SPA Striders were out in force at the Coventry War Memorial Park for the Sphinx 5m in the fifth race of the Warwickshire Road Race League.
A total of 43 Striders made the short journey across the county to take part in the event.
First Strider home was Chris McKeown in 28:15 to finish in 12th place overall, clocking a 39s PB in the process.
Ian Allen (22nd in 29:18), Adam Notley (23rd in 29:26) and Neil Smith (24th in 29:35) all recorded PBs in their battle for those all-important Summer Series points.
Pete Soley (30:16) and Paul Edwards (30:47) completed the men’s team for the WRRL result.
The remaining men’s results were Steven Taylor (31:08), Tim Beresford (31:35), Chris Wilson (32:05), Robert Egan (32:10) – 1:23s PB, Simon Ludford (32:44) – 10s PB, James Hartwright (33:10), David Chantrey (34:13) in his first race back on his long recovery from injury, Hartwig Busch (35:09), Andrew Roach (35:22), Doug Rattray (36:01) – 30s PB, Matt Leydon (36:37) – 32s PB, Ben Cohen (37:00), Kevin Baskerville (37:52), Ian McArthur (39:17) – 1:22s PB, Nigel Fox (39:32), James Civil (39:36), Billy Morton (39:36), David Lithgow (43:36) and Gary Perkins (46:38).
Clare Hinton continued her fine return to form to finish in 33:47 as first Strider lady and first V35 followed by Carolyn Wilkinson (35:19), Kate Gadsby (35:36) and Susan Cox (35:52) to make up the women’s team.
The remaining ladies’ results were Charlotte Everard (36:18) in her first race back on her long recovery from injury, Fiona Edwards (37:18), Anita Lenneis (37:36), Vicki Smith (37:58), Ruth Tennant (38:31) – 47s PB, Jude Baum (38:59), Rebecca Lonergan (39:02) – 2:03s PB, Lucy Tugwell (39:09), Amanda Wiggins (39:21) – 23s PB, Lorraine Parsons (40:50), Abi Morton (42:43), Helen Pugh (44:35) – 1:54s PB, Kathleen McCann (44:52) – 2:38s PB and Kathryn Houliston (50:57).
There was not much rest for the 35+ Striders who headed over to compete in the Arden 9.
In much kinder conditions than last year, Chris McKeown was first Strider home in 52:23 – a 2:30s PB, closely followed by Ian Allen (52:51) and Adam Notley (53:07) – a 3:00 PB.
Steven Taylor (56:17), Simon Parsons (56:59) – a 7:00 PB, Tim Beresford (58:02) completed the men’s team result.
The remaining men’s results were Pete Teevan (59:21) – 9:00 PB, Chris Wilson (1:00:05), Rob Egan (1:00:22), Ben Parkinson (1:00:38), Graham Donoghue (1:01:17), Paul Quinney (1:02:21), Jack Gammon (1:03:40), Ian Davis (1:07:18), Matt Leydon (1:07:29) – a 3min PB (his 3rd in a week!), Simon Reiter (1:09:13), Kevin Baskerville (1:10:58), Peter Schofield (1:15:12), James Robbins (1:17:51) – a 7:00 PB, Gary Perkins (1:23:48) and Billy Morton (1:26:56).
Clare Hinton again finished as first Strider lady in a superb 1:02:31.
Carolyn Wilkinson (1:06:15), Susan Cox (1:06:36) and Kat Lambeth (1:06:38) completed the ladies team result.
The remaining Ladies’ results were Rosie Banks (1:07:41), Jo Moffat (1:11:24), Claudine Piper (1:12:42), Emma Bish (1:13:27), Lucy Marcovitch (1:13:30), Dawn Clark (1:13:40), Catherine Friggens (1:14:13), Clare Bryan (1:15:10), Kathleen McCann (1:24:20) – with a second PB in a week, Abi Morton (1:27:07) and Mairi Walker (1:27:07).
Further afield, seven Striders took on the infamous off-road Offa’s Dyke 15.
Clare Murphy finished first V35 in 2:15:11, followed by Bethan Gwynn (2:23:03), Charlotte Everard (2:30:02) meaning the ladies team finished third overall.
Monika Coleman (2:40:59), Matt Leydon, Fiona Edwards and David Lithgow (all 2:59:48) completed the Strider contingent.
Andy Roach completed the Humph’s Hilly Half in Bourton-on-the-Water finishing in an impressive 1:42:01.
New comer Ash Hogg completed the tough Trail Marathon Wales in 6:10:15.
Doug Rattray completed the Dambuster Olympic Distance Triathlon in 2:41:49 – 31 mins faster than his time last year – and Amanda Wiggins completed the Harwich Sprint Triathlon in 1:22.
