St Albans Striders were out in force this weekend, tackling everything from muddy cross-country battles to iconic road marathons as the autumn racing season bursts into life.

The action began on Friday evening with Gavin Hall, who took on an epic track marathon in Ware — yes, that’s 105 laps of the track — finishing in an impressive 4 hours and 23 minutes.

On Saturday, attention turned to the National Cross Country Relays in Mansfield, where the Striders’ women’s team of Catherine O’Connor, Christina Durbin, and Hollie Ryder delivered a strong performance to finish 44th out of 122 teams, flying the club’s flag with pride against some of the country’s best.

Sunday morning saw a sea of blue and yellow descend on Trent Park for the second fixture of the Sunday Cross Country League. Over 40 Striders braved the infamous mud and hills, with Freya Weddell storming to first place overall in the women’s race. Adam Yorwerth came agonisingly close to victory in the men’s race, claiming second overall after an all-out battle to the line.

Meanwhile, in the beautiful but brutal Wendover Woods Trail Marathon, Jacob James conquered the climbs to take an emphatic first place, crossing the line in 2 hours 59 minutes.

Closer to home, the historic grounds of Knebworth House hosted both a Half Marathon and 10K. It was a day to remember for Megan Walker, who finished as second woman in the half marathon — a stunning achievement less than 10 months after giving birth to her first child. In the 10K, Patrick Hayes took the outright win, while Benedict Godley of St Albans AC claimed second, ensuring a local 1–2 finish.

Across the Atlantic, several Striders joined the tens of thousands pounding the streets of New York City for the New York Marathon. Among them was Steve Scorer, who completed his journey to earn the coveted World Marathon Majors 6-Star Medal — on the very same day that marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge added his name to the roll of finishers.

It was a weekend to remember for the Striders — from muddy fields to world-famous streets, the club’s spirit and strength shone brightly.