Graduation Day.

Some of our latest Couch to 5k group prepare to "graduate" by completing the Stratford Parkrun last Saturday, fronted by lead coach Martyn Sergent looking very pleased with himself. Welcome to the world of running. You're going to love it - most of the time! View this email in your browser This week it is totally about XC. Last weekend saw a magnificent total of 91 members across all age groups compete in XC races at either the Welcombe Hills or in Wolverhampton. A superb turn out with many memorable performances, all of which are recorded in the following reports from Dave Parkin, Vicky Sharpe and Tony Jackson, for which many thanks. Thanks are also due to Mike Sheppard and Nick Campbell for the many wonderful photos. Take care Best Wishes David Jones Tessa Parkin making a return to XC at Wolverhampton on Sunday. Welcome back Tessa we missed you. Sam Plumb, Aran Cooper and Joel Ledgard who drove each other on last Sunday. The U17M team of Theo Skirvin, Caleb Spriggs and Alex Adams. The U13B team of Alfie Musk, Joel Ledgard, Aran Cooper, Arthur Mansbridge and Sam Plumb. Alex Adams - As if you didn't know. West Midland Young Athletes’ Cross-Country League 2021/22 Aldersley Stadium, Wolverhampton 5th December 2021 Strong performances for Stratford in Junior Cross-Country League Report - David Parkin Stratford AC juniors competed at Aldersley stadium, Wolverhampton on Sunday 5th December. Despite some very fine individual performances, the overall team position of 5th (out of 21 clubs) was a little disappointing given earlier results in the season. This was primarily due to understrength squads in a number of the age categories. It was a good cross-country running day, with a fresh breeze but dry and mostly soft conditions underfoot. The first race, as ever, was the U17W and the consistently performing Charlotte Marshall (7th, 15:15) was first home for Stratford, matching her result from the previous race. Ellie Deaner (21st, 16:59) will have been pleased to have moved up ten places from her first race of the season. The U11B team was down on numbers but Henry Sims (33rd, 06:23) raced well to be first home for Stratford, closely followed by Toby Spriggs (35th, 06:25) who will be delighted with his highest finish of the season. Henry Thomas (60th, 06:59) completed the team for Stratford. At the finish line in the U17M race, one spectator was overheard saying ‘he’s a different level, he is…!’. He could, of course, only be talking about the dominant Alex Adams (1st, 15:23) who completed the race 52s ahead of second place. Adams' was in second place for all of the first two strides off the start line, then moved into first and continued to open up distance for the rest of the race. Theo Skirvin (17th, 17:25) had a good steady race, moving him up to 10th in the league for the season and Caleb Spriggs (22nd, 17:46) had a fine finish to hold off a challenging pair from Birchfield…