SPA Striders enjoyed more record-breaking success at the Coventry Half Marathon on Sunday, with further achievements being found further afield.
Chris Liddle took two seconds off Ian Allen’s half-marathon record to finish in 1:15:34 in the Coventry Half, just three weeks after Allen had smashed a ten-year club record.
Liddle took eighth place overall with a seven minute personal best, but it was Chris McKeown’s 1:15:00 finish and fourth placed ranking that stole the headlines.
It means McKeown earns a London Championship place for his efforts, coming out on top of the 56 Striders that took part in the event.
The other Striders to come home were: Aitor Tudero (1:17.39, PB), Dave Mills (1:21.27), Simon Parsons (1:24.13, PB by a minute and a half), Mike Pugh (1:24.22), Pete Teevan (1:28.45), Richard Sharman (1:28.46), John-Paul Hunt (1.28.54, PB and first time sub 1:30), Chris Wilson (1:30.23), Clare Hinton (1:31.25, 10th lady) paced by Ian Allen (1:31.25), James Hartwright (1:32:45), Jo Flemming (1:35.12), Claire Murphy (1:35.23), Ian Davis (1:36.33, PB by 3 minutes), Greg Harris (1:36.39), Kate Gadsby (1:36.42), Joseph McCullagh (1:37.26) Chloe Kinton (1:37.35, PB), Alex Laing ran his first half marathon in 1:38.23, Patrick James (1:38.53, PB), James Hodges (1.39.03, 6 minute PB), Andrew Stone (1:39.06), Luke Bennett (1:41.10), Susie Stannard (1:42.00), Mike Cox (1:42.23, PB by 24 seconds), Anita Lenneis (1:43.54, PB), Andrew Roach (1:43.56), Kevin Baskerville (1:47.14), Pete Schofield (1:47.39), Simon Reiter (1:48.25), Billy Morton (1:48.40), Emma Bish (1:48.45, PB), Felicity Harer (1:49.24), Euge McNally (1:49.48, PB), Paul Harris (1:50.28), Jude Baum (1:51.23), Lucy Hartwright (1:51.42), Abi Morton (1:53.48, PB by 5 minutes), Catherine Friggens (1:53.48), Jane Cummings (1:54.25, PB), Doug Rattray (1:54.29), James Robbins (1:54.35, massive 11 minutes 30 seconds PB), Matt Leydon (1:54.38), Bev Stephens (1:57.39), Helen Pugh (1:59.34)
The Striders finishing after the two-hour mark were: Claire Westrope (2:04.55), first time Strider Tim Robb (2:08.15), Mairi Walker (2:08.22), Anne-Claire Bennion (2:09.04), Kathleen McCann (2:10.29), Emma Teevan (2:15.27, 8 minutes faster than most recent half marathon), Chris Jones (2:22.39), and Kathryn Houliston (2:24.46).
Over at the Weston Super Mare Half, Andrew Pope raced home to a 1:38:01 personal best time on the 13.1 mile course, whilst Ves Hill was the first Strider home at the Ironbridge Half Marathon – despite falling during mile ten.
The club had four runners travel down to the capital to partake in the London Landmarks Half, in which Ben Howat was the first representative home in 1:50:07, followed by Amy Butler who surpassed the two-hour mark for the first time (1:59:00).
Lucy Walton (2:01:36) and Natalie Dellar (2:09:56) – who participated in a longer marathon paced run, were the next to record impressive times.
Juan Martin (1:34:54) and Dexter Teale (1:40:21) impressed in the Dean Spring Trails Half, whilst over in North Leicestershire, Dawn Clark took on the challenge of her first self-navigated race in the Charnwood 15km, and Ash Hogg (5:51:40) in the Charnwood Marathon, achieved a personal best.
In the Ashby 20km, Neil Smith finished first from the Striders (2:06.04), followed by Sue Cox (2:34.48), Carolyn Wilkinson (2:36.40), Hartwig Busch (2:38.45), Ben Cohen (2:39.57), Anne Hurrell (2:46.45), Ruth Tennant (2:55.04), Lorraine Parsons (3:07.00) and David Lithgow (3:10.57).
Melissa Venables represented England over in Perth, at the ACP British 100k Championship, and despite having to battle stomach issues and a hip injury which had resurfaced, finished her seventh out of seven 100km races run.
In a time of just under nine hours, she was the seventh-fastest lady overall at the event, and took the second ladies team prize.
