This is the second in an ongoing Striders history series compiled from Striders newsletters and committee records. The other pages are:

Striders History 1994–1999 by Roger Stevenson (founder member and club archivist)

My thanks for the valued assistance of John Rothwell, Ian Shepherd & Norma Parkes in compiling this article. And to Mick Wall for transcribing and formatting my original document over to the website and scanning all the photographs.

November 2017 and the story continues

Hi Striders and other interested readers.

The first part of the club’s history is now on the club website, and a big thanks to Mick Wall for his work in making the history available along with the photographs he has added.

My thanks for all the positive comments directed my way.

I finished at December 1993, the first 11 years covered and many more to go!

January and February 1994

  • A changed format for Striders News, now a bi-monthly issue
  • 5 December 1993h has become a very significant date in the history of the club: the first Percy Pud, with an entry of 600 runners. Here we are in 2017, more than 25 years on from that first event which has grown in an incredible fashion in so many ways. Alan Barnett, Ian Shepherd with his Bochum Exchange group, Paul and Pat Atkins, Stuart Hooton, Mike Derrick, John Kerr and Julian Paul, plus a team of willing helpers did so much towards organising that first very special event which has now been held continuously from 1993. Percy Pud because of its stature deserves a whole lot more being recorded about its many aspects. If time allows, watch this space!!
  • Striders hosted a club cross country event on Hollinsend playing fields
  • Over 100 club members had enjoyed the Christmas social at the YMCA
  • Junior Striders enjoyed an afternoon’s bowling at Firth Park where the Rod Clark Trophy was presented to Frances Dawson. Martin Sunderland was thanked in Iain Colquhoun’s 1993 Annual Report for organising so many and varied events for the Junior Striders.
  • News of a club trip by coach to run on Ilkley Moor

March and April 1994

  • 18-year-old Strider Jenny Blizzard finished in 4th place in the World Junior Duathlon Championships in Dallas, USA. She was also the 1993 National Junior Duathlon Champion at the event in Barnsley.
  • News of runners progressing in 1993:
    • Rod Clark, our oldest member at 92 years of age, took 4 gold medals in 1993 in the track and field champs
    • Mary Picksley won the Ladies’ race in the Riviera Marathon
    • Barbara Miller, Eileen Ludlow and Sue Rushworth gain mention for their continuing progress
  • 19 fell race dates given indicating the ongoing and increased interest in this running discipline
  • A mention by Les Eyre of a possible new motto for the club: “Think not what Steel City Striders can do for you, but what you can do for the club”.
  • Striders fielded a team of 12 for the Northern Counties Cross Country Champs at Birkenhead
  • An interesting definition of the Trunce by Strider Mick Derrick: “A footrace where people turn up in all weathers, change in the car or behind a wall, use toilets behind a hedge, charge up and down steep hills, wade through raging rivers, change again in the car and then dash down to the pub without a shower”

May and June 1994

  • In February Mary Howarth had competed in the Doncaster Doddle, a 40-mile trail race
  • A trip to Butlins at Skegness for the Junior Striders in June
  • Junior Strider Jenny Sunderland wins the Silver Medal in the under-15 50 metre race at the Northern Indoor Championships
  • 9 club members are venue representatives: Anne Wilkinson, Sue and Mick Bragger, Christine Hall, Keith Hale, Stewart Robinson, John Crossland, Barry Wiles and Martin Sunderland
  • Dates of 5 club track meetings announced at Woodbourn Stadium
  • 3 international athletic events announced at Don Valley
  • John Lindley organising teams for the Manchester to Blackpool Road Relay
  • A low-key Striders Triathlon and social event advertised, centered on Westfield Baths and Birley Squash Club on 24 July

July and August 1994

  • Strider Gary Bergin quits his workplace in disgust after being told by his boss to stop running to and from work because the physical effort involved could affect his job. Gary, an experienced runner, said that when running the 4 miles each way he didn’t even break sweat. He was winner during the year of the short-lived Brightside Basher 10K race, part of the course being an ascent of Jenkin Road.
  • The late Julian Paul, a well-remembered Strider, was to be host at his Ughill Farm in October for any club member to run either an 8- or 12-mile route
  • A group of Striders continue to play football at the Woodbourn Stadium
  • John Kerr was placed 3rd in a time of 55 mins in the Ernest Harper 10-mile race from Stannington. Striders’ present Chairman Andy Buck (as of 2017) was placed 29th in a time of 62:40.

September and October 1994

  • The editorial in this edition gives news of the success of the first Percy Pud event and news that the race after its initial success will continue in December
  • Comments also on Le Jog 94, run again 10 years after the original relay. A successful event due to pre-race planning, the support from the sponsors, the teams’ enthusiasm and the cooperation of those nearest and dearest to the runners over the 12 days they were away.
  • News of another Bochum exchange weekend, the 9th so far, when a handicap race and social event will take place
  • Request for club members to run in the 60-mile, 6-stage Leeds Country Way Relay
  • Strider Marie Miller was asked by husband Dave Beech if she fancied a few nights out in Derbyshire. Such an invitation appealed to Marie, but the catch was she had to enter 4 Peak District Fell Races!
  • Results in this issue of the Striders Triathlon in which 10 Senior Ladies, 16 Senior Men, 1 mixed team and 8 Juniors took part

November and December 1994

  • The Sunday Special run from Julian Paul’s farm at Ughill was enjoyed by 30 Striders. Thanks expressed to Julian, Libby and Catherine for their hospitality.
  • A detailed report by Norma Parkes on her successful climb of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at 19344 feet.
  • A club-organised 4-mile summer cross country event run by 64 Striders. A team event, 2 runners per team, location not given.
  • News that the 1995 Sheffield Marathon date has been moved from mid-summer to April in the hope that cooler weather will attract more runners
  • Best male time in the Steel City Mile on 9 September was 4 mins 50 secs. achieved by Michael Wornes. Rebecca Harris was best lady running 6 mins 12 secs.

Women’s records – road

  • Anne Watson at Maltby ran a time of 1:03:17 in the 10-mile event at Maltby in the female veterans’ over-35 category

January and February 1995

  • 648 runners competed in the Percy Pud event in December on a damp, dank and cold day, many it was reported coming from outside the South Yorkshire area
    • 1st Strider in the event, in 11th place was Dennis Crossland in 33:14
    • Mary Picksley was 1st Striders lady, 204th overall in 41:14
    • 70 Striders ran with a further 70 helping out on the day
  • The 1994 Annual Report gave details of the various venue reps:
    • Sheffield Works Dept, Monday – Anne Wilkinson
    • Birley, Monday – Sue and Mick Bragger
    • Norton, Wednesday – Christine Hall
    • Juniors at Norton – Martin Sunderland
    • Pinegrove, Wednesday – Keith Hale
    • Sheffield Works Dept, Thursday – Stewart Robinson
    • Hillsborough, Friday – John Crossland
    • Hillsborough, Sunday – Barry Wiles
  • The Sheffield 10K race this year had to be re-routed, as permits are no longer issued to races which cross the Supertram track!

March and April 1995

  • Striders Ladies, Anne Watson, Mary Craig, Anne Wilkinson and Sandra Sedgewick, won the team prize at the Yorkshire Vets Cross Country Championships at Thirsk in January. In the Men’s Championships, Striders were 2nd.
  • Club member Alan Barnett, Percy Pud organiser, helped 2 Police Officers to arrest 2 youths by forcing them into a river
  • The £1500 profit from the Percy Pud event was split between the British Deaf Sports Council, the Striders/Bochum exchange fund and Striders club funds
  • In the draw for club-allocated places in the 1995 London Marathon, Angus Clarke, Dave Brown, Tony Jepson and Stephen Gisbourne were successful
  • A Striders outing to a greyhound meeting at the Owlerton Stadium is advertised for May

May and June 1995

  • Striders plan a trip to Reims in France for the 10K, half marathon and marathon events at the end of October
  • Striders to marshal a sponge station at this year’s Sheffield Marathon
  • Plans for the 10th anniversary Bochum exchange involve 9 cyclists and 9 runners setting off from Sheffield and on to Hull. They will take the ferry across to Rotterdam, before a relay through Holland and Germany to Bochum.
  • Making her debut in Striders colours in the February Huddersfield 10K was Betty Sworowski, ex-international race walker
  • Strider Steve Hird describes the communal bath (men only) at the Tigers Rugby club at Dore as the best part of the Tigger Tor Race!!

July and August 1995

  • John Kerr ran the London Marathon in 2:33:02
  • Striders Ladies won the team prize at 2 recent events: Rushcliffe Relays at Holme Pierrepont and at the Eyam Half Marathon
  • Striders organise the 5-mile Birley Chase from the Birley Squash Club
  • Striders 10K this year will be held around the Rother Valley Country Park. Claire Cartledge was to organise a post-race barbecue.
  • 6 Striders took part in the short-lived Brightside Basher 10K in May, part of the course being an ascent of the very steep Jenkin Road
  • John Kerr won the Eyam Half Marathon in 1:17:47 with Steve Gisbourne 2nd in 1:19:29. Pauline Spurr (1:41:11) and Jacquie Shannon (1:43:15) were 2nd and 3rd Ladies.

September and October 1995

  • A long article in this edition, reproduced from the Sheffield Telegraph and written by the sports editor, Peter Markie. He refers to 3 Marys in the club, that is Mary Picksley, Mary Howarth and Mary Craig.
    • Mary Picksley had recently won the ladies’ prize in the Leeds Marathon in 3:15:42
    • Mary Howarth had been in training for an attempt to beat the current ladies’ record from Lands End to John O’Groats. The run took place in August.
    • Mary Craig’s running exploits aren’t mentioned, but we are told she has a nickname of chip shop Mary: she owns one, but apparently doesn’t indulge in eating chips
  • A strong male Striders vets team will once again run in the Leeds Country Way Relay in September, defending the title they have held for the last 2 years
  • A new race on the running calendar was held in July, the High Storrs Hobble 10K
  • Rotherham Harriers 10K event scheduled for September had been cancelled due to high staging costs and a lack of sponsorship
  • Doubt was raised that the Pinegrove 10-mile race was in fact 10 miles after a change of route initiated by the Police
  • It was reported that 25 Striders had completed the 2nd club Triathlon. Winner was John Kent in 50:17 (6:44 for the swim, 22:09 for the cycling and 21:24 for the run). Richard Lomas was first out of 7 in the junior event.
  • Pauline Spurr was 1st lady in 3 consecutive races: Swallownest 10K, Sprotborough 6K and the 5 mile Birley Chase

November and December 1995

  • The male vets Striders team gained a hat-trick of wins in the Leeds Country Way Relay
  • Striders News editor Dave Beech, whilst on holiday with relatives in North Yorkshire, had run in 3 races: the Victorian 10-mile event at Marske-by-the-Sea, the Marske & Saltburn 6-mile Beach Race and the 6-mile Hinderwell Race
  • 7 Striders had taken part in the Race the Train event at Tywyn in Wales, the objective being to complete the out-and-back course in under 1 hour 45 mins, the time taken for the train to cover the distance. Dennis Crossland, Steve Hird and Dave Smith were successful, but Steve Watson, Nick Wishart, Mick Derrick and John Crossland failed to run under 1 hour 45 mins.
  • A group of over 60 Striders, some with family, travelled to Bochum to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the twinning arrangement
  • Mary Howarth failed in her attempt to beat the Lands End to John O’Groats record because of scorching weather, a stress fracture, pulled thigh muscle and a groin strain. Mary ran 461 miles and lost 10 lbs in weight.

Men’s records – road

  • In the 1995 Percy Pud 10K, John Kerr set a record of 32:40 in the male veterans over-45 category
  • Also in this year he set the male veterans over-45 record time in the15 mile event at Holmfirth, running 1:24:38

Women’s records – road

  • Mary Howarth ran a club record time of 10:40:00 in the 100K at Nottingham, in the female veterans over-40 category

January and February 1996

  • The 3rd Percy Pud event on 3 December 1995 was reported as a very successful event with 900 taking part. Lots of the region’s top-class runners were there along with runners from clubs that had never been represented before.
  • Iain Colquhoun, having entered a team in the Men’s Northern Track and Field League, was asking club members to take part
  • 14 Striders, along with other local club runners plus the ex-international runner Ron Hill, a Striders Life Member, had taken part in the 10k, half and full marathon races at Reims in France in October 1995
  • Norma Parkes reported on her climb of Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South East Asia at 13,455 feet

March and April 1996

  • A popular feature of the many club social runs was a visit to the home of Strider Julian Paul at his farm in Ughill with 3 routes available and lunch afterwards
  • New technology in the form of chip timing of runners was being introduced in the forthcoming Sheffield Marathon
  • The final positions in last year’s club road running championship were announced in this edition. Winners were:
    • Senior and Vet Ladies – Pauline Spurr
    • Senior Men – Steve Gisbourne
    • Vet Men – John Kerr
  • The 4 guaranteed places for the London Marathon were given to Terry Eastwood, Martin Rhodes, Trevor Bullard and Marion O’Connor
  • 32 races advertised from the 1996 Fell running Calendar

May and June 1996

  • Pauline Spurr, Mary Picksley and Margaret Hobson were the first ladies’ team in the Bury 20-mile race in February of this year
  • The present club Membership Secretary (as of 2018), Stewart Robinson, was new to the post this year
  • Coach trip on offer to club members for an evening at Doncaster Races
  • Striders 10K in July of this year to take place at Rother Valley Country Park together with a club-organised post-race barbecue
  • Striders’ 1996 Christmas Social will be at the Sheffield Works Department
  • A post-fell run social to take place at the Anglers Rest pub in Bamford after the Hope Wakes Fell Run
  • Another Bochum Exchange visit, with our German friends visiting Sheffield in August next
  • Some comments from an article in this issue titled “A Potted History of the Sheffield Marathon”:
    • The first race held in Sheffield was on 1 April 1929. 48 runners entered, 16 finished.
    • The Doncaster to Sheffield Marathon started in 1946, one of only 6 staged in the UK at the time
    • The same course was used from 1946 until 1959. In the following 2 years, a new course started and finished on the Hillsborough running track.
    • In 1961, 59 entered with 37 finishing
    • In 1982 on 6 June, the first marathon of modern times started with 5000 runners on Middlewood Road and finished back in Hillsborough Park
  • Club members Dennis Crossland, Steve Gisbourne, John Kent, John Lindley, Steve Hird and Dave Parry took part in this year’s National Cross Country Championships at Newark
  • A thank you letter from the Bradfield Village Fellowship after the club had donated £700 from the proceeds of Percy Pud towards their rebuilding fund

July and August 1996

  • Sue and Mick Bragger organised a Point to Point race from Birley Squash Club in June
  • Striders Andy Buck (3:50:51) and Dave Parry (3:27:09) took part in this year’s Edale Skyline Fell Race
  • The club-organised 5 mile Loxley Lollop was to take place from the Pinegrove Country Club on 24 July. Those entering couldn’t run wearing a watch!
  • The short lived Brightside Basher 10K event took place on 19 May
  • Striders Men’s Veterans’ team were top South Yorkshire club in the National Vets Relay 5K championshipss, held in Manchester
  • Strider John Kerr was placed 3rd in this year’s Eyam Half Marathon in a time of 1:17:57 and in the Tigers 10 he was again 3rd in 58:38
  • Striders had been invited by the Sheffield Triathlon Club to take part in the Hope Valley Triathlon Series

September and October 1996

  • Tales of 2 Marys:
    • Mary Howarth was gold medalist at the British 24 Hour Ultra Marathon Champs at Hull on 14 July
    • Mary Picksley suffered a stress fracture of her leg when running a marathon which she managed to finish in 3 hours 27 mins
    • Mary Howarth ran the 35-mile Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, South Africa in 5 hours 22 mins
    • Mary Howarth ran the 31-mile Birmingham to Stratford Upon Avon Canal Race. No race time given!
    • Mary Howarth also competed in the Doncaster 24-hour race, running a distance of 101 miles 121 yards
  • Strider Preston Grundy, in the same event and running his first 24-hour race, completed 101 miles 965 yards

November and December 1996

  • A report by Ian Shepherd on a very successful visit by our German friends from Bochum. We had 41 visitors, most of whom took part in 2 races staged at Whirlow Playing Fields. 137 people attended the Barn Dance at Earnshaw Hall.
  • The club has been invited to Bochum in 1997
  • Striders weekly training venues were:
    • Sheffield Works Dept, East Bank Road
    • Birley Squash Club, Mansfield Road
    • Pinegrove Country Club, Myers Grove Lane
    • Graves Tennis Centre, Bochum Parkway
    • Concord Sports Centre, Shiregreen Lane
    • Sheffield Wednesday Sports Hall, Penistone Road
  • There was a session for Junior Members at the Don Valley Stadium on Sunday mornings with track sessions at both Woodbourn Road and Don Valley Stadiums during the week
  • A report on a successful High Storrs Hobble 10K event for Striders in July: Steve Gisbourne was 1st Senior Male and 3rd overall. John Kerr was 1st Male over 40 and 4th overall. Pete Wakefield was 1st Male over 45 and Mary Howarth was 1st Lady Vet.

Women’s records – road

  • Anne Watson (female veterans over-35 category) set a record of 1:38:24 in the 15-mile event at Holmfirth

Men’s records – road

  • In the 100K event at Doncaster, Preston Grundy set a record of 11:37:44 in the male veterans over-50 category

Instalment 3: 1997 to the end of 1999

Hello again Striders and my apologies for the delay in continuing with this history of the club!

What a lot of miles have been covered by the feet of club members since the beginning of this amazing journey.

We are now in 2019 and fully involved with the use of social media and what a difference it has made with how the club and its members function. How did we get on with all we did without social media? Sit back and enjoy the next part of the journey.

Can I ask that members reading through this history who think that some items of history have not been included please contact me.

January and February 1997

  • 150 runners entered Percy Pud with 250 entry forms returned. Runners came from as far afield as Penzance and London.
  • A report on a Sunday Special Run through the grounds of Cannon Hall Park and Bretton Hall Park organised by Jean and Bill Locking together with a letter of thanks from Sue and Mick Bragger commenting on a well-organised event
  • News that Striders are organising a 12-hour event at the Don Valley Stadium, yes that would be running around the track for 12 hours. It was given the title The George Littlewood Challenge, named after the prolific long-distance Sheffield runner.
  • Striders won promotion from the 5th division of the Northern Track League with competitors looking forward to events in 1997 at Rotherham (hosted by Striders), Barnsley, Hull and Derby

March and April 1997

  • A day trip planned for June to run over the moors at Ilkley in West Yorkshire
  • Last December’s Percy Pud event made a profit of £3858. Worth mentioning the work done in connection with the race by a past member Bill Towning.
  • 2 Sunday Special training runs planned for Fairholmes in the Derwent Valley and at Fox House
  • The 1996 Yorkshire Road Championship 15-mile event at Holmfirth saw the club gain 3 Yorkshire Champions. John Kerr was male over-45 winner. Anne Watson female over-35 winner and Mary Howarth female over-45 winner. Gordon Wilding was 2nd in the male over-45 category.
  • In order to raise funds for this year’s Bochum exchange visit, there was a jumble sale advertised at the Frecheville Community Centre
  • By the end of 1996 club member Dave Birch, who had been keeping a mileage diary, had recorded a staggering 25,000 miles in the past 11 years

May and June 1997

  • Sad news of the death of Strider Trevor Brown
  • News of a new club event organised by Roy Kitson and his team, a relay race along the Sheffield Way to be held on 14 September. A 15th anniversary dinner was planned for the night before.
  • A group of Striders paid a visit to the Sheffield Sports Medicine Clinic at the Sheffield Wednesday FC ground
  • A map of the 1997 Sheffield Marathon route showed the run starting at the Don Valley Stadium, going out to Bannerdale Road and back, a 2-lap event
  • Striders will hold their 3rd Annual Triathlon Event from the Westfield Baths in July, with both adults and children taking part

July and August 1997

  • This year’s Striders 10K to be held at Rother Valley Country Park
  • Striders now a member of the Youth Hostel Association
  • The winner of the Striders-organised George Littlewood 12-hour challenge was Jim Fletcher of Doncaster & Stainforth AC with a distance of 78.42 miles. 1st lady was Celia Hargrave, Stone Master Marathoners with 71.37 miles. 31 runners took part.
  • Long time Sheffield Labour Councillor Peter Price was offered Honorary Membership
  • Former club chairman and Striders News editor John Rothwell rejoined the club
  • Weekly training sessions for club members advertised at Sheffield Works Department, Birley Squash Club, Pinegrove Country Club, Graves Tennis Centre, Concord Sports Centre and Sheffield Wednesday Sports Hall
  • Club member Mike Ingham announces plans for a Coast to Coast run with teams of 5 running in relay

September and October 1997

  • A tour organised around Ward’s Brewery on Ecclesall Road with a buffet and sample of the best brew
  • Strider Mary Howarth, at this time a teacher at Fox Hill Primary, represented England in a home international event in Edinburgh in the 100K race
  • Amusing story of George Appleby being out longer on a training run than first thought from the Sheffield Works Department and having to make contact with a security company to gain access to the premises
  • Mick Hobson, his wife Margaret, John Kerr and Alan Brook went to Bruges in Belgium where Mick, Margaret and Alan ran the 10K event with John competing in the 25K race
  • Striders invited to run in the annual Fire Service Cross Country race in Graves Park alongside teams from the Police and Ambulance service

November and December 1997

  • An interesting report by Strider Dick Williams who took part in the Ben Nevis race in September. 500 runners took part, and Dick reached the top in 1 hour 28 mins. He managd 4,000 ft back down in 45 mins to the finish.
  • We have always had a hard-working committee and at this time they were discussing ways of achieving better attendances at club-organised events. Ideas put forward were changing event formats, changing venues, organising more one-off events, introducing new events, spreading prizes and inviting members of other clubs.
  • The first running of the Sheffield Way Relay attracted 7 teams of 10. 14 Striders helped along the route. A resounding success, an annual event still with us some 20 years later. Steve Ludlow’s team won in a time of 5:33:24, just 26 seconds before Steve Hird’s team completed the 48 miles.
  • The offer of Honorary Membership to Sheffield Labour Councillor Peter Price was accepted. Peter was always tireless in his appearances and participation at numerous sporting and charitable events. He had previously presented prizes at the Percy Pud event and had been involved in the 12-hour George Littlewood event at Don Valley.
  • An ad from the Sheffield Triathlon Club giving details of 6 events in the Swim and Run Westfield Biathlon Serie
  • 30 Striders took part in the club track meeting with one of the mile races a close finish up to the line by Karl Priest, Mary Howarth and Claire Cartledge. Euan Colquhoun broke the Striders 200m hurdles record with a time of 29.3 secs.

Women’s records – road

  • At Edinburgh, Mary Howarth set a 100K record of 10:50:10 in the female veterans’ over-45 category

January and February 1998

  • New Striders vest design introduced (colours in quarters).
  • Winners of the 1997 Club Road Running Championship:
    • Senior Men – Mark Bennehan
    • Veteran Men over-40 – Barry Williams
    • Veteran Men over-45 – John Kerr
    • Veteran Men over-50  – Mick Hobson
    • Senior Ladies – Nicola Balderson
    • Veteran Ladies over-45 – Margaret Hobson
  • Nicola Balderson picked to represent Yorkshire in the Inter Counties Cross Country event
  • 9 separate items of club kit advertised ranging in price from £3.50 for a short-sleeved T-shirt to £19.95 for Ladies/Girls Lycra One-Piece.
  • One of our Life members, the renowned Marathon/Olympian/Cross Country and all round Superman Ron Hill, recently celebrated 12,000 consecutive days of running. His inspiration was Alf Tupper “The Tough of the Track”, a character who featured in the Thursday edition of the Rover comic.
  • The Committee were to undertake a review of the club training venues for the current membership of 250

March and April 1998

  • There will be a George Littlewood 6-hour challenge event at the Don Valley Stadium in April. 2 Striders, Stewart Robinson and Stewart Cartledge have entered.
  • Strider Gordon Wilding was 1st Male Veteran with a time of 35:15 in last December’s Bolsover 10K
  • Around 15 Striders took part in last year’s sunny Boxing Day Fun Run
  • 34 races advertised in the 1998 Fell running Calendar
  • Long-time member Christine Hall is the club’s new Social Secretary for 1998
  • Report by Vic Riley on Striders’ participation in the Calderdale Way Relay, a 6-leg event over 50 miles. Members taking part were Pete Wakefield, Gordon Wilding, Steve Hird, Vic Riley, Dave Sedgwick, Allen Haigh, John Kerr, Dennis Crossland, John Gregory, Barry Williams, John Lindley and Dave Parry. Striders finished 29th out of the 99 teams who ran.

May and June 1998

  • Pauline Spurr, Mary Howarth and Lynda Bradshaw won the team prize in the Stamford 30K
  • Arrangements in hand for the 13th annual Bochum Exchange in August when the Opelaners will visit Sheffield
  • Striders Club 10k this year to be incorporated into the High Storrs Hobble
  • A new event for the club in June. A race from the Sportsman Pub at Lodge Moor with that well-known landmark Stanage Pole on the route.
  • New Club Social Secretary Christine Hall had been busy organising a Castleton training run, a Line Dance, Cosmic Bowling at the Halifax Road Superbowl, a return visit to Ward’s Brewery and a ladies-only trip to the Turkish Baths at Harrogate
  • A forecast of lots of snow saw only one Strider, David Hewitt, travel to run in the Norton 9 in March. Ironically the event was held in glorious sunshine!
  • The Brightside Basher 10K race is to be resurrected this year. 2 testing laps which include the very steep Jenkin Road.
  • The date of this year’s Sheffield Marathon coincides with that of the London Marathon. However it is thought that there will be no effect because of the clash of dates on the number of runners entering the Sheffield event. It is hoped that many disappointed runners failing to gain entry to the London event will choose to run in Sheffield where entry is £7.00 and £8.00 for unattached competitors.

July and August 1998

  • The Bochum Exchange Weekend will comprise of a 10K race at Saxilby in Lincolnshire, a social evening at Earnshaw Hall and periods of well-earned rest
  • £1500 was given to the Bradfield Hall restoration fund from the proceeds of last year’s Percy Pud event
  • A note of appreciation for the fantastic work by Bill Towning who has stepped down as Race Director of Percy Pud. Iain Colquhoun will front the race organisation this year.
  • John Beardshaw wins the 130-year-old Hallam Chase, being the 2nd Strider to win after John Gregory who won in 1990
  • Striders’ men’s team was 1st in the Tigers 10-mile event run from the rugby ground at Dore and also 1st men’s team in the Eyam Half Marathon
  • Race marshals deserted their positions towards the end of this year’s Sheffield Marathon, which culminated in disqualifications and for some runners unscheduled laps of Don Valley stadium. What wasn’t widely reported except for a piece in Striders News was the help of club member Alan Brook in pointing runners in the right direction.
  • Mary Howarth ran the National 100K championshipss at Greenwich in London for the English Ladies team, gaining the Bronze medal
  • Stewart Robinson ran 35.09 miles in the George Littlewood 6-hour event raising £200 for Weston Park Hospital, whilst Stuart Cartledge finished with 33.29 miles
  • A strong men’s veterans’ team will travel to Garforth near Leeds to defend the veteran men’s team prize in the 60-mile, 6-leg Leeds Country Way Relay they have held for the past 5 years. Striders also hold the veterans’ course record of 7 hours 3 mins.
  • Mary Howarth appeals to club members for old and unwanted T-shirts gained while racing. An unnamed athletic club passes these items of clothing to young black South Africans.

September and October 1998

  • 50 Striders ran in the High Storrs Hobble 10K event: 15 ladies and 35 men. Margaret Hobson was 1st Striders lady in a time of 45:08. John Kerr was 1st Striders male in 34:41, 3rd position overall. Present-day members (as of 2019) still running who took part were Dave Beech (38:07), Kevin Rains (44:29), Matt Surgeon (45:15) and Norma Parkes (56:35). 21 years on and oh how they wish they could run those times again!
  • Striders team captains for the Sheffield Way Relay were Eileen and Steve Ludlow, Mary Howarth, Steve Hird, Ian Shepherd, Matt Surgeon, Andy Rowland, Jon Cowley and Julian Paul
  • 3 Striders men’s teams entered the Dam Flask relays, finishing in 8th, 12th and 26th positions. Full results not in print. Fastest Strider over the 3-mile+ course was John Kerr in 19:05.
  • It’s always sad when long-standing members resign, members who have contributed in many different ways to club organisation. Anne Watson, a prolific runner who held many club records, and Mike Ingham, a driving force within the club, tendered their resignations, along with long-standing member Alan Mitchell.
  • 2 Striders received International call ups. Paul Jezewski will compete for GB in the World Duathlon champs in Germany. Matthew Winn Smith was selected for the North Finland Team in the same event.
  • A large amount of information about Lyme Disease which is spread by the humble tick. The ticks can be picked up by such as fell runners brushing against bracken. Symptoms of the disease are difficult to detect and diagnosis is difficult. As much a warning then as it is now: BE AWARE!!
  • The Striders-organised Stanage Pole run was a huge success due to the organisation by Alan Brook. 11 ladies and 19 men took part. Alan splashed out with the prizes, with winners Helen Lindley and Dennis Crossland each receiving half a dozen eggs!!!

November and December 1998

  • A really interesting article by Mary Howarth describing a recent holiday in Queensland, Australia. Running with a group starting at 5:20 am then returning to a house where runners and cyclists converged bringing different foods, tea and coffee which they shared over breakfast along with conversation and jokes. She also entered a half marathon with a start time of 6:20 am.
  • The 5-mile race at Saxilby over the Bank Holiday weekend hosted by their running club which was part of the Bochum Weekend celebrations was contested by 62 runners: 29 Striders, 18 Opelaners, 13 Saxilby members and one guest.
  • Results showed the North Derbyshire Running Club as first team home in the Sheffield Way Relay in September. Striders took 2nd and 3rd places.
  • Training sessions at Pinegrove and Graves Tennis Centre underwent a swap around with Pinegrove going over to Graves one week and Graves runners travelling over to Pinegrove a few weeks later. Both sets of Striders enjoyed training on unfamiliar ground.

Men’s records – road

  • In 1998, John Kerr set the following records in the male veterans’ over-45 category:
    • 26:52 in the 5-mile event at Dinnington
    • 55:26 in the 10-mile event at Askern
    • 1:12:00 in the half-marathon at Doncaster
    • 1:56:05 in the 20-mile event at Ashby
    • 2:31:25 in the London Marathon

January and February 1999

  • Strider Jean Locking recently retired aged 65 having worked at the same place for over 28 years. More time for Jean to run which she certainly did.
  • Geoff Waller, a director of P.A. Jewelry at Walkley and a Strider, attended a talk by international athlete Richard Nerurkar about his Christian faith. Richard also spoke about his training mileage averaging a130 miles per week!!
  • The Pike Low Trespass Fell Run took place over the moors to the north of Sheffield from “A point to be announced”. This was in order not to bring to the attention of land owners that runners would be on their property. The start was Upper Midhope and the 5-mile event crossed land owned by the Chigston Company and the Fitzwilliam and Broomhead Estates. It was hoped that the race would draw attention to the fact that large parts of the moors surrounding Sheffield at that time had yet to be granted Open Access to the public. Strider Andy Buck came 10th and Jon Cowley, Dick Williams and Tony Mays who helped with race organisation all had strong Striders connections.
  • More race marshals have been recruited for the 1999 Sheffield full and half marathon in order to prevent the chaos caused at last year’s event when marshals deserted their positions
  • Norma Parkes, still a member and club Treasurer in 2019, won the Percy Pud T-shirt competition by being photographed wearing the T-shirt in the most exotic or far-flung locations, which were on Concorde and at the Kennedy Space Centre.
  • In the club annual report for 1998 it was noted that Strider David Colquhoun was ranked 6th in the UK for the 2,000m steeplechase in the track season

March and April 1999

  • Social Secretary Chris Hall was planning a training/social weekend at the Stanage Centre in Castleton, Derbyshire, which unfortunately after a lack of response had to be cancelled
  • 14 male veteran Striders ran in the Yorkshire Vets’ Cross Country champs in Graves Park, ladies’ details not available!
  • The George Littlewood 6-hour challenge organised by Striders will again be held in 1999 at the Don Valley Stadium
  • News that the race clock hired for last year’s Percy Pud event failed to arrive: the driver from Running Imp at Lincoln got lost trying to find the race venue!!
  • Strider John Williams will run this year’s Sheffield Half Marathon pushing a buggy containing a 5-year-old Sheffield lad, Kyle Barton, who had both his hands and legs amputated after succumbing to septicaemia and gangrene. John raises money for the Kyle Barton Appeal Fund.
  • Strider Reg Arundel was on a 3-week 800-mile cycling holiday through the Himalaya region with 2 companions

May and June 1999

  • An appeal to club members by Mary Howarth for used and unwanted T-shirts received a warm response from the PMB Children’s Home in Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. The recipients at the home were delighted and are now enquiring of the whereabouts of Barnsley and Maltby.
  • Strider John Kerr won the Stamford 30K in a time of 1:47:07. Other Striders results were Vic Riley 1:57:36, Gordon Wilding 1:59:59, Dave Beech 2:05:12, Roy Sharp 2:23:02, Margaret Hobson 2:23:13 and Kevin Rains 2:32:19.
  • Family Day Trip to Beverley in East Yorkshire planned for October, something for runners, non-runners and children
  • A recent survey by the Runner’s World magazine to establish the top 50 race events in the UK has the Sheffield Marathon in 15th position and our Percy Pud event was voted the 9th-best 10K race
  • A new article for Striders News, that is club news from both 10 and 15 years ago. It is hoped the article will become a regular feature.
  • Always interesting are the inclusion of articles about the wider world of running. In this edition we read of the death of Jim Peters, one of the giants of 20th-century sport, a man who transformed marathon running when he pushed the world record through the 2 hour 20 mins barrier, taking it from 2:26:07 to 2:17:39. He achieved this time in a pair of Woolworth plimsolls which cost him 12 shillings and 6 old pence.

July and August 1999

  • Plenty of variation in the Striders Social events calendar, this time an evening of ten-pin bowling, with a cocktail and meal to follow
  • A report in this issue about the club entering the Manchester to Blackpool Relay. We finished the day overall in 20th position in 5:17:34. A good performance by our Vets who finished in 6th place.
  • Strider Matt Surgeon took part in the 19th Annual Lake County Races in Chicago USA and became the first Strider to race in America
  • John Williams, a club member, pushed 5-year-old Kyle Barton around the Sheffield Half Marathon course in April to raise cash for meningitis research. Kyle had his arms and legs partially amputated after suffering meningitis.
  • A day of drama during the race. A serious fire alongside the course on Abbeydale Road which fortunately due the efforts of the Police and the Fire Brigade did not halt the race.

September and October 1999

  • A group of 5 – Roger Stevenson, Chris Hall, Allan Haigh, Dave Nichols, and Roy Bradshaw – set off from Coal Aston at 4:00 am to walk the approximately 47 miles of the Sheffield Way Relay route. We were joined at Tinsley by Sandra Page who left them at Redmires. Another welcome face for part of the journey was Roy Kitson, giving encouragement on the way. Dave had to pull out at Totley due to possible sunstroke. They finished back at Coal Aston at 10:00 pm after an 18-hour walk!
  • 9 Ladies and 38 men took part in the 10-mile Derwent Dash in July. Sarah Bruce was 1st lady in 1:10:22 and Harry Todd was 1st male in 1:03:19.
  • John Kerr was the Veterans’ Champion for 1999 in the SYAAA 5-mile series. Rebecca Harris was runner-up in the Senior Ladies’ section. Pete Wakefield won the over-50 section. Margaret Hobson was 1st lady in the over-45 group.
  • This issue contained a photo of a group of 16 Striders who took part in a walk from Longshaw in May led by Bill Locking
  • Mick Hobson was to take part in an 8-day 800-km ride from Luxor to Aswan and back, raising money for Mencap

November and December 1999

  • What a fantastic achievement by Strider John Kerr who became World over-50 Marathon Champion at Gateshead in August in a time of 2:34:39. John was 7th out of 571 competitors. He was given Honorary Life membership of the club in recognition.
  • A superbly written tribute by John Rothwell about the 1st Chairman of Striders, Keith Ibbotson, who died at the age of 57 in September of this year. A man to whom the club owed much. He was an inspiration and a friend to all that knew him.
  • An article advertising the Striders Millennium Challenge on the Trans Pennine Trail between Southport and Hornsea in May 2000
  • A report by Paul Atkins on Striders Bochum Exchange weekend to Germany in August. 29 people enjoyed the hospitality of our German friends during a very successful visit in which club members competed in 5, 10 and 20K events.

Men’s records – road

  • John Kerr set the following records in the male veterans over-50 category:
    • At Armthorpe, 26:39 for 5 miles
    • At Bradford, 33:08 for 10K
    • At Thirsk, 55:18 for 10 miles

Women’s records – road

  • At Sleaford, Mary Picksley set a record of 1:30:22 for the half-marathon in the female veterans over-45 category

The next page of this history is at: https://www.steelcitystriders.co.uk/striders-history-2000-2014/