Here at St Albans Striders, we have once again proven our prowess on the national and international running stage, delivering a weekend packed with personal bests, podium finishes, and historic achievements!

Cross country success at home
The Striders kicked off the Chiltern League Cross Country season in style, hosting the first fixture at Verulamium Park on Saturday 11th October. With a strong turnout and a huge number of spectators, we secured second place overall, combining results from both the men’s and women’s teams. The Senior Women’s team stormed to first place with Freya Weddell taking first place overall. The Senior Men placed fifth, led by a standout second-place finish from Will Lindsay. The Veteran Men’s team came sixth, rounding off a solid club performance.

Historic win at the Ridgeway Run
On Sunday 12th, nine Striders took on the challenging Ridgeway Run, with Freya Weddell making history as the first female overall winner of the event, smashing the female course record in the process. Alongside Katie Bunting and Charlotte Holloway, the trio clinched the women’s team prize, showcasing the depth of talent in the club’s ranks.

Half Marathon highlights across the country
Striders were flying across the UK in half marathons, clocking impressive times and personal bests. In the Great Eastern Half Marathon, Chloe Cooke achieved a superb PB of 1:26. The Manchester Half Marathon saw Catherine O’Connor completing the race in a PB of 1:22, joined on the course by Alex Barrell, Patrick Robinson, and Katherine Henderson.

The Oxford Half Marathon had five Striders take to the historic streets, with Josh Snowden placing 27th overall out of over 13,000 runners, with a phenomenal  time of 1:14. He was followed by Scott Saunders (1:24), Michael Hodge (1:28), Emily Hickey-Baird (1:30), and Georgie Noble (1:38).

Global Glory in Chicago
Across the Atlantic, four Striders took on the prestigious Chicago Marathon. Nigel Ashton, Steve Scorer, Deborah Steer, and Andrew Mckillop all completed the race, with Andrew earning the coveted Six Star Finisher medal, marking the completion of all six World Marathon Majors - a truly elite accomplishment.

A brilliant start to the autumn season across the board!