Switchback 5

Rachel Lindley, from Striders of Croydon, ran very well to be the third female finisher in the first East Surrey League cross-country race of the season, in Lloyd Park on Saturday afternoon. Club colleague Ally Whitlock also ran well to be the eighth female finisher.

Striders’ men were led by James Rhodes, who ran well to finish sixth. Greg Kirby was 13th, Rob Lines 19th and Tom Gillespie completed the A team in 23rd. Andy Perks led the B team in 24th, with Chris Bourchier 29th, Kerim Suruliz 32nd, Tim Lawlor 38th, Jason Gallagher 42nd, Matthew Bollington 43rd, Jon Dean 55th and Mark Harman 62nd. Earlier in the afternoon, Thomas Finch ran well to finish ninth in the under-17 race.

On Sunday, Striders organised the 31st annual Switchback five-mile race, over an undulating course in Lloyd Park and Addington Hills. The first man home was Aaron Truelove of South London Harriers (31:28), while the first woman home was Nikki Sturzaker of Herne Hill, who placed 12th overall out of 146 finishers (35:41). For Striders, Lee Flanagan ran very well to place second overall and first in the M50 age-group (32:13). Phil Coales was fourth (33:21) with Simon Ambrosi ninth (34:55), Tom Gillespie tenth (35:17) and Kerim Suruliz eleventh (35:38). Striders’ first female finisher was Ally Whitlock, running her second race of the weekend, who placed 35th overall (39:18). Leonie Hondeborg was 59th (42:00) with Cindy Siu 61st (42:14), Deborah Zeffman 74th (44:08) and Angela Seesurrun 84th (46:30).

Also on Sunday, Zoe Siu was the second female finisher in the Lloyd junior parkrun, placing fourth overall out of 141 finishers (8:32).