Matt Stone sets a new club men’s V50 5km record

Matthew Stone, from Striders of Croydon, ran very well to place 15th out of 112 finishers, and first in the M55 age-group, in the Serpentine five-kilometre road race at Hyde Park on Friday. His time of 17 minutes 48 seconds was a new Striders mens over-50 record, being five seconds faster than the previous record which he had set at Battersea in July.

On Saturday, Rachel Lindley ran very well to be the first woman to finish the Lloyd parkrun, placing 10th overall out of 204 finishers in 20 minutes 02. Samuel Hansen was second out of 448 finishers in the Town Moor parkrun in Newcastle upon Tyne (17:12). Andrew Aitken was second out of 170 finishers in the South Norwood parkrun (18:16), while Ellwy Evans was the third woman to finish, placing 30th overall (22:26). Lee Flanagan was fourth in the Cirencester parkrun (20:23). Geoff Pennells was fifth in the Chateau de Pierre de Bresse parkrun in France (23:02). Striders had an impressive total of 95 finishers in the various weekly parkruns.

On Sunday, Peter Johnson ran well to place 51st overall, and second in the M55 age-group, in the Dorney Lake Half-Marathon, recording a personal best of 90 minutes 20 seconds. Keith Simpson placed second in the M70 age-group, and 36th overall, in the Woldingham Marathon. He completed the undulating course in 5 hours 52 minutes 22. Sandra Francis, who completed her 400th parkrun the previous day, was the 12th woman to finish, placing first in the W60 age-group and 50th overall (7:30:00).