James breaks Striders’ record at Cardiff

Striders of Croydon produced an excellent team performance in the East Surrey League’s annual cross-country race at Lloyd Park on Saturday. Their A team placed second, only beaten by Herne Hill, while their B team were fourth and their C team were seventh.
Striders were led by Phil Coales who had a very good run to finish fourth, covering the undulating five-mile course in 28 minutes 07, while Bill Makuwa also ran well to place fifth (28.27). Striders had the first three finishers in the over-40 category. Steve Starvis was eighth overall (29.58) with new signing Rob Lines making an impressive debut in 12th place (30.24) and Lee Flanagan 14th (30.54). Andy Perks was 19th (31.56), one place ahead of Matt Stone who took second in the over-50 category (32.00). Simon Pannell was third in the over-50 category and 25th overall (33.04), while one of Striders’ youngest runners, Sam Hansen, ran well to place 27th (33.15). Striders’ oldest competitor, Julian Spencer-Wood, was the first over-60 to finish, placing 52nd overall (35.55).
Striders’ women were led by Debra Bourne who placed 72nd overall (38.54). Joanne Campbell was 78th (40.48) and Laura Hartney 93rd (51.06). Striders had a total of 27 finishers, more than any of the other clubs in the league.
Earlier in the afternoon Striders’ youngest competitor, Lucy Finch, placed tenth in the under-13 girls’ race, covering the two-mile course in 14 minutes 03 seconds.

On the following day James Bennett had an excellent run to finish 30th in the Cardiff Half-Marathon, in a new club record of 71 minutes 42 seconds. Krzysztof Klidzia was eighth in the Tonbridge Half-Marathon in 80 minutes 37 seconds.