Eric Rice won the 2002 Strider's Christmas Handicap race (22 Dec 2002) dressed this year as a Miner! Braveheart and Madonna were in close pursuit!! A great event with a good turnout from all Striders and Rudolf.
Every year Strathaven Striders are awarded a free entry to send a runner to the London Marathon. Congratulations goes to Craig Hamilton on gaining the Strider's place. Tony Thistlethwaite will join Craig having also been lucky in being awarded a place through the normal public ballot system. Training has started.
Stirders are already planning their 2003 running calendar. The early year favourites outwith the Championship races are the Speyside Way, Carnethy Hill Race and Stranraer Half Marathon.
If you are in the Strathaven area and are keen to take up running please do not hesitate to send me an email. Graham Campbell is from Bellshill is that in the Strathaven area?
HAVE A GOOD NEW YEAR.
Stoo
At EK I had the great honour of being the first Strider home and Tony was
second in 42:35 (I know I was sub 42 but I'm waiting for the official
results before I claim a PB). Mike (not Graham) was 43 dead in his first run
as a strider. Rosie did 45 (PB), Dorothy 51, and Hilary was 54:something
which was a PB by 10secs. There were 139 finishers.
Alan was running in some "2-bit club from EK" vest instead of the Striders
glorious colours so we did'nt notice his time. I think this means that
Hilary and Rosie lead the championship on 35 points.
Steve
What do you call a group of runners?.........................................................................................Mad!
So a 'mad' of Striders headed to East Kilbride last weekend to run 6.1miles!
The Striders year goes from strength to strength. If running is about achieving PBs then Striders have had a remarkable year. At last count there were over 30 PBs. Maybe not so 'mad' then? An encouraging sign to anyone interested in joining Striders to have fun running and at the end of the day achieving personal goals.
Craig reported the approx times on a 26mile bike, 7mile run on Sunday morning;Tony(43mins), Alan (39mins), Graham (44mins PB), Rosie (?mins PB), Steve (43mins), Hilary (?mins PB), Dorothy (?mins)
Stoo
Lots of stuff to report.
1) The treasurer reported we are just solvent. We had 26 paid up
members
last year which was down on 33 from the previous year. Also we raised £150
odd on the Round-Straven bike ride. Subs off £7.50 are now due.
2) The secretary read out thank-you letters from the Afghanistan
Appeal for
who we raised over £300 and from Strathaven in Bloom for who we raised some
money as well, this was at the Disco last year.
3) The Scribe reported he had had loads of stuff printed and had not
been
sued for libel yet. (By the way could you put Tom's articles on the web as
presumably he has them in electronic format?).
4) All the committee were prepared to serve for another year.
5) Irene was voted onto the committee in a new position as Race
Director.
6) The Coach's award went to Robert.
7) Craig won the championship.
8) Rosie is Strider of the Year.
9) Xmas Handicap Race is on 22nd Dec and Buck the Dog will be
handicapped
severely!
10) The President said it had been an excellent year for the club,
mentioned
Tony finishing the WHW, Craig representing the club all over the world, Stoo
and Alan doing the Ben Race, and loads of PB's from everyone.
Later on the President knocked over his pint and got taken home early by
Helen, and Eric fell down the stairs!!!
Attached is the club kit details which would be good to put onto the web.
See you next week.
Cheers
Steve
Five Striders, Tom, Steve, Craig, Eric and Stewart, were persuaded by Craig to get on their bikes cycle and 15miles before going for a 5mile run. Sunday morning provided perfect weather for this duo-event which will be repeated. Consensus was it was fun!
Craig is keen to get some swimming in too and build up some training to do his first triathlon next year. There maybe other Striders keen too. Watch this space.
After a 15mile cycle via Ardochrig the running was hard work. You may have read or even heard of the 'transition' and this must be the weirdest of feelings as we jumped off our bikes and started running. It took me until Glasford to get my running legs back!
Great laugh ... lets do it all again ... starting at the pool!
Stoo
10 November 2002 - AGM Notice
Dear member
Strathaven Striders
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday 27 November 2002
The annual general meeting of Strathaven Striders will be held in the Star Inn, upstairs lounge 27 November at 9.00pm. May I also take this opportunity to remind you that membership fees are due and can be paid at the AGM
Fee per adult member £7.50
Fee per additional child member £3.00
Many thanks.
Yours Sincerely
Rosie Bell
Secretary Strathaven Striders
Saturday 9 November 2002. The last race of the Championship season brining out Striders trying to gain some last valuable points in their last ditched attempt at beating those already at the top of the leadership board. Did anyone put money on Rosie? Watch this space as John gets his calculator out.
Yes, task in hand, there was a hill race that challenges the hill runners amongst us every year. Tinto does not get any flatter. Results are on the Carnethy..... www.carnethy.com/raceinfo/results/tinto/t_2002.html
The challenge was taken on by Steve Wright, Hillary Wright, Dorthy Lucas, John Thompson, Stewart Robertson, Alan Douglas, Lewis Douglas, Tony Thistlethwaite, Craig Hamilton and Graham Campbell.
The weather was ideal for this race yet again. First timers gathered at the base of the hill were not so sure. The 4 mile ish run as most races do started off fast and after a couple of gaps in fences to overcome near the start of the race and a few boggy peat 'traps', to avoid on the way up but still there to run through on the way down, 170 bods started ascending the hill. Who saw the old fort?
First Strider home was Alan Douglas who ran a fantastic race this year with all shoes staying on. The new black and yellow Walsh's doing the trick. As Alan's KIMM map carrying mate I have to say that with the 60l rucksack off there was no holding Alan back on this hill. Alan threw his map away during the KIMM to reduce the weight he was carrying!
Was there a father / son category? Well done Lewis Douglas on his first hill race. He still looked like he could do it all again when I got back to the finish!
There was one casualty however, Craig Hamilton fresh from a wad of marathons was taken back to Strathaven in shock. He was quoted as saying, 'how come I came down so fast!' As a seasoned professional I replied, 'it wis jist gravity'. You had to be there!
My thanks to those Striders who supported this local hill race and getting Strathaven on the hill running map. We got a mention from the race organiser at the end of the race too. I hope you enjoyed it and now see that I'am not mad and will maybe try a few more next year.
stoo
Both Rosie Bell and Craig Hamilton spread their wings and travelled to Dublin for the marathon which took place on the 28 October 2002. Rosie ran home in 3hrs 36mins and Craig 4hrs 5mins.
stoo
Steve Wright, Alan Douglas and me (Stewart Robertson) travelled to the Cheviots to take part in the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon at the weekend (26 - 27 Oct 2002).
The weather played a large part of this race. Saturday could not be faulted but Sunday the weather closed in and it rained non stop.
Steve and a friend from work (Kevin) made a two man team for the Class B race. Just cover a specific route through the hills covering 30k on Saturday and then 25k on Sunday as quickly as possible was their challenge. Result.
Alan and Stewart competed in the Short Score course and were placed 116th from approx 240 starters. By Sunday afternoon we found our pace and finished in 69th from 207 finishers. The rest were assumed missing or did not complete the course. I hope they eventually found their way home!
Have a look at the KIMM web page for results and pictures.
stoo
On Sunday 13 October 2002 both Alan Douglas and Stewart Robertson (me) travelled east to the Pentlands. The 16mile with 6000ft of ascent hill race looked very worrying from a navigational point of view as we hit heavy fog on the M8 past Livingstone! Compasses sharpened we got to Hillend to find the Pentland Hills being scorched by the Autumn sun. £3 later we hit the hills (not the most of expensive of races) with bum bags full of the essentials plus a bar of chocolate for half time. I wish I had borrowed Robert's new 'Camel Back' as the weather was hot for the first eight miles. Two watering stations were very well stocked and Carnethy have to be commended for this well marshalled race.
The race itself takes in about 16 hills. The first two Caerketton Hill and Allermuir Hill you run over on the way back to the finish at Hillend. The first half is a series of pleasant tracks then the real off road deep heathery stuff comes later. A great mixture of terrain.
At Scald Law I was expecting Steve Wright to fly out the heather and shout some abuse. These are the hills where he has been in training for the KIMM. But it was not to be. He was probably stuck on a rock face somewhere. But I did see Alan. Race on slow boy. This was my first and last chance to beat Alan in a race. My summers runs through the heather behind Lamb Hill put me in good stead and about 6 miles later I caught him coming off Bells Hill. After a pleasant exchange of words he forgot I was driving and had the car keys as he blasted me to bits on the last two hills. Alan made it home in 3hrs 39mins and as for myself a gentle jog down the last hill saw me home in 3hrs 43mins.
See you there next year. Check out the Carnethy web site and see some of the race photos. Look at the start of the race and you might see me!
stoo
10 October 2002 - Berlin Marathon
They say good news in better late than never. Do they? Regular browsers of this web site may remember that Craig Hamilton was doing the Berlin Marathon at the end of September 2002. The good news is that Craig's string of PB's this year gets even longer. Despite the warm conditions and claims of starting too fast again (must work for Craig!) the marathon distance was covered in 3hrs and 47mins.
Craig's travels have been extensive this year. He completed the New York Marathon earlier this year and is still in training for the Dublin Marathon this month!
stoo
6 October 2002 - BUPA Great North Run
Approximately 47,000 runners turned up for the half marathon. Sonia O'Sullivan was first in the women's race in just 67mins 19secs and Paul Kosgei won the men's race in an incredible 59mins 58secs.
Tony / Anne did you run....could not find your results!
The Edinburgh Marathon will be held on the 15 June 2003. Try www.edinburgh-marathon.co.uk or phone 0901 0201 600 for more details and entry form.
Well is this race flatter than Troon? A big turnout from Striders. Craig Hamilton continues a brilliant year with yet another PB. Check out the picture in the Hamilton Advertiser!
Despite this being advertised as a 50 mile charity cycle Striders entered two running relay teams. Well done the B team. You know who you are.
Well done all Striders including those dark horses getting big PB's. (full details in the Echoes) When I get the pictures I will stick them in the gallery page.
Yip one big hill, one big race. Alan getting a good start onto the Ben came home in 2hrs 16mins and Stewart being overtaken by a guy in jeans and trainers and bright yellow mac (in the first mile) made it home in 2hrs 23mins.
Alan swam, cycled and ran this course in just over two hours. For the record he was pleased that there were no jellyfish on the sea swim this year!
June 2002 - West Highland Way
Tony, Steve and Alan gave this 96mile race their best shot. Weather as most will know by now was a bit on the wet side.
Despite being third to about Kingshouse Alan, having fallen earlier near Drymen, called it a day. A calf injury finally getting the better of him. Alan had previously completed the course in 2001. Steve ran out of luck with his feet protesting under the wet conditions and blisters were rife! Tony made it to Fort William to complete the race but he too felt the pain of this ultra event. Conditions as they were all three Striders did well and are already taking about doing it all again!
PS........ September - Striders Have A New Web Site!!!!!!!!!!!
A lot of technical blips delayed the start of this third generation of Striders web sites. I have to thank Dave Mateer again for sorting it all out and the invaluable training. In the process I deleted everything trying to upload the site to our host and forgot to back the files up. A lesson there I think.
I hope you like the new site. Constructive criticism only!
I will need loads of pictures and news to keep this site updated. Please do not hesitate to give me details by email. In fact pictures are fun and easy to add. So if you have the odd picture I can always scan them in.
Regards
Stewart Robertson (web engineer) my email address is stoo_robertson@hotmail.com