Club History

Club History

St Albans Striders Running Club was founded in the mid 1980s. The inaugural meeting of St Albans Striders is recorded as 22nd July 1984. This was attended by:

M Scorer, L Farrant, C Morris, Mike Starr (Chairman), J Beresford, T Beresford, E Enstone, M Mizra, L Ward, K Ward, R Crossley, C Cole, S Black, K Argiolas, R Griffiths, T Knight, D Formay, P Hollman, Roger Lowe, G Faux, Harold Lowe (Zoe's Dad), B Hargrave, P Tooley, E Halahan, S Hill (Secretary), I Hill, R Shutt, S Mullen, and P Knightly.

Since then the club has grown to its current size of over 500 members.

Recently one of our longest standing members, Colin Braybrook, pulled out the infamous “Striders Book” which gives an insight into the early history of the club through AGM minutes and other notes from when the club began to the year 2000. Since then, the website has provided documented information about races and milestones. Below are some notable historical performances from members along the way:

The Early Years: 1984 – 1989

1984

St Albans Striders founded.

1985

Zoe Lowe wins SAS Women’s club 10k champs.

1986

December: Liz Walls is first female SAS finisher in St Albans Marathon in 3:27.26.

Mob Match against Garden City Joggers won by GCJ.

1987

Zoe Lowe is first female SAS finisher in St Albans Marathon in 3:12:42.

SAS 3rd in division 2 of Midweek League.

SAS Men and Women both first teams in St Albans Half Marathon.

1989

SAS assume responsibility for organising St Albans Marathon.

1990-2000

1990

Ros Cox, Zoe Lowe and Sue Hill win Women’s prize at ADT London Marathon and AAA Women’s marathon team Championship.

SAS Women top of Midweek League division 1.

SAS win the Mob Match.

1991

Zoe Lowe wins Herts Marathon champs with 2:56:27 at St Albans Marathon.

SAS Men top of Midweek League division 1.

SAS win the Mob Match.

1992

SAS Women top of Midweek League division 1.

SAS win the Mob Match.

26th October – Fred Hughes Chairman killed in road accident.

1993

24th January – Fred Hughes Memorial 10 mile race.

London Marathon – Z Lowe, Ros Cox and Sue Barnaby 3rd team.

1995

Midweek League: SAS Men 2nd; SAS Women 1st.

1996

Midweek League: SAS Men 1st, SAS Women 1st; SAS win the Mob Match.

1997

SEAA XC – Amanda Yorwerth 22nd, Zoe Lowe 29th (14th team)

London Marathon – SAS Women 1st team: Zoe Lowe 2:51:29, Amanda Yorwerth 2:54:56; Paula Craig 3:04:10.

1998

SAS Women 1st team: Nicola Scales 2:44 (still the Women’s club record), Paula Craig 3:02; Judy Brown 3:11.

1999

Striders join the Metropolitan Cross Country League.

2000

Fred Hughes race moved to Francis Bacon school.

SAS Women 4th in London Marathon: Zoe Lowe 2:55:01, Paula Craig 2:57:30, Judy Brown 3:04:57.


2001 Onwards

2003

Mike Jubb and Amanda Yorwerth top the individual rankings in the Midweek League Division 1.

Mike Jubb places 14th in the National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill.

2004

Midweek League: SAS Men 2nd; SAS Women 2nd.

2005

Midweek League: SAS Men 2nd; SAS Women 2nd.

2006

Midweek League: SAS Men 2nd; SAS Women 3rd.

2007

Midweek League: SAS Men 2nd; SAS Women 2nd.

2008

Midweek League: SAS Men 2nd; SAS Women 2nd.

2012

Midweek League: SAS Men 1st, SAS Women 1st.

SAS win the Mob Match.

2013

Midweek League: SAS Men 1st, SAS Women 1st.

SAS win the Mob Match.

SAS join forces with St Albans AC for Cross Country and come top of Division 2 of the Chiltern League (overall and seniors).

2014

Midweek League: SAS Men and Vet Men 1st, SAS Women and Vet Women 1st; SAS win the Mob Match.

SAS Seniors/Vets 5th in Division 1 of the Chiltern League.

2015

SAS sweep the board at the Midweek League for the second year running.

New club vest introduced. The old yellow vest with horizontal blue stripe is replaced with a more modern vest - yellow with diagonal blue two tone stripes and bold Striders font.

5th September - The first St Albans Stampede ultra marathon 12 hour running event held in Heartwood Forest and Nomansland Common.

SAS Seniors/Vets 3rd in Division 1 of the Chiltern League.

2016

17th June - SAS host the inaugural Summer Solstice 10k in Highfield Park.

Midweek League: SAS Men 2nd, SAS Women 1st; SAS win the Mob Match.

SAS Men win the Herts County Cross Country Championships.

2017

Midweek League: SAS Men 1st, SAS Women 3rd; SAS win Division 1 overall and the Mob Match for the sixth year running.

SAS Men win the Herts County Cross Country Championships.

James McMurray sets new Men’s senior club 10k record with 30:31 at the Serpentine New Year’s Day 10k in Hyde Park.

Tom Crouch wins the St Albans Half Marathon in 1:12:40.

Jack Brooks wins “Service to Sport” award at the St Albans & District Sports Awards; Striders are awarded runners up in the Community Club category.