Surrey Cross Country League

Striders of Croydon faced strong opposition in the final Surrey Cross-Country League Division Two match of the season, at Lloyd Park on Saturday. Striders were led by Andrew Aitken who ran well to place 30th of the 145 finishers, completing the muddy five-mile course in 31 minutes 25. Peter Mills was next home in 37th (31:49) with Tatsuya Okamoto 48th (32:22). Matthew Stone ran well to place first in the M55 age-group and 55th overall (32:49). Simon Ambrosi was 78th (34:04) and Oliver Watts 80th (34:08). Steve Corfield was third in the M55 age-group and 88th overall (34:54). Justin Macenhill was 89th (34:59), Joseph Ibe 97th (36:08) and Tom Gillespie completed the A team in 102nd (37:13). The team finished eighth of the nine clubs in the match, while Striders’ B team placed fifth in their category. Darren Woods was 105th (37:16), Luke Burden 106th (37:18), Damian Macenhill 114th (37:52), Kerim Suruliz 118th (38:14), Bill Beattie 120th (38:49), Andy Perks 121st (39:07), Mick Turner 130th (40:17). Robert Zietz was first in the M65 age-group and 133rd overall (40:59), while Stephen Siu completed the B team in 138th (42:59). The women’s match, due to be held at Effingham, was cancelled because of fallen trees on the course.

At Lee Valley on Wednesday, James Rhodes set a new Striders club mile record of 4 minutes 42.84 seconds. At Birmingham on Sunday, he ran 800 metres in a personal best of 2 minutes 06.22.

Consuelo Kennefick ran well to be the first woman to finish the Riddlesdown parkrun on Saturday morning, placing 18th overall (24:08). Niamh Vincent was the second woman to finish the South Norwood parkrun, placing 21st overall (22:03). Striders had a total of 77 finishers in the various weekly parkruns.