Rachel claims high finish for Striders in Surrey Champs

Rachel Lindley, from Striders of Croydon, had an excellent run in Sunday’s Richmond 10-kilometre road race, which incorporated the Surrey Championship. In hot conditions, she was the eighth woman to finish, recording a personal best of 39 minutes 18 seconds, which lifted her to third place in Striders’ all-time women’s rankings. Striders’ men were led by James Bennett who placed 19th of the 487 finishers, recording 35 minutes 12. Bill Makuwa was close behind in 25th place, recording 35 minutes 27, and Krzysztof Klidzia completed the scoring trio in 47th (36.52). They placed seventh in the team event.

Striders also produced a good team performance in their penultimate Southern Veterans League match of the season, at Ewell. Their women produced their best result of the season in placing third, while their men were fourth of the seven competing clubs.

Three of Striders’ oldest competitors set new club age-group records. Julian Spencer-Wood won the M60 3000 metres in 11 minutes 38.3, while Maggie Statham won the B 3000 metres in a club W60 record of 12 minutes 18.8, and Lorraine Hunte was third in her 200 metre race in a club W60 record of 38.4 seconds.

Striders’ 4 x 400 metre relay team of Daniel Hassett, Justin Macenhill, Paul Stanford and Sam O’Dongo ended the meeting on a high note with an impressive second place in 3 minutes 59.0. Earlier, Hassett had placed second in the triple jump with a club over-35 record of 10.54 metres.