Striders get PBs despite hills (From Chelmsford Weekly News)

Striders get PBs despite hills

8:30am Thursday 14th May 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

Another busy week of running for Springfield Striders culminated with 16 club members tackling the Halstead Marathon on Sunday.

Halstead is a popular race with the marathon fraternity as it follows a very scenic course on quiet country lanes but the hills make it a hard course to do good times.

This did not stop several Striders claiming PBs and a fair few county medals were also collected. The largest haul of medals went to Kate Mills who smashed her PB by ten minutes on her way to claiming the bronze as third Essex lady, the silver for the over 35 age group and along with Janet Hill and Sarah Colbert the gold medal for the team prize. Mills whose time was 3.29.24 was pipped across the line by her pacemaker Chris Beazeley and becomes the club marathon champion along with Gary Chandler.

Chandler who had finished second on his two previous attempts at this course ran another excellent race especially considering his record breaking run at London two weeks ago. Unfortunately his 2.40.05 clocking was only good enough for the runner up spot again as Allen Smalls of Colchester led home a very strong contingent from the garrison town. Chandler was pleased with his run though as it was a PB for this course and brought him two silver medals as the winner Smalls is also an over 40 veteran. "Three of us were together until the half way mark but then Allen put in a burst. In trying to catch him I opened a gap on Sean Ketteridge (Colchester)." Chandler was also pleased with his even splits on such an undulating course.

Sheila Macaulay gave her all and crossed the line in 4.34.17 a very tired runner. Her recovery was helped greatly by being awarded county gold in her age group to add to her many others won in the last few years.

There wee also personal bests for Jon Byford and Gary Joslin who both had great runs on such a warm day.

Striders’ times: Gary Chandler 2.40.05 Julian Catmull 3.24.52 Jon Byford 3.25.11 Kate Mills 3.29.24 Gary Joslin 3.37.23 Jon Legge 3.51.56 Tim Brockington 4.00.07 Janet Hill 4.05.35 Malcolm Savage 4.06.32 Darran Hull 4.14.02 Andy Stroud 4.16.22 Sarah Colbert 4.18.15 Shelia Macaulay 4.34.17 Kerry Marsh 4.45.41 Roy Tucker 6.17.16

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)