Ollie wins Striders’ Switchback race

Striders of Croydon promoted their 25th annual Switchback race on Sunday, over an undulating five-mile course in Lloyd Park and Addington Hills. The winner was Ollie Garrod of Epsom, who recorded 27 minutes 49. For Striders, Phil Coales ran very well to place second in 28 minutes 17. Peter Mills was fourth (28.51), Bill Makuwa fifth (29.01), Lee Flanagan eighth (30.33) and Krzysztof Klidzia ninth (30.33). Striders comfortably won the team event. The first woman to finish was Deirdre McDermot of Ireland who ran very well to place 11th overall (31.34). Striders’ women were led by Selena Wong who was the tenth woman to finish (40.18). Yasmin Anderson was 11th (40.39), Ally Whitlock 13th (41.34) and Karen Peake 17th (45.15). There were a total of 106 finishers.

On the previous day Krzysztof Klidzia had been second at the Riddlesdown parkrun (17.37) while Simon Ambrosi was third at the Lloyd parkrun (19.01). Striders had a total of 43 finishers in the various weekly parkruns (20 at Lloyd Park and 23 at other venues).