This week saw 64 Striders take part in a parkrun, achieving notable elevation gains. Congratulations to Paula Heyes on her 100th parkrun, and to David Phillips for hitting his 50th parkrun and 50th volunteer occasions.
A standout event was the Fairlands Valley Challenge, an off-road, self-navigated trek through the picturesque Hertfordshire countryside near Stevenage. Participants could choose from several distances: 10K, Half Marathon, 18 miles, Marathon, or the 50k Ultra Trail.
Chris Rowlands completed the 18-mile course in 2 hours, 46 minutes, and 45 seconds.
In the Half Marathon, Esther Doxin, Lucy Crocker, Matthew Robinson, and Martin Scales finished at 2 hours and 36 minutes. Mike Astley, Chrissie Thomas, and Fiona Davis came in at 2 hours, 46 minutes, and 38 seconds. Helen Cal-fernandez and first-time half marathoner Maxine Shackell completed their run in 3 hours and 17 minutes.
Neil McKinnon and Marc Hagland ventured to Walton on Thames for The Viking Run Half Marathon, earning a magnificent Viking ship medal. Neil set a new personal record with a time of 2:15:20, while Marc finished in 2:20:30. A commendable effort!
At the St Albans Summer 10k, two Striders competed. Helder Soares led with a time of 38:58, followed by Jennifer Graham at 1:15:12.
Lily Robinson tackled the Wye Valley Tunnel Half Marathon, a two-lap race predominantly along the old railway line, including a 4km tunnel stretch, finishing in 2:42:59.
Steve and Sarah Kinsella took on a sprint triathlon at Box End, culminating in a challenging 5k run with hills and grass. Steve finished in 31:17 and Sarah in 29:55.
