Methley Striders

Shout out to Kirsty ❤️🖤❤️

Running is hard enough on its own, but Kirsty just had her first go at pacing a 5k. Adding the pressure of hitting a precise time while still keeping everyone around you calm, confident, and moving with purpose isn’t easy, but our Kirsty took that challenge at the recent parkrun takeover and absolutely smashed it.

A huge well‑deserved shout out for overcoming her fears and making herself (and us) beam with strider pride!

❤️🖤❤️

Last night was the final canal series 5k race.

Another fantastic turnout for striders, and we also had some striders lucky enough to win raffle prizes.

Massive thanks to all those behind the scenes who organise, volunteer and support to make it such a great local race.

❤️🖤❤️

Congratulation to Naomi and Denise who ran more than 27 miles over the weekend at IGUN’s blacksheep 6 hour challenge.

Incredible running, fabulous team work and most definitely no strider left behind

Amazing work ladies!

❤️🖤❤️

It’s Methley Scarecrow Festival - Scarecrow HQ weekend in the village.

Some of our striders have already met our scarecrow strider 🤣

Huge congratulations to our 2026 Handicap Champion - Stacy!

What a brilliant 5k run from Stacy, chased by every Strider on the course. She held her nerve, ran her race, ignored the chaos and powered through to take the win.

A well‑earned victory and a fantastic performance from start to finish.

We’re so proud of you, Stacy - enjoy that winner’s glow ❤️🖤❤️

Striders 5K Handicap 2026

What a brilliant turnout from all our runners and volunteers today on the Pontefract Parkrun course.

Our handicap is a backwards race - which means everyone gets a unique start time. A Strider who usually runs 5k in 45 minutes sets off first… then 10 minutes later the 35 minute runner goes… and so on, with the fastest runner starting last.

In theory, everyone hits the finish at the same moment. In reality? Pure Strider chaos and joy as you never know who’s coming round the corner next and who may make a mad dash sprint at the end - and that’s what makes it magic.

❤️🖤❤️

🖤❤️ Shout out to Sandra ❤️🖤

Sandra has been recovering from injury … but that hasn’t stopped being full of strider pride

She has been:
• Showing ridiculous levels of resilience getting back on track doing her rehab work
• Marshalling races like an absolute hero - pointing, cheering, clapping, and occasionally herding stray runners
• Smashing Overpower strength classes like she’s auditioning for “Yorkshire’s Next Strongest Strider”
• Turning up to Captain Kirsty’s strength sessions and giving it full bunny‑mode
• and she’s also training to become one of our next run leaders!

Basically: Sandra is on a mission to be the best strider out there. Keep being brilliant, Sandra. The club sees you, appreciates you, and cannot wait to follow your lead - literally.

❤️🖤❤️

Huge Striders shout‑out to Sophie and Denise, who only went and smashed their first ever triathlon at the weekend.

Their goal was simple: just finish.
What they actually did: finished, smiled, stuck together, and embodied pure Strider spirit from start to finish.

They swam.
They biked.
They ran.
They conquered.
And they did it side by side, the way Striders do best.

Rumour has it there’s already talk of signing up again next year… and honestly, we love that energy.

So proud of you both — your determination, teamwork, and joy absolutely shine.

❤️🖤❤️

🖤❤️ STRIDERS STRENGTH SESSION - THE PLYO EDITION ❤️🖤

If anyone is walking normally yet? Massive thanks to Captain Kirsty who delivered an absolute beast of a strength session, and a good few Striders woke up sounding like they’d aged 40 years overnight.

This one was all about plyometrics - the kind of session that tests your coordination, concentration and core, and then steals your dignity on the cool‑down.

We’re talking:
• Squat jumps
• Bounding
• Plyo lunges
• Ski jumps
All mixed with upper, lower, core and full‑body stations that had us questioning our life choices.

Two teams battled it out, offering very supportive technique feedback to each other (also known as laughing). And when the legs were screaming, the “rest” was a lap of the field to flush out the lactic acid - which somehow felt both cruel and kind at the same time.

“Well done to all those who Bunny Hopped ’Till They Dropped!” Kirsty’s words, not ours - but painfully accurate.

Huge thanks to Sam for the post‑session ice pop reward, which honestly felt like medical intervention at that point.

Kirsty - at strider HQ we thank you for another brilliant, brutal, brilliantly brutal session. We’re stronger for it… even if we can’t currently sit down without making noises.


❤️🖤❤️

🖤❤️ SHOUT OUT TO STEPH! ❤️🖤

Steph’s just ticked off “run an ultra with Mark” this weekend from her bucket list.

After her 9th marathon in Rome, her 10th marathon at Leeds in May loving every second with the Striders, she decided she should take the leap and booked the London Ultra.

Yesterday she made that dream real. Tough in parts, brilliant throughout, and absolutely unforgettable.

Huge shout‑out to Coach Mark too - Steph’s best friend, sole mate, and the coach who helped turn “I couldn’t” into “I DID”. At Strider HQ we’re pretty sure Steph is Mark’s favourite too 😘 And let’s not forget his own incredible achievements too- our coach and also a master at the ultra marathon.

Steph - congrats on an incredible achievement. You are unstoppable. What a journey. What a day. What a Strider.

❤️🖤❤️