Captain Simon Hall (1:39) struggled with injury, but Glenn Peniston (1:59:52), Angela Overson (1:59:56), Shaun Boyle (1:59:56), and Craig Ward (1:59) ran as a unit and forged a path through the crowds to claim a landmark quadruple sub-two hour set of personal bests.

Lottie Lindley (2:07:48) led the Scotter contingent of Rebecca Cross (2:07:49), Alastair Watson (2:11:17), Julie Dzygrynuk (2:15:59), Karen Cox (2:16:03), Shelly Ibbotson (2:16:03), Justine Connole (2:19:02), Joanne Myall (2:21:42), Janet Goude (2:38:09) and Becki Marshall (2:38:16) home in one of the club’s most well-supported performances ever.

Closer to home, the Striders flew the flag against local clubs including Scunthorpe and District and Doncaster AC in the hotly contested ‘Isle of Axholme’ Half Marathon, hosted by local running outfitters ‘Metres to Miles’.

With a course starting and finishing in Epworth and taking in both Owston Ferry and Beltoft, the route is largely flat but exposed, although a punishing climb in the 12th mile proved to be a challenge for many of the 200-plus competitors.

Jerry McCulla romped home in a personal best seventh place 82:10, closely followed by Dagg in 12th with another PB of 84:16.

Veteran Phil Marsland claimed the performance of the day with an age group best of 90:35 and 40th position, whilst Scotter runner Jamie Lee took seven minutes from his PB to come home just behind (90:51).

Helen Robinson continued her excellent run of form in 2012 to take another age group best of 1:44:49, and Craig Ward took 13 minutes from his to finish in 1:47:05. Malcolm Marshall, Stephen Saxelby and Chris Moody completed the field for The Striders with excellent individual runs and PBs of 1:48:01, 1:48:30 and 2:22 respectively.

This Sunday, local running efforts will be divided between the Saxilby 5k, which will feature many new runners developed via the club’s ‘Couch to 5k’ scheme, and the Ikano Robin Hood Half Marathon in Nottingham.