Ashford Striders are a friendly running club based in Ashford, Kent. We offer free taster runs for potential members wishing to see if they want to join. Club membership is charged annually at £25 per person. The club is a not for profit organisation so all monies will be invested back in to the club.
We strive to be an all-inclusive club catering for runners of all abilities, from 5K to ultra runners.
Club running nights are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. On a Monday and Tuesday we offer Technique sessions and runs from various locations according to the planned session and on a Thursday we offer runs at various paces and these, at present, are at 6.45pm from the Ashford Railway Club in Beaver Road.
Please complete a Free Taster Session Form, or contact us if you are interested in running with us, so we can let you know our upcoming meeting times and places. Please allow at least 24 hours for your request to be processed.
Hello again you lovely people! How the devil are you?? Hopefully not too many sore heads for those who were at the Summer Social or Iron Maiden last night!
Well it’s that time of the week again where we celebrate the achievements of our wonderful club members at events over the week.
We start as per usual with parkrun. A total of 66 Striders attended a Parkrun on Saturday; 34 at Ashford and 32 on tour.
As ever we start at home at Ashford.
Frank Remigio was first strider across the line with a time of 18:12, followed by Kevan Strand with a time of 21:35 and Konrad Gryniewicz with a time of 22:17.
They were followed by Dan Green in 22:35, Harry Scott in 22:57, Linda-Jean Delport in 24:50, Chloe Stott in 25:32, Darren Laker in 26:12, Jamie Bartlett in 28:16, Don Dewar in 28:24 and Jason Sanders in 28:25. A big shout out to Mathew Norman who smashed his target of beating a 30 minute parkrun with a time of 29:07. Well done!!
Scott Hawkins then crossed the line shortly afterwards in 29:09 followed by Carole Thomas 29:13, Rebecca James 29:47, Jason Brice 29:55, David Martins 30:12 and David Gadsby 30:27.
Jayne Hatton was next over in 31:40 then Andy Found 32:08, Russ Berliner 32:10, Eloise Pegg 33:29, Amanda James 33:41, Sara Dewar 35:20, Rachel Oliver 35:58, Sarah Martins 36:38, Penny Grigg 37:45, Heather Fraser 38:14, Kate Bushell 38:30, Amy Hook, completing her first parkrun for 2 years, 40:30 and Nadine Lidbury with Justine Wearn on 52:19.
Well done everyone!
And also a big thank you to the volunteers, without whom we wouldn’t have parkrun. Ashford came close to being cancelled owing to a shortage of volunteers this week so if you can volunteer please do pop your name to the Ashford team.
So onto the tourism.
“If you go down to the woods today you’re in for a big surprise. If you go down to the woods today you better go dressed in Red. For today’s the day the Striders descend on Bedgebury!”
Poetry was never my strong point so let’s carry on with the weekends exploits! Bedgebury Pinetum celebrated it’s Centenary this week and there was a bumper turn out of over 500 park runners at Bedgebury Pinetum parkrun with a wave of Striders to boot.
Stephen Rumsey was the first Strider home like a speedy spruce in 25:55 followed by Michael Ruck 26:05, Lee Gribbin in 27:06, Justin Burden in 27:32, Lionel Hammond in 27:50, Jack Farrant in 28:27 and Lee Standen in 31:56.
Richard Randle was next like a lively larch in 33:13 followed by Victoria Shrubsole in 34:38, Lucie Shrubsole in 34:42, Andrew Cornwell in 34:48, Lisa Gribbin in 36:11 and Donna Hammond in 36:13.
Finally like brisk birches were Delia Millen in 36:59, Aimee Donohue in 39:17, Josh Stephens in 39:18, Helen Rumsey in 41:28, Julie Foster in 45:03 and Laura Clark in 48:15. Well done to everyone who made it to the Pinetum. A stunning parkrun!
Another stunning parkrun is Squerryes Winery parkrun and representing us were Nicola Crawley (33:07) and Maria Chapman (34:53). I recommend the cafe there! Cracking croissants and coffee there…..as well as wine!!!
Down be the seaside was Simon Pharoah completing the Folkestone parkrun in 18:00 and Tamsin Ritchie in 29:36.
A bit further up the coast was Adrian Green completing the Pegwell Bay parkrun in 33:48 and inland was Amanda Watson completing the Tonbridge parkrun in 30:31.
Going a bit further afield now. At Castle Park parkrun in the shadows of Stansted Airport was Isabelle Froissart completing in 31:20.
Just a bit further up the M11 were Adam Booth and Ombéline Marone-hitz completing the Milton Country parkrun in 33:31 and 33:32 respectively.
George Cromwell conquered the sand at the Hogmoor Inclosure parkrun in 27:56. A great time at a tough venue!
And finally I’ve left these guys to last as they win the prize for the most stressful journey to a parkrun this weekend. Thanks to delays by the airline, they finally took off at 08:50 heading to Jersey and got to the parkrun at 09:40 where the team kindly allowed them to complete the event. Their official times are way out from the time they actually took to complete the course but a huge well done to Rachel Tomsett, Angela Craffey and Hazel Turner for making the day trip to Jersey and getting this event under your belts.
Onto the races over the last few days and it’s been a bit of a quiet one but here it goes.
Last weekend Ashford celebrated its Pride Festival and on Monday the celebrations were concluded with the Ashford Pride 5k. A great little race with possibly the most colourful medal going.
First Strider across the line with a time of 23:26 was Jamie Penfold who was closely followed by Terry Sellen who crossed in 23:51 (and was first in his age category). We then had Stephen Rumsey finish in a time of 25:02 and then Helen Rumsey in a time of 41:20.
On Tuesday the East Kent Road Relays latest event took place at Minnis Bay. A deceptive course with a killer hill and a strong headwind back to the handover area. As ever we took a great squad along!
Senior Male Team A Kevin North 00:15:52 Jason Caldwell 00:15:33 Jack Farrant 00:15:09 Frank Remigo 00:13:03
Male V40 Team A Jamie Penfold 00:17:17 Matt Dewit 00:18:19 Andrew Cornwell 00:22:24 Andy Found 00:19:41
Senior Female Team A Lucie Shrubsole. 00:19:36 Carole Thomas 00:17:53 Elle Weekes 00:17:48
Senior Female Team B Rebecca James 00:20:18 Vicky Stevenson 00:20:44 Emma Konstantinou 00:18:39
Then we have Out of the Blue Battle which took place at Ashburnham Place in East Sussex. Complete the 5k course in 37:53 was Donna Hammond and completing the 10k course in 1:01:17 was Lionel Hammond. Outstanding efforts guys! Well done.
We finish the report with two machines who completed two tough events in recent days.
First of all Harry Scott who completed the JLL Property Duathlon in a PB time of 1:25:33. Absolutely superb time!
And finally Matthew Beasley who completed the Peak District Ultra Challenge. Now this is something special! 73km in a pb time of 11hrs 58 minutes and 50 seconds. Which makes my 8.5mile plod along the seafront today look measly. Full respect to you Matthew. Astonishing effort!
And that rounds of our report for this week. As ever if my autocorrect has changed names or I’ve missed anything let me know.
Well done everyone. You should be so proud of your achievements this week. Shout your times from the rooftops and celebrate each others.
On Saturday 50 Striders took on the challenge of Parkrun on the hottest day of the year so far!
34 runners braved the furnace at Ashford, while 16 went on tour.
Vicky Stevenson lit up the course with her incredible 250th Parkrun and let’s raise a cheer for Elle Weekes, who marked her 50th Parkrun in style!
A big shout out to this week’s volunteers of Jason Caldwell, Mark Niles, Terry (fred) Sellen, Hazel Turner, Lin West and Mat Norman who was the awesome run director.
While others were chasing PBs on the Parkrun circuit, a fearless crew of Striders took on a different kind of challenge – The Cliff Top Challenge a sun-drenched 10-mile run from Dover to Deal!
Nicola Crawley, Nadine Golding, Mandy Watson, Sharon Gardner, Andrew Cornwell, and Victoria Shrubsole laced up and set off on a journey that was less about speed and more about sunshine, scenery, and sweet treats.
Strategic lolly stops were made, sunshine selfies were snapped and after 2 hours and 30 minutes, they arrived in Deal.
Two other Striders were winding through ancient paths, rolling hills, and breathtaking countryside, for the Pilgrims Way Challenge which is no ordinary trek. It’s a test of endurance, mindset, and sheer willpower — and this year, the course stretched beyond the advertised 55 km.
Rachel Tomsett led the charge with a phenomenal finish time of 11 hours, 48 minutes, setting a strong pace across the rugged terrain. Chloe Darling, with unwavering determination and a steady stride, completed the challenge in 12 hours, 29 minutes, and 28 seconds.
The Striders week of events kicked off on Tuesday evening with the third of the East Kent Summer Relays. This one was hosted by A&D and held at Victoria Park. Striders had seven teams Male and Female involved and everyone did themselves proud amongst a field of extremely strong runners from six different running clubs. The course was 2.06 miles long and Strider results were as follows…
Senior Mens ‘A’
Josh Stephens 14:18
Jack Farrant 12:51
Frank Remigio 11:20
Simon Pharoah 11:27
Senior Mens ‘B’
Pav Jagoda-Souch 16:18
Scott Hawkins 15:12
Matthew Gilbert 14:12
Konrad Gryniewicz 13:49
Vet 40 Men
Andy Found 16:34
Adam Thomas 14:22
Keith Haynes 13:00
Jason Caldwell 13:32
Vet 50 Men
Andrew Cornwell 19:25
Richard Randle 18:59
Phil Lowe 16:16
Senior Ladies ‘A’
Jayne Hatton 17:04
Vicky Stevenson 17:56
Elle Weekes 15:16
Senior Ladies ‘B’
Rebecca James 17:26
Lucie Shrubsole 16:40
Megan Clare 18:48
Vet 45 Ladies
Sharon Gardner 18:59
Vicky Shrubsole 17:59
Carole Thomas 15:20
A massive shoutout to Jason Caldwell who coordinates these superb events for Striders and to everyone who came out to support. The Striders support was extremely loud and hugely appreciated by all the runners ❤️
Friday saw the return of one of the biggest events in the running calendar in the form of our very own Ashford Striders Charing 10K and what a night it was. The whole club came together and did what we do best by producing an epic night of running and fun. The feedback from runners and spectators has been amazing and everyone involved needs to hold their heads extremely high. I can’t thanks everyone enough for their hard work and professionalism which ensured a fantastic evening was had by all. The only complaint we had was by local resident Roger who couldn’t hear his TV but we will take that all day long.
We started with the kids race and the little ones loved it. First across the line was of course Will Pharoah who had been told he was walking home by his non competitive dad if he didn’t win 🙈. Congratulations to Will !!
Onto the main race and some superb Strider results on what is a tough course with ‘That bloody Hill’……
Frank Remigio was first Strider and 7th overall with a stunning time of 38:50, well done Frank !! Adrian Green and his immaculate hair were next with 45:51 and Adam Thomas put in a great shift to come through in 48:13 followed by Terry Sellen in 50:12. Matthew Beasley got a new 10K PB with a great time of 51:13, Well done Matthew and he was followed by Steve Rumsey who also got a PB with 53:35, great run Steve !! Darren Laker was next with 53:57 and then yet another PB run this time by Michael Ruck with 54:40, congratulations Michael !!. Danie Shwartz completed in 55:56 and Kevan Strand went round in 56:03 ahead of Dave Winchester in 56:30 and Justin Burden in 58:28. George Phillips came through in 58:49 with wife Isobel making sure she wasn’t chatting and missing him again like she did last time he ran🤦♂️
Lionel Hammond just scraped under the hour with 58:51 followed by Harry Lockhart in 1:01:44 and Eloise Pegg in 1:01:45 and Mat Norman in 1:04:22. Cara Linen came over the line in 1:10:57 with Donna Hammond next in 1:14:51. Kat Silvester completed in 1:15:13 followed by Aimee Donahue and Josh Stephens both with 1:27:35. Julie Foster completed the Red line up at Charing with a finish time and a huge ovation of 1:30:30
Once again, Well done and Thankyou to all the runners, marshals, etc on a fabulous event ❤️
Well after the fun and festivities of Friday night, life returned to normal on Saturday with Striders dispersing far and wide for their weekly Parkrun fix.
Of course as you all know it was the 14th June on Saturday and the Trooping Of The Colour to celebrate the ‘Kings Birthday’. Actually HRH was born on November 14th so “Stand Easy”. The Trooping Of The Colour is to celebrate the birthday of the Sovereign and is held annually at this time of year in the hope of better weather. The TOTC actually has nothing to do with birthdays so just to educate you all….Regimental flags of the British Army, historically described as ‘Colours,’ are consecrated and display insignia worn by soldiers of the respective unit along with the unit’s Honorary Distinctions or ‘Battle Honours’.
Historically the primary role of a regiment’s Colour was to provide a rallying point on the battlefield, which was vitally important because without the forms of communications available to troops operating on a modern battlefield it was all too easy for soldiers to become disoriented and separated from their unit during conflict. For soldiers to recognise their Regiment’s Colour, it was necessary to display it; this was accomplished by young officers marching between formed-up ranks of soldiers with the Colour held high, which is the origin of the term ‘trooping’. What is today a great ceremonial spectacle began life as a vital wartime parade.
Sorry I’ve gone off track so back to Parkrun….
A total of 47 Striders attended a Parkrun on 14/06/25 , 26 at Ashford, and 21 on tour.
At Ashford Adam Booth was first Strider across the line with a time of 21:38 followed by Keith Haynes with a time of 21:52, and Jack Farrant third strider, with a time of 22:22
Linda-jean Delport was First Lady Strider with 22:31 followed by Mark Niles 23:12 and Neil Wood 24:31. Terry Sellen celebrated his 400th Parkrun with 25:11, Congratulations Terry on such a magnificent milestone 🙌. Darren Laker achieved 25:54 followed by Daniel Schwartz 28:03, Don Dewar 28:25, Josh Stephens 29:24 and David Martins 29:25. Amanda James completed the sub 30’s finishing in 29:47.
Carole Thomas completed in 30:31 followed by Ross Mcinnes 31:49. Marion Fitzpatrick achieved a new PB with 33:23, great running Marion 🙌 !! and she was followed in by Robert Harris with 33:46.
Birthday girl Sarah Martins went round in 34:45 (that was her time not her age, she’s much younger than that !!) just ahead of Justine Wearn 34:49 and Lin West 34:52. Great to see Paul Diddams back running and he achieved 35:51, Well done Paul !! Pauline Tallett notched up a 35:55 finish with Rick Newman celebrating his 25th PR in 44:18 and his guide Sharon Mcinnes celebrating her 50th PR in 44:19. Tailwalker Julie Nicholson completed in 59:41
Huge thanks to the volunteers at Ashford as usual. Along with Julie Nicholson we had Julie Foster, Lisa Fulcher, Steve Rumsey and Hazel Turner.
Parkrun Tourism
Jamie Penfold visited the Brooklands parkrun and completed it in a great time of 23:03.
Scott Hawkins led the way at the Dover Waterfront parkrun and achieved a brilliant new PB with 23:59 🙌. Great run Scott and well done for honouring the ‘winner buys the teas rule’. Elle Weekes was next Strider through at Dover in 25:50 and yet another PB for the ever improving and less moaning Rebecca James who completed in a fab time of 27:53 🙌 neck and neck with Andy Found who was eternally grateful for not getting his ear bent all the way round !! Jayne Hatton somehow managed to match her time to the second from her previous visit to Dover with 28:34 and Maria Chapman completed the Dover Waterfront parkrun Strider lineup with 33:30.
Amanda Watson and Hubby Ian were on Honeymoon and decided it would be a good idea to run near a recently erupted volcano and Amanda completed the Etna parkrun in a Seismic time of 36:36. It was obviously Lava at first sight for the pair of them and they are a Magma-nificent match ❤️.
Chloe Winham was the sole Strider at Folkestone parkrun and completed in 28:44 with Rachel Tomsett visiting the Great Lines parkrun, Medway and finishing in 30:49. Lee Gribbin completed the Leybourne Lakes parkrun in 27:50 a couple of minutes ahead of his mum Lisa Gribbin who went round in 29:42.
Justin Burden and Laura Clark were at the Maidstone River Park parkrun and finished in respective times of 28:51 and 45:40.
Isabelle Froissart continued her comeback from injury and completed the Orpington parkrun in 29:39 whilst Tamsin Ritchie and Sprocket completed the Polkemmet Country parkrun in 28:50.
We had a quartet of Striders at Royal Tunbridge Wells.Lionel Hammond led the way with 28:47 He was followed by Delia Millen in 38:10, Donna Hammond in 39:08 and Nige Terry 39:49.
Last but certainly not least Simon Pharoah completed the Walmer and Deal Seafront parkrun in 18:15 and actually got first place 🥇. Congratulations on a great run Simon !!
Saturday also saw the return of the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels event. A 10k race through rivers, mud and obstacles of all kinds which some strange people see as fun 🤪. Chris Littlejohn was first Strider to complete and he managed a course PB with a great time of 1:26:21, well done Chris. Dan Green was next with 1:30:43 followed by Matthew Beasley in 1:41:21. Kay Hunt got a course PB with 2:17:45, well done Kay and she finished at exactly the same time as Adam Thomas. Angie Craffey completed in 3:43:40 just ahead of Michelle and Jason Brice in 3:44:00 and Chloe Darling in 3:44:27. Well done to all of you and great to see you back out running Chloe. Everyone at the club wishes you and your family well 😘
Michael Davies was in action on Sunday at the Offas Dyke 15 mile race on the hilly English/Welsh border. Despite taking some time en route to dive into the stinging nettles Mike completed in 2:29:00 winning his age group category.
I wasn’t sure whether to include this last one on Saturday or Sunday as she started on one and finished on the other but anyway congratulations to Henrike Grund. This amazing lady took on the South Downs Way 100 mile race and finished it in 25:57:09. An incredible show of determination, fitness and slight madness. Well done Henrike that is a wonderful achievement ❤️
Well done to everyone on a fantastic week. Runners, Marshals, Supporters have all been top notch which is why the status of this running club is up there with the very best 😍
Don’t forget to get yourselves on Spond and signed up to this weeks fun. We have the Non Tech run on Monday which is always good fun and then Neds run on Tuesday. Apparently there is something new at S&C this coming Tuesday and we are going Al Fresco so come along with your mat and find out what the surprise is 🤔
Finally don’t forget to sign up for the Striders Social at the Club on 28th June. It’s completely free (apart from the booze) to members and will be a great night for all. It’s on Spond so no excuses, be there or be square !!
Hello and happy Sunday everyone, I hope you’ve all enjoyed the welcome return of the (intermittent) sunshine today! I’m back to work tomorrow so rest assured, Summer will be back properly this week! 😀
The standard of our Run Report Writers is now so high, I’ve been struggling all day thinking about how to write this to even begin to compare with previous weeks. I deliberated about reporting on the carnage at Ashford Parkrun that almost caused a pile up on the final sprint, when a couple of feisty squirrels, completely engrossed in their fighting, ran across the path without a thought for anyone going for their PB. But, alas, I didn’t get any photos so I decided against it! (True Story!)
So here we are, I shall stick to what I know and report on all of the achievements that our members have earned in the last seven days.
First off, we had the first of the Rye Summer Series on Friday evening. The summer series is, as the name suggests, a series of four races over the four months of Summer (June, July, August and September) There are options for 10k or 5k for the first 3 and then everyone does the 5k for the final race. We had a fantastic clutch of members representing us in Rye on Friday with Lionel and Donna Hammond choosing to complete the 5k version and gaining themselves excellent times of 26:24 and 36:59 respectively. Next up and first of our 10k racers was the lightening bolt that is Simon Pharoah, Simon once again made it look easy coming in with an outstanding time of 37:56, a course PB, 3rd Male, 4th overall and first in his age category! Next up was Dave Winchester, comfortably coming in sub 60 with a finish time of 50:14, Ash Robinson was next in with 1:04:36, followed by Ross McInnes with 1:08:07, Sharon McInnes just behind with 1:08:44 and then Lucey Townsend in 1:12:08 – excellent work all!
Then we move on to Parkrun day – AKA Saturday! A total of 51 Striders attended a Parkrun on 07/06/25 , 42 at Ashford, and 9 on tour, we’ll start as is customary at home in Ashford;
Jack Farrant was first strider across the line and 14th overall, with a time of 20:13, he was followed by Keith Haynes with a time of 20:19, and Jason Caldwell third strider, with a time of 21:19.
They were followed by
Terry Sellen, completed his 399th Parkrun in 23:15, Chloe Winham, first female Strider earned a shiny new PB with an excellent time of 23:25, then came Steve Rumsey 24:45, Harry Scott 25:09, Darren Laker 25:12, Claire Green 25:15, Michael Ruck 25:16, Ian Mccutcheon 25:33, George Phillips 25:41, Daniel Schwartz 26:22, Jason Brice 27:12, David Gadsby 27:20, Neil Wood 27:36, Pav Jagoda-souch 28:47, and Jamie Bartlett 29:00. Rebecca James, smashing out the sub 30’s was next with 29:09, Don Dewar 29:16, Amanda James 29:26, David Martins 29:51, and Catherine Wall 30:34. Running together and looking like they were having a lovely time around the park were Lee Gribbin and Lisa Gribbin, both finishing in 30:43, Eloise Pegg was next, 31:17, Stephen Cartwright, coming back from injury and making it look like he’d never been away, came in at 31:25, then Rob Harris 31:54, Josh Stephens 31:57, Tamsin Ritchie 33:30, Dave Warner 34:50, Pauline Tallett 34:57, Lucie Shrubsole and John Latter finished together with 35:01, Penny Grigg 35:21, Sara Dewar 35:56, Sarah Martins 37:35, Nige Terry 37:41, Katarzyna, Heather Fraser 38:16, Helen Rumsey 39:09, Angela Craffey 1:00:49, and last but not least was Jamie Penfold celebrating his 100th Parkrun with a tail-walking party at the back, came in with 1:01:22!
As usual we had a good turnout of Striders volunteering at Parkrun; Jason Caldwell, Isabelle Froissart, Mark Niles, Jamie Penfold and Hazel Wood – Thank you as always to all of you and please, if you’re at a loose end at all, please do volunteer to marshal, it’s so rewarding and very much appreciated!
Parkrun Tourism
Maria Chapman completed the Cyclopark parkrun in 34:24
Nicola Crawley completed the Dinton Pastures parkrun in 52:14
Amanda Watson, this week’s furthest travelled Parkrunner, completed the Foro Italico parkrun in over 30 degrees heat and came in on 31:22.
Justin Burden, Lee Standen and Laura Clark completed the Great Notley parkrun coming in on 29:28, 31:43 and 1:03:01 respectively.
Linda-jean Delport completed the Maidstone River Park parkrun in 22:23.
Justine and Jason Wearn were in Swindon and completed the Seven Fields parkrun in 33:01 and 33:04 respectively.
Still on Saturday we move over to Lanzarote where Russ Berliner donned his Red Strider-Shirt and completed the Sun Run Lanzarote 5K race, which he did in a fine time of 31:43.
Saturday and into Sunday, three members decided it would be fun to enter Endure24 in Reading! This race is on a course of 8km and the aim is to complete as many laps of the course as you can within 24 hours. The race can be run solo, in pairs or as part of a team, our runners very sensibly took the team option with Nicola Crawley completing 3 laps in times of 55:33 at 5:02pm, 1:10:54 at 11:22pm and then 58:09 at 5:40am. Sharon and Ross McInnes, not content with a measly 10km on Friday evening also did three laps each, Sharon at 6pm, 2am and 11am and Ross at 7pm, 3am and midday today! Crazy bunch – obviously you’ve now piqued the FOMO sensor in some other members so I’m sure there’ll be a much bigger turnout for this next time!
Donna Hammond, another Strider not content with one race this weekend, was in Folkestone today for the Race for Life, she raised an amazing amount of money for the charity and completed the race in 38:30.
Four of our members added Swimming and Cycling to their runs today, competing in the White Cliffs Sprint Triathlon down in Dover. This race was a 400m Swim, a 14km Cycle and then a 5km run, first Strider and with a PB was Chris Littlejohn with an overall time of 1:05:35, Next was Richard Randle in 1:14:07, Andrew Cornwell 1:17:16 and finally, well and truly bitten by the Tri-bug, was Vicky Shrubsole with an overall time of 1:24:51.
Final race of the weekend was attended by Michael Davies. Michael was in Staplehurst for their 10k and came home with a lovely little haul of a beautiful VE Day medal and an award for being first in his category and with a course PB time of 45:15.
That, I think is it for this week, outstanding achievements as always everyone!
Where do we start! The Striders have cast their net out far and wide this week, with events ranging from Tuesday evening relays, 10k’s, sprint triathlons, marathons and ultra marathons, all in the space of a week. What a way to end May and kick start a summer of running in June!
Tuesday evening saw the Ashford Striders back in action for round 2 of the East Kent Road Relays held at Samphire Hoe in Dover. Representation at these events continues to grow, with Striders bringing 7 teams along to tackle the course. Brilliant running overall by all members of the Striders meant for some fantastic times. Round 3 takes place on 10th June on home soil in Victoria Park in Ashford. It would be great to have even more teams and the route lined with Striders supporting in red!
Midweek Parkrunners
Throughout the year various countries offer special parkruns to celebrate during their national holidays and of course this meant some of our Parkrun enthusiasts made the trip into the nordic countries for an extra piece of Parkrun Pie.
Nic Crawley and Justine Wearn took a trip to Vaxjosjon Parkrun in Sweden, running together around the stunning course they finished in 31.14. Whilst the Martins found themselves in the land of pastries, Denmark! They took on the course at Amager Faelled, David completed the course in 31.38 with Sarah close behind in 34.49.
Gribbin 10k
When a race comes along with your own name you have no choice but to enter. Lisa and Lee Gribbin took a trip to Cornwall and took over over 1000ft of elevation during this 10k race over mixed terrain make for a difficult challenge. Lee finished the course in 1.07.33 with Lisa just behind in 1.12.02.
Ashford parkrun
Simon Pharoah was first strider across the line with a time of 19:39, followed by Keith Haynes with a time of 20:24, and Jack Farrant third strider, with a time of 20:33
They were followed by
Harry Scott 21:55, Adam Booth 22:00, Dan Green 23:04, Matthew Gilbert with a PB time of 23:18, Jamie Penfold 23:19, Terry (fred) Sellen 23:46, Kevan Strand 24:08, Stephen Rumsey 24:29, Scott Hawkins with a new PB time of 24:47, Mark Niles 24:54, Darren Laker 25:10, Michael Ruck 25:26, David Gadsby 27:16, Carole Thomas 28:09, Pav Jagoda-souch with a new PB time of 28:10, Jamie Bartlett 29:33, Lee Gribbin 30:34, Lisa Gribbin 30:34, Eloise Pegg 31:01, Harry Lockhart 31:01, Jason Brice 32:41, Rachel Tomsett 33:04, Russ Berliner 33:57, Katie Fox 34:17, Rachel Oliver 35:17, Jennifer Watts 36:13, Michelle Brice 37:10, Pauline Tallett 37:11, Helen Rumsey 38:55, Kevin Miller 43:21, Ned Golding 43:22, Julie Foster 43:33.
As always, a big thank you to all the Striders who volunteered at parkrun this weekend. It is not possible to run without you! Thank you Jason, Danie, Jason, Don and Julie!
Parkrun Tourism
Down to Dover for a fabulous 5 of Andy, Vicky, Amanda, Becky and Jayne. Known for its potential for fast times on a flat course today was no difference. With Andy posting his quickest time for 2 years finishing in 25:54. Vicky finished with her fastest time of the year in 27.55. Amanda post her fastest time for 3 years in 28:15. Next saw Becky crossing the line with a huge 24 second PB in 28:23! Also posting her fastest time of the year was Jayne Hatton in 28:34. Some fantastic speedy striders in Dover this week!
Not content with 1 parkrun abroad, Nic and Justine found themselves at the Faelledparken in Copenhagen. They finished together in 35:44.
Lin West made the short trip to Folkestone completing the course in 36:30.
Maria Chapman opted for the Seaside in Hastings running the out and back route in 32:10.
Justin, Lee and Laura, ticking off more of the London parkruns headed to Lloyd parkrun in Croydon. Finishing in 29:35, 35:17 and 48:59.
The scenery of Mote park welcomed another group of Strider taking on the undulating course. I believe Dee was the first across the line but there may have been some confusion with counting of laps…. Lionel Hammond and Richard Randle crossed the line together in 31:28, Nige Terry followed in 38:22 with Donna Hammond closely behind in 38:45 and Katarzyna Janas in 38:50.
The Martins continued either foreign tourist trail at the Skatas parkrun in Gothenburg, Sweden. David finishing in 35:17 and Sarah 36:13.
Our final tourist this week was Isabelle Froissart, at the Tramore Valley parkrun in Ireland crossing the line in 32:13.
On to Saturdays Race!!
Saturday saw 5 Striders battling heat, no shade, trails, more heat, running, a castle, more heat, still no shade, another castle, a bit more heat, one more castle annnnddd 50km of running. Taking on the Embrace Ultra Three Castles 50km running from Rochester to Tonbridge, an epic achievement by all of them; Josh Stephens was the first Strider to collect his medal in a time of 6:30:58, next was Alice Foulger in 6:45:00. Mandy Watsons watch may have given up, but she powered on finishing in 7:40:30. Tamsin Ritchie completed the course in 8:22:48 and finally Jason Sanders in 8:33:48. A truely monumental achievement by all!
Sunday Races
Simon Pharoah was the lone Strider taking on the Marden 10k, a picturesque route and a lovely looking medal saw Simon cross the line in a time of 38:01 and finishing in 12th place in a race with over 400 runners, a fantastic result!
Lisa Gribbin just can’t stop running! On Sunday she took the role of Sweeper at the Oliver Fisher 5 & 10km in Sittingbourne. She finished in a time of 1:29:11.
Ashford Striders became the Ashford sTRIders on Sunday making the short trip to Hythe for the Hythe Bay Triathlon run by our friends at the Ashford Tri Club. A Super Sprint Triathlon consisting of a 250m pool swim, a 14km Bike ride and a 5km along the seafront. A well run event, which is perfect for first time triathletes. First Strider across the line in a time of 1:00:51 was Dan Green, Dan managed a super speedy 23:33 5k after his swim and bike! George Phillips was next to cross the line in a time of 1:04:39. Taking on his First Triathlon was Harry Lockhart, who also was the fastest Swimming Strider of the day with a swim time of 4:48, crossing the line in 1:09:17. Just 3 minutes behind was Richard Randle (dressed in Strider red), with a time of 1:12:10. Closely followed by tri veteran Andrew Cornwell in 1:13:46. Vicky Shrubsole was also taking on her first triathlon race to finish in a brilliant time of 1:20:41. Big thanks to Nic Crawley who also volunteered at the event (and managed to get some nice photos of me on my bike).
The final event for Sunday saw Izzy Froissant competing in the Cork City Marathon. The solo strider completing the event, a brilliant run saw a finishing time of 5:10:28
Thank you to everyone who went out there this week and represented the Striders up and down the country and abroad!
Don’t forget we also have a couple of big events coming up! Ned is still after a few volunteers for the Charing 10k. And if you are running, don’t forget to get signed up!
And finally the 28th June is Summer Social time! At the clubhouse, don your best neon outfit and dancing shoes for what is always a brilliant night! Guest are also welcome, check Spond for all the details!
Thanks for reading! Time for me to take another nap on the sofa!
Good Evening and Happy Sunday Strider’s❤️ We were graced with some rain this weekend, not nice for our tans but made for some cooler running conditions..
A reminder to you all that S&C is on Wednesday this week due to the relays taking place on Tuesday. Get yourself signed up!🫶
Also, for those of you not already booked to come along, the Summer Social that is taking place on 28th June! We would love to see you all there – and there is no party like a Strider’s party!! Mum has big shoes to fill, but I’m sure it will be a great night!💃🕺
Some would say Saturday morning bought perfect running conditions… A total of 41 Strider’s took part in a Parkrun, 28 in Ashford, 13 on tour:
ASHFORD PARKRUN
Keith Haynes was the first Strider across the line with a time of 20:25, followed by Jack Farrant with 21:04. In the 22 club, we have Harry Scott with 22:14, and Mark Niles with 22:39. Terry Sellen is back with a bang, finishing in 23:31. Kevan Strand crossed the line in 24:19. Next to finish with a fantastic PB was Carole Thomas with a time of 25:14! Congratulations Carole! Following behind was Chloe Stott 25:18, Michael Ruck 25:24, and Josh Stephens in 25:39. Daniel Schwartz completed the course in 26:17. I hear Birthday Wishes are in order for Darren Laker, who completed his birthday Parkrun in 26:33. Happy Birthday for yesterday Darren🎂 Pav Jogoda-Souch, is absolutely flying and achieved another PB with a time of 28:15. Great run Pav!! Jason Brice finished in 28:18, just as though he hasn’t eaten 3 pain au chocolates everyday for breakfast for the last week😉 Next, finally cracking the sub 30 barrier after a year is Rebecca James. Finishing in the same time was Coach Andy Found, who joined Rebecca on the course making sure she didn’t miss it after 2 weeks of trying! Both completed in 29:19. Amanda James finished in 30:50 (second James across the line – it doesn’t happen often, so we have to make the most of it!) Following behind was David Martins 31:59, Sharon Gardner 32:21, Sarah Martins 33:23. Following her debut early risers, Rachel Oliver finished the Parkrun course in 35:16. Well done!! Lin West finished in 35:26. Next with a shiny new PB is Nige Terry in a time of 37:29. Congratulations Nige!! Jennifer Watts finished in 38:18, Lee Standen 39:29, Paul Diddems 42:13, and Pauline Tallett in 42:46. Our tailwalker this week, was the lovely Rachel Tomsett, in 53:17!
As always, a huge thank you to those who volunteered. Our volunteers were Don Dewar, Ross McInnes, Sharon McInnes, Matthew Norman, Tamsin Ritchie (with her two furry friends🐾), Terry Sellen, Rachel Tomsett and Hazel Turner.
PARKRUN TOURISM
Taking a trip to London to complete the Crystal Palace Parkrun, was Justin Burden 26:27, followed by Laura Clark 44:12.
Four Striders decided to take a trip to the coast to take on the Dover Waterfront Parkrun. Dan Green was first over the line in 22:36, and Claire Green 25:28. Battling many challenges to even reach the start line, was Eloise Pegg and Harry Lockhart both completing the course in 29:34. Well done to you all!
It was a family affair in Folkestone, where Elle, and most of the Weekes family took on the Folkestone Parkrun course. Elle finished in 24.02. Great run Elle!
Martin Whittingham went to complete Hampstead Heath Parkrun, and finished the course in 61:58.
The Wearn’s took on the pretty route at Harrow Lodge Parkrun. Ladies first of course, with Justine finishing in 32:42, and Jason just behind in 32:45. Well done to you both!
Nicola Crawley and Maria Chapman headed to run around the lake at Leybourne Lakes Parkrun. Nicola finished in 29:36, with Maria just behind in 29:44. Great run ladies!
Penny Grigg headed to Osterley Parkrun and finished the course in 33:18. Well done Penny!
FOLKESTONE 10K
Next came a rather cloudy and windy Sunday morning in Folkestone. A group of Strider’s took on the out and back course from Folkestone into Hythe. I can vouch for those windy conditions – so very well done to you all!!
First Strider in was Terry Sellen in an impressive time of 47:59, a seasons best! Harry Lockhart was next, finishing in 48:01, and with a shiny new PB! Smashed it Harry!!🙌Following behind was Scott Hawkins who absolutely smashed his previous PB out of the park in a time of 50:49. Brilliant run Scott, your training is paying off!👏
The first Strider lady over the line was Elle Weekes in a time of 51:49! Another PB run was by Eloise Pegg, who completed the course in a time of 54:41. A very well done to you Eloise!🥳 Lionel Hammond finished the course in a time of 58:35! Ross McInnes ran the route, and completed in a PB time of 1:01:58, with a cheeky 5k PB thrown in too! A special mention to Sharon McInnes, who decided to run a 10k on her birthday (crazy lady😉). She finished in a time of 1:07:55. A little birdy told me both Sharon and Ross are now in full swing of birthday celebrations🍾 Happy Birthday!! Enjoy the rest of your day!
Well done!! An amazing effort from everyone – you should all be proud!
EDINBURGH MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON
Three Striders set out on an adventure to Edinburgh! I hear they battled all the elements throughout the day!
Tammy Brooks completed the Half Marathon in a time of 2:07:48, a seasons best! Well done Tammy!!
Taking on a challenge of the Marathon distance, was both David Helme and Hana Davis. Setting a new PB, in the outstanding time of 3:30:58, and first Strider across the line was Hana Davis! Congratulations Hana!!!👏 David Helme was next, enjoying the breezy course (maybe?😉) finishing in a time of 5:30:40. Great run Dave!!
INVICTA EAST KENT OPEN MEETING
Keith Haynes took part in the 3km track event, and finished in an impressive time of 11:49! Great work Keith!
That sums up another great week of running, and Strider’s support! Sometimes our runs do not go completely to plan, but it’s important to remember you are out there, getting it done, and you are surrounded by people cheering your name! I am sure I can speak for a lot of us that Ashford Strider’s really is the best place to be!❤️
If there are any errors, or amendments please do let me know and I will get them changed.
All that is left to say, is Keeeeeep Running🏃♂️ Have a great week everyone!
This week was mental health awareness week and what better way to raise awareness than a week of running, socialising and being a part of Ashford Striders!!
Tuesday saw Ashford Striders take part in the East Kent Summer Relays with the first race being held in Folkestone.
Results for the
Senior Male Team A – Simon Pharoah, Frank Remigio, Keith Haynes and Steve Greatorex finished with a time of 51.44.
Senior Male Team B – Konrad Gryniewicz, Matthew Gilbert, Adam Thomas and Matt Dewitt finished in 1hr 00.56
Male V50 Team A – Andy Found, Richard Randle, Kevin North completed in 49.41.
Senior Female Team A – Jayne Hatton, Megan Clare and Elle Weekes completed in 52.55.
Female V45 Team A – Emma Konstantinou, Vicky Shrubsole and Vicky Stevenson completed in 53.29.
A fantastic effort by all those that signed up and took on the course and best of luck for the remaining upcoming races!
Now onto the weekends action.
54 Striders attended a Parkrun on Saturday with 38 at Ashford, and 16 on tour.
We shall start with Ashford and the first strider across the line was Keith Haynes with a time of 20:07, shortly followed Jack Farrant (Although I haven’t seen the Tiktok video yet….) with a time of 21:02, and Harry Scott third strider home with a PB time of 21:10. Hot on the heels of Harry was Kevan Strand 21:29 and Konrad Gryniewicz 21:42, who also scooped a PB!
Terry Sellen 23:04 pipped Dan Green 23:07 to the finish line with Harry Lockhart 23:26, Stephen Rumsey 24:22, Linda-jean Delport 24:40, Michael Ruck 25:11 (PB), Josh Stephens 25:12 and Scott Hawkins 25:16 following in behind.
Also crossing the finish line in under 30 minutes were David Helme 28:34, Vicky Stevenson 28:44, Pav Jagoda-Souch 28.45 (PB) Amanda James 28:49. Finally Catherine Wall who was attempting to hit a sub 30 went out and smashed it with a time of 29.25! Fantastic Effort!!
There was another cluster of Striders crossing the line with Don Dewar 30:14, Eloise Pegg 30:18, Rebecca James 30:19, Jayne Hatton 30:20 all getting within the 30mins range.
Great running also by Richard Randle 32:22, Jamie Weller 34:29, Lin West 36:24, Rachel York 37:18, Kevin York 37:19, Clare Nunn 37:42, Sara Dewar 37:55, Helen Rumsey 38:07, Victoria Corby 38:53, Rita Cooke 39:07, Timothy Corby 41:17, Julie Foster 42:06, Leigh Freeman 45:21, Mark Niles 47:15, Rachel Tomsett 1:01:35, Nicola Crawley 1:01:37.
As always, this spectacular parkrun can not be held without the volunteers and again the Striders were helping out in force. Special thanks go to Jason Caldwell, Maria Chapman, Andrew Cornwell, Nicola Crawley, Lisa Fulcher, Vicky Shrubsole, Daphne Stafford and Amanda Watson!!
Parkrun Tourism
Now onto the crazy fools who probably get up earlier on a Saturday than they do for work to get their tourism fix!
Starting with where it all began at Bushy Park. 3 Striders attended the incredible historic, busy parkrun for their own milestone! Lionel and Donna Hammond both completed their 25th Parkrun with times of 26.35 and 31.28. Joining “The Hammonds” was Dee Millen who completed her 100th Parkrun with all the 3’s (33.33) Great achievements to all three of you!
Just down the road from Bushy Park was Jamie Penfold (23.51) (YouTube video to follow I am sure 😊) and Elle Weekes (34.05) while also out chatting away and giving away free socks!!
Down in Orpington was Justin Burden (27.24), Lee Gribbin (28.31), Lisa Gribbin (34.35) and Laura Clark (45.30) as they completed the great named Hoblingwell parkrun.
Flying solo this week at Mote Park was Justine Wearn with a time of 32:49.
The Martin’s completed the Sittingbourne parkrun with Sarah completing in PB time of 28:02, and David finishing in 29:35.
There were two more solo striders this week with Mollie Hoban travelling to the Leas parkrun in Minster and crossed the line in 44:23 and Isabelle Froissart completed the East Grinstead Parkrun in 30.47
Finally, down on the seafront was Simon Pharoah who completed the Dover Waterfront parkrun in a cool 17:46 and Danielle Moss who crossed in 48:15.
A great showing of Striders across the Parkrun scene! Well done to every single one of you!
All that running and that was just Saturday 😊
So, what happened Sunday, I hear you ask, well let’s get into it……………
Harry Scott, hot off the back of a parkrun PB signed up for the Sevenoaks Duathlon. This consisted of 5km run, 25km cycle and if that wasn’t enough another 3.5km run for good measure. All this and in a time of 1hr 52.38! Fair play Mr Scott!
Emma Konstantinou and Dave Winchester travelled to Rye for the 10-mile race and crossed the line in close proximity with times of 1hr 32.39 and 1hr 31.20 respectively. I have seen the elevation chart on that race so that is great running!!!
Jamie Bartlett was also in Rye tackling the 5mile option and completed in a brisk 45.49 picking up course and seasonal PB!
Back in Hackney again, George Cromwell and Chloe Stott took on the half marathon and both finished with PB’s with blistering times of 2hrs 04.35 and 2hrs 02.10. Fantastic efforts!
The final runner of the weekend was Lisa Gribbin who was the sweeper at the Chislehurst Half Marathon crossing the line in 3hrs 00.10.
With summer fast approaching there is plenty of runs / races coming up so check out the Spond page to keep up to date!
Race season is upon us and we had a busy weekend of running from Ashford Striders ❤️
First up though was a Bank Holiday Monday run to kick off May in style, two striders headed over to Whitstable for the 10k event, first home was Simon Pharoah in a fabulous 37:10, with Dee Millen crossing the line in 1:10:13. The conditions were not ideal for this seafront run but both of you ran fantastically well.
Next we head to Saturday and Mandy Watson taking on the Rosè challenge – Mandy managed 8 hot and hilly laps which equated to a marathon, marking her 28th to be exact! Mandy celebrated with a stunning medal and a glass of chilled rosè – sounds like the perfect race!
Also taking on a Saturday race was Luke Marsh! Luke decided he would like to take on some hills and opted for Bewl Water 10k – he finished in 1:06:00 – well done Luke.
Parkrun up next a total of 53 Striders attended a Parkrun on 10/05/25, 39 at Ashford, and 14 on tour.
At Ashford Adam Booth was first strider across the line with a time of 20:48, followed by Mark Niles with a time of 22:31, and Harry Scott third strider, with a time of 22:36, they were followed by first Strider lady Linda-jean Delport in 24:00. Stephen Rumsey flew over the line in 25:14, Kevan Strand back from injury and proving what a good rest can do finishes in 25:22, Claire Green finished in 25:34, Darren Laker crossed the line in 25:44, George Phillips, in a hurry to get back to Isobel and baby Grace in the cafe, managed a 25:56, Daniel Schwartz getting ready for the A&D 10k finished in 26:21, Michael Ruck hot on Daniel’s heels finished in 26:44, Chloe Stott edging closer to her PB stormed it in 26:48, Jayne Hatton in 28:35, Maria Chapman in 29:05, Carole Thomas finished her early risers run with a fab sub 30 parkrun time of 29:10, David Gadsby also prepped for A&D 10k with a cheeky parkrun, crossed the line in 29:34, Vicky Stevenson final member of the sub 30’s in 29:38, Catherine Wall gave an impressive sprint finish for 30:06, Rebecca James overtook at least 4 on the finish straight to her 30:21 finish, Daniel Stott came over the line in 30:34, Jason Sanders in his fresh marathon merch sailed over in 30:59, Ross Mcinnes took it all in his stride in 31:05, Kat Silvester close behind in 31:25, Sharon Mcinnes was taking it easy before her Sunday Runday to finish in 33:39, Robert Harris finished in 33:52, Sarah Martins post early risers finished in 34:43, Rachel Oliver looking strong in 35:14, Aimee Donohue & Josh Stephens, who I am informed stopped at the top of the hill for a cuddle with baby Grace came in at 35:57 & 35:58 respectively, Penny Grigg 36:03, Dave Warner in his first run post Brighton 10k finished in 36:27, Jennifer Watts in 37:52, Clare Nunn in 39:06, Helen Rumsey ever improving in 39:18, Rita Cooke happy to be back at parkrun smashing her goals in 40:43, Danielle Mackenzie in 41:05, Julie Foster in 42:53 and last but not least Rachel Tomsett in tail walker role finished in 1:03:19 – thank you to Rachel for volunteering and every single Strider who took the time out of their days to volunteer this weekend!
Parkrun tourism
A group of Striders decided they would go and complete the 15th hardest Parkrun in the UK. Justin Burden completed the Bevendean Down parkrun in 31:54, closely followed by Nicola Crawley in 35:31, Justine Wearn was close behind in 36:29, enjoying the views was Laura Clark finishing in 45:18.
Simon Pharoah thought he’d give everyone at Ashford a chance and headed to Dover to complete the Dover Waterfront parkrun in 21:02 with his speedy son!
Richard Randle and Delia Millen completed the Folkestone parkrun in 27:09 and 33:00.
Martin Whittingham completed the Foots Cray Meadows parkrun in 47:40 – starting off a new parkrun alphabet challenge! Well done Martin.
Jamie Penfold completed the Hastings parkrun in 22:20.
Lionel and Donna Hammond completed the Norwich parkrun in 32:31 exactly together! ❤️
Lee Standen completed the Tonbridge parkrun in 29:43, Lee Gribbin finished in 31:28 chased down by his mum Lisa Gribbin in 31:30.
Sunday saw the A&D 10k race, through the beautiful village of Westwell and back again, it was a challenging course on a rather warm day but everyone did themselves proud today! First over the line for Striders was Simon Pharoah in 38:14, next up was a very smiley Kevin North in 46:46, he was closely followed by Harry Scott who was embracing the heat finishing in 47:06. Jamie Penfold was next knocking 2 minutes off of his previous course time in 51:31, hot on his heels was Dave Winchester in 53:27. Scott Hawkins was making it look easy but insisting it wasn’t in 57:54, he was being chased down by Dan Schwartz to finish in 58:30. David Gadsby was next in 59:55. Amanda James took the crown of first Strider lady in 1:00:46, well done Amanda! Sharon McInnes gave it a sprint finish to get over the line in 1:11:51 and Dee Millen was in disbelief how she was freezing cold at Mondays race and roasting hot today but still getting it done in 1:14:53. Well done everyone ❤️
Heading over to Bristol for the AJ Bell Bristol Half Marathon was Frank Remigio completing the course in an amazing 1:30:19!
Opting for something slightly different a couple of Striders headed over to East Grinstead for a 30.4km sprint triathlon. Richard Randle came in first in 1:41:59 followed by Andrew Cornwell in 1:51:12 – well done guys fabulous work!
What a busy but amazing week, well done Super Striders! If you haven’t already done so check out Julie’s post about the summer of running we have coming up, some exciting events that everyone can get involved in.
Also please start shouting about the Charing 10k it’s getting close and it’s such a fantastic event that we want as many people involved as possible ❤️
Good evening everyone, I hope that you’re all enjoying a lovely bank holiday weekend!
Welcome to a new year of being a Striders Member and congratulations to you all for being part of the greatest running club in red 😁 and, as we saw at Victoria Park on Saturday, what a club we are – the photos speak for themselves! We even managed to get a group photo of most of our Spring Marathoners!
Saturday saw us hosting and supporting Parkrun as we do a few times each year. Obviously, it is our reputation for outstanding bakes that has meant it has always been a well attended ‘takeover’, and we were so close to beating the Parkrun record of 450 but fell short by just two!
This week’s Parkrun was a special one for a number of reasons! Firstly, our Introduction to Running group graduation! After a 10 week course, beautifully put together and managed by Julie Foster, with help from one of last year’s graduates, the lovely Cara Linin, our new members graduated by completing the 5k in Victoria Park, receiving graduation certificates and celebrating with well earned cake and Kudos! Well done everyone!
We also had a special guest in attendance, Andy Baines-Vosperber, who was there along with his 24.7kg sand bag that he carries on his shoulders to represent a bag of worries. Andy is a longstanding Samaritans volunteer and the 24.7kg weight is to represent the Samaritans being available 24/7. His ‘Share the Weight’ campaign is, in his own words, ‘a man on a mission to ask a million people to share the weight on his shoulders’, while also normalising asking for help and sharing our worries. Andy wants to spread awareness that we all carry our own invisible burdens, and that it really does help to share them, to reach out for help and talk to someone. Andy has been to many a parkrun and amazingly completed the London Marathon last week, all while carrying the weight on his shoulders, thankfully there are people that are willing to share the weight along the way!
Being the hosts for Ashford Parkrun, we as a club covered all bases; marshalls, pacers, timekeepers, cake monitors and photographers and of course, runners in the field!
Jack Farrant, training hard for a sub 20 minute parkrun, just missed out on his target but was first strider across the line, and 10th overall, with a very respectable personal best time of 20:03. Next was Frank Remigio pacing 20 minutes and coming in with a time of 20:04, and then Adam Booth was third Strider, pacing 22 minutes and coming in with a time of 21:46
They were followed by
Josh Stephens, with a 23:33 PB, Keith Haynes, pacing 24 minutes, came in on 23:54, Jason Wearn 23:56, Elle Weekes 24:46, Konrad Gryniewicz, pacing 26 minutes, came in on 25:29. Mark Niles was next with 25:31, Michael Ruck 25:49, Scott Hawkins, was pacing 28 minutes and came in at 27:58, Daniel Schwartz 28:14, Chloe Darling 28:30, Andy Found 28:49, Amanda James 29:00. Darren Laker, pacing 30 minutes, came in at 29:23, then Jamie Bartlett 29:48. Kat Silvester gained a lovely new personal best with 30:40 and was followed by Catherine Wall with 31:00. Next was Andrew Cornwell 31:37, Michelle Brice 31:52, and then star pacer, Victoria Shrubsole came in at 32:00 on the nose! Next through the funnel was Lisa Gribbin 32:31, Rachel Tomsett 33:10, and Sharon Gardner, pacing 34 minutes, came in at 33:33, Delia Millen was just behind with 33:48, and then hot on her heels was Lin West 33:51. Marion Fitzpatrick came in at 35:12, Jamie Weller 35:35, Vicky Stevenson, pacing 36 minutes, came in at 36:05, Kate Bushell finished in 36:15, Lionel Hammond, doing a lot of sharing the weight, came in at 37:19, Sharon Mcinnes was pacing 38 minutes and came in at 39:07, Helen Rumsey 39:07, and then Nige Terry 39:19. Jason Brice, the last of our pacers, pacing 40 minutes, came in at 40:16, followed by Heather Fraser 40:31, Rita Cooke 40:35, Danielle Mackenzie 40:46, and Rick Newman 41:51. Doing a fine job of tailwalking were Gayle Bailey 59:12, Justine Wearn 59:18, and Nicola Crawley 59:19.
Parkrun Tourism
Angela Craffey completed the Aberbeeg parkrun in 31:04.
Justin Burden, Lee Standen and Laura Clark were in Catford and completed the course in 26:46, 28:37, and 43:48 respectively.
David Helme completed the Dover Waterfront parkrun in 27:32.
Isabelle Froissart was at the Squerryes Winery parkrun and completed it in 31:39.
Eloise Pegg was back on home ground and completed the Whitley Bay parkrun in 26:16(PB).
Last but definitely not least was Martin Whittingham. On a mission to complete his Parkrun ‘Alphabeteer’ challenge, he rounded it off by completing the York parkrun in 42:39.
As we covered the volunteering at Parkrun as a club, under the expert guidance of Edwin, I’ll just say a generalised thank you to everyone in attendance. Volunteers are the crucial element to keep races going so that runners can run them. If you can offer your time to volunteer, it really is massively rewarding and appreciated by all! Thank you!
With a distinct lack of running races this week, I am going to give a mention to four of our members who took to two wheels and cycled for the 15th Anniversary of the Pilgrim’s Hospices Cycle Challenge. There were various distances available with Andrew Cornwell and Vicky Shrubsole taking part in the 50 mile distance, and Richard Randle and Julie Nicholson taking on the 30 mile version – very well done to you all!
A fantastic turnout this weekend saw 53 Striders participating in Park runs across the country. 34 Striders took part at the home course in Ashford, while 19 went on tour to various other parkrun locations.
Leading the Striders home at Ashford was Keith Haynes, crossing the line in an impressive time of 20:49.
He was closely followed by Adam Booth with a time of 21:01, and Mark Niles rounded out the top three Striders with 23:10.
Following them were: Stephen Rumsey 23:46, Terry (fred) Sellen 24:25, Jamie Penfold 25:52, Daniel Stott 26:09, George Phillips 26:13, Michael Ruck 26:22, Chloe Stott 26:49, Scott Hawkins 28:20, Jamie Bartlett 28:39, Amanda James 28:45, David Gadsby 28:52, Jason Brice 29:31, Rebecca James 30:32, Mathew Norman 30:42, Ross McInnes 30:46, Daniel Schwartz 32:07, Victoria Shrubsole 32:59, Andrew Cornwell 32:59, Elle Weekes 33:40, Michelle Brice 33:42, Amanda Watson 33:49, Sharon McInnes 33:55, Jennifer Watts 34:55, Russ Berliner 35:02, Pauline Tallett 37:47, Helen Rumsey with a PB of 38:39 (Well done!), Nige Terry 39:39, Cara Linin 39:41, Rita Cooke 40:18.
Yet again, a huge thanks goes to those who volunteered this weekend, because without you, parkrun simply would not happen.
Special thanks to: Jason Caldwell, Angie Craffey, Lisa Fulcher, Danielle Moss, Jason Sanders, and Hazel Turner.
Parkrun Tourism
Lisa Gribbin and Rachel Misson took on the two laps at Brooklands Parkrun, running on hard paths around the former runway, taxiway, a go-kart track, and through the woods. Lisa completed the course in 34:04 and Rachel in 34:06 — a brilliant effort on an interesting and varied course.
Kevan Strand completed the Gunnersbury Parkrun in 21:45.
Taking a scenic route around the lake at Leybourne Lakes, Delia Millen finished in 34:16, closely followed by Donna Hammond in 34:17. Richard Randle carried the “weight of the world on his shoulders” but still crossed the line strongly in 34:22.
Over to the coastal town of Margate where Justin Burden completed the Margate parkrun in 27:16, Lee Standen in 29:23 and Laura Clark in 57:26. At the Queen Elizabeth Parkrun Martin Whittingham finished in a time of 45:46.
Taking a trip to Norfolk, Eloise Pegg completed the Thetford parkrun in 29:12 and Harry Lockhart hot on her heels in 29:13.
Heading up to Salford for a scenic warm-up before the Manchester Marathon, a group of Striders tackled the Peel Parkrun — and it proved very aPEELing indeed!
David Martins led the team home in 33:39, closely followed by Jason Wearn in 33:40. Not far behind were Nicola Crawley and Justine Wearn, crossing together in 53:21, with Sarah Martins just a few strides later in 53:28 and Nadine Lidbury in 53:38.
A great team effort and a perfect way to shake off the pre-marathon nerves! Bananas? No. Brilliant? Absolutely!
With Manchester coinciding with the London Marathon, April 27, 2025, became the largest day of marathon running in UK history, with a combined 90,000 runners participating across both events. This unprecedented occurrence highlighted the UK’s vibrant running culture and the growing popularity of marathon events nationwide. The Marathon is more than a race—it’s a celebration of human endurance, community spirit, and generosity.
While many eyes were on the capital, two Striders took on the challenge at the Not the London Marathon Run event.
Amanda Watson completed the half marathon in a time of 2:31:41, putting in a determined performance across a tough course. Meanwhile, Ian Watson tackled the 10-mile race, finishing strongly in 1:53:22. Both runners were rewarded for their efforts with monster-sized medals, a fitting prize for a fantastic morning’s work.
Flying slightly under the radar but quickly spotted by fellow Striders, Heather Fraser and Debbie Samson successfully completed the Virtual London Marathon.
The duo covered the full marathon distance in 9:10:23, raising money for charity along the way. This challenge was not just about completing the miles — it was a true test of self-motivation, self-awareness, and understanding that sometimes the greatest achievements come from giving back, even when you’re not at your best. A truly inspirational effort from Heather and Debbie, demonstrating real spirit.
“All the world’s a stage” — and in Stratford-upon-Avon, Kay Hunt and Adam Thomas gave standout performances at the Shakespeare Marathon, each achieving a personal best. Kay powered through the historic streets to finish in a fantastic 4:24:02, while Adam crossed the line in a brilliant 4:40:00, both runners delivering outstanding efforts worthy of a standing ovation.
A superb day of running in the Bard’s backyard — and personal bests to prove it!
The usual forecast for Manchester as a cool and cloudy day turned into a sun-soaked stage for Strider success — and the team shone brighter than ever.
First to seize the spotlight was Simon Pharoah, storming across the line with a phenomenal personal best of 3:18:14. A brilliant run that set the tone for the day! Kevin North followed with a sub 4 hour with a scorching run of 3:56
Hot on his heels, Jason Wearn delivered a strong finish in 4:01:00, with Dave Winchester following in 4:31:24 — an incredible achievement having already conquered the Brighton Marathon just weeks earlier.
Flying the flag for the Strider ladies, Lisa Gribbin battled the heat to finish in an excellent 4:48:42, showing true grit and determination.
Adding to the celebrations, Darren Laker smashed his personal best with a time of 4:56:11, while Nadine Golding 5:02:58, Nicola Crawley 5:11:41, David Martins 5:22:34, Tyree Spicer 5:35:55, Sarah Martins 5:41:00 , Justine Wearn 5:44:50 all crossed the line, completing an unforgettable day for the Strider family.
It was a marathon of sunshine, spirit, and superb running — with every finisher a star in their own right.
Under the blazing London sun, Striders took on one of the world’s most iconic marathons — and showed nothing short of extraordinary courage and determination.
A group of enthusiastic Striders were ready and waiting at Water Station 3, cheering on every runner, providing much-needed refreshment, and delivering an incredible boost of energy and encouragement along the way.
First across the famous finish line was Adrian Green, delivering a brilliant run to clock 3:39:22. Not far behind, Konrad Gryniewicz battled through the heat to finish in 4:11:05.
Leading the Strider women was Eleanor Weekes, running a superb race to cross the line in 4:13:31, closely followed by Jennifer Davis in 4:33:19.
Andy Found battled through the tough conditions to complete his marathon journey in 4:58:51, but hot on his heels was Jayne Hatton, digging deep and surging to the line to secure a memorable personal best of 5:00:44.
A special celebration was in order for George Cromwell, who achieved a fantastic personal best with a time of 5:18:22.
Hazel Winchester finished next in 5:22:25, followed by Maria Chapman in 5:34:25.
Sharon Gardner showed real grit, finishing in 5:36:50 despite her phone and watch failing mid-race — a true testament to mental strength.
Jamie Weller added another highlight to the day, smashing a personal best with 6:20:44, and Jason Sanders completed the epic journey in 6:31:33.
Every Strider who crossed that finish line not only conquered the distance but overcame the intense conditions, the mental battles, and the pressure of the moment.
It was a day of grit, glory, and Strider pride in the heart of London.
For those completing a marathon, it was more than a race; it was a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to endure, inspire, and unite. You showed determination, hope, and triumph.
As every Strider crossed the finish line, you not only achieved personal milestones but also contributed to a collective narrative of perseverance and inspiration.
Remember that pain fades, but pride lasts forever.
Every mile was a victory. Every step, a story. You wrote something unforgettable out there. Go Striders Go!
If there are any mistakes or any additions please let me know
