Race Date: Sunday 4th August 2024
Race Report by Stuart Jones
If you read my report from last year’s race (and if not, you can catch up here) you’ll remember ooho water pods, runners in giraffe suits, slow service at the bag drop, and Kenyan international athletes.
Not much had changed since last year – a little ‘shrinkflation’, an absence of the elite runners, a return to bottled water, and a successful giraffe breeding programme being the four most notable points.
- The medal has gone, but the quality t-shirt remains. A nice olive green this year and definitely a keeper.
- There were no Kenyan internationals in the first ten to finish – perhaps they’re all in Paris this year. The winning time, by an athlete who has also run the famous Highgate Harriers ‘Night of the 10,000 PBs’, was two minutes slower than in 2023. First female over the line has been ranked over 1,500m and the mile in the recent past. So not a weak field, just not as strong as in 2023.
- Two long-necked giraffes followed us round this year. As I was wearing a zebra-striped vest it seemed only right that I photo-bombed a couple of times before the start, but also that I showed them my pace over distance. I’m pleased to report that all three Striders finished comfortably ahead of the world’s largest ruminants.
- How good is your aim? I have a terrible record of missing the wheelie bins with my discarded water. Darlington Council had laid on an impressive line of sky-blue bins after each water station; clearly someone recognised that we like to take our water on the move as the line of bins went on for maybe 100m each time. Water was in bottles.
If you’re looking for a straightforward 10k with few frills and no hills, a nearby Up&Running, a quality ‘T’, an over-complicated bag drop, and competition from residents of the African grasslands then this race might be for you in 2025.
Winners
| P | Name | Club | Cat | Time |
| 1st / 1st Male | Graham Rush | Leeds City | V40 | 00:30:26 |
| 1st Female / 27th overall | Kirsty Longley | Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton | V45 | 00:35:08 |
| … | ||||
| 1727th overall – final finisher | Elizabeth Whitehead | Team Catapiller | V65 | 01:38:13 |
Striders Results
| P | Name | Pace | Cat | Time |
| 1st Strider / 462nd overall | Stuart Jones | 8:07 per mile | V60 | 48:03 |
| 2nd Strider / 697th overall | Liam Russell | 8:45 per mile | V40 | 52:02 |
| 3rd Strider / 770th overall | Keef Green | 8:49 per mile | V70 | 53:03 |
All times are chip times, but ‘pace’ is based on gun times.
Full results here.
Waving to my sister
Pre-race, me and Liam
Post-race on the Olympic sofa