Swindon Striders

03/06/2026

Friday 5th June Club Run - "Blind Mile Challenge"
For the first time this "summer" we'll try out how good our estimates at pacing over a mile are!
"The aim is for each person to estimate how fast they will do a mile in. Then we all set off at staggered times so according to your estimate we will all finish as a dead heat!
It would be good to push it a little but if you are injured/don't want to push as hard estimate a slower time and stick with that!
Ideally bring a buff/sweat band/don't wear a watch/promise not to look and let's see how good our estimates are.
The mile is down the old railway line from just past the River Ray bridge to where it joins the Barnfield/West Swindon cycle way. (Full route at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51421747 )
Once we have run there and done the challenge, there are several routes back - straight back is a total of less than 4 miles otherwise a loop via Mannington Rec closer to 5 miles."
Meet outside the 'Harvey'; beside the Link (West Swindon District Centre) from 6:30 for 6:45pm run.

8.0 km, +41 m. Bike ride in Swindon, England

31/05/2026

Our Striders Community 🥰: always a welcoming and inclusive club, where running and friendship go hand in hand. (Did you know, we’re also EA registered, so we take your wellbeing seriously, as well as getting you reduced entry into races!) Many of us have made forever friends at Striders (and a few have found love 💚 - move over Tinder 😜) Talking of love, as well as running, we also love cakes 🍰 (ours are truly legendary 😋), the odd beer 🍺 & the Great British countryside!

31/05/2026

This is how we do it….. Striders are SMASHING IT so far in 2026!! 💥 We’re so proud of all our members’ achievements: from a first small race to first marathon; from returns from injury to ultra marathons; or just turning up as you are at club come rain or shine (yes, last week’s heat wave included 🥵 !) 🤩👏🥳

28/05/2026

Friday 29th May Club Run
This week's route is out via Barnfield, round Cheney Manor cut down past Moredon Hub and through to Nova Hreod. Just past the entrance go left through the hedge(!) across the bridge and follow the path across to the old railway line. Follow down the path until you can turn up over Shaw Forest then back through and across Shaw Ridge. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38392585
This is a group run, you will not be left behind.
Meet outside the 'Harvey'; beside the Link (West Swindon District Centre) from 6:30 for 6:45pm run.

9.2 km, +46 m. Bike ride in West Swindon, England

20/05/2026

Friday 22nd May Club Run
It wasn't long ago that you did this route but once more a variation on the Lydiard Park loop... Out to Shaw Ridge and along to Lydiard Park pass the lakes on your right over the Troll bridge ;-) up to the cafe, out along the drive then follow the edge of the park around the outside of the walled garden and follow the drive to Hay Lane. Then turn left down the hill, under the underpass past the Hickory's Smokehouse, to the Village Inn before crossing by the shops at the pelican crossing and following the cycle trails/paths to Shaw Ridge and back to the Link. The last third is all on footpath but knowing the standard of Swindon footpaths may still be uneven! https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41005935
This is a group run, you will not be left behind.
Meet outside the 'Harvey'; beside the Link (West Swindon District Centre) from 6:30 for 6:45pm run.

9.2 km, +75 m. Bike ride in West Swindon, England

14/05/2026

Friday 15th May Club Run
Back to another familiar route (and some of it you may recognise from bank holiday runs as well).
This route loops round some of the green areas of West Swindon. Up to Shaw Ridge School, across to the top of Cartwright Drive and into Shaw Forest. An anti clockwise loop of the area until you are at the northern end where we drop down to the cycle path. Follow back down to Peatmoor lagoon, keeping the lagoon on your right carry on along the path to Swinley Drive. Follow left and round Sandacre Road and back to follow the cycle path all the way round past Shaw Village Centre, Brookhouse Farm to the entrance of Lydiard Park. From there back along the ridge. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44517890
Meet outside the 'Harvey'; beside the Link (West Swindon District Centre) from 6:30 for 6:45pm run.

8.3 km, +55 m. Bike ride in West Swindon, England

09/05/2026

Monday 11th May - Swindon Striders' Distance Challenge
It's the 2nd Monday of the month and time for another Distance Challenge. You may have raced at the weekend so want to take it easy or tapering for a race to come or even wanting to work out how the legs feel ready for the coming week's races so
you are only challenging yourself and rating your run against how you did last time and how you do next time! As ever 40 minutes and you see how far you run in that time.
As a group we will all run up to the top of Marlborough road then set out at the same time running the same course for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes turn round and return to the start.
Follow down Marlborough Road, left into Windsor Road, left onto Queens Drive, left onto Upham Road, right onto Drove Road, right onto Cumberland Avenue, left onto Burford Avenue, follow round to right onto Drove Road then back onto Queens Drive. At some point on this route you will reach 20 minutes! At that point turn round and retrace your steps. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45377591 The theory is we all start and finish at the same time but may all run slightly different distances.
Remember the first half has more descent in it so if you go out too fast you may have a challenge getting back in 20 minutes...
Meet at outside Croft Sports Centre from 6.30 to run at 6.45

11.8 km, +58 m. Bike ride in Swindon, England

30/04/2026

Friday 1st May Club Run
Now we're well into our summer runs we finally get to the regular loop of Lydiard Park.
Out to Shaw Ridge and along to Lydiard Park pass the lakes on your right over the Troll bridge ;-) up to the cafe, out along the drive then follow the edge of the park around the outside of the walled garden and follow the drive to Hay Lane. Then turn left down the hill, under the underpass past the Hickory's Smokehouse, to the Village Inn before crossing by the shops at the pelican crossing and following the cycle trails/paths to Shaw Ridge and back to the Link. The last third is all on footpath but knowing the standard of Swindon footpaths may still be uneven! https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41005935
Meet outside the 'Harvey'; beside the Link (West Swindon District Centre) from 6:30 for 6:45pm run.

9.2 km, +75 m. Bike ride in West Swindon, England

23/04/2026

Friday 24th April Club Run
"After the damp success of the bluebells last week, we'll do them again in the sunshine. This time we will visit the bluebells before Lydiard Park!
From the Link, up to Shaw Ridge then follow the usual route out to Blagrove. When there instead of turning left turn right and go and visit the bluebells. Then reverse the route as far as Hook Street. Turn left up Hook Street then right into Oatlands. Cut through at the end to the end of Mulcaster Avenue and into Lydiard Park. Follow an appropriate route round Lydiard Park then back onto Shaw Ridge and back to the Link https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50462436 "
Meet outside the 'Harvey'; beside the Link (West Swindon District Centre) from 6:30 for 6:45pm run.

9.3 km, +59 m. Bike ride in Swindon, England

16/04/2026

Friday 17th April Club Run
"Our first ""summer"" run of 2026 from the Link and we are off to Hagbourne Copse to see the bluebells. Marlborough Running Club may have West Woods but we have a far more conveniemt wood and it's not as hilly as West Woods can be!
From the Link up to Shaw Ridge, just in to Lydiard Park and along the path through the woods, out into Gower Close then across to the new build and out to Hook Street. Down to Whitehill Way, cross over into Blagrove the right at the roundabout to visit the Bluebells.
After the Bluebell visit, back through Blagrove to the end of the trim trail. First left under Great Western Way then up Toot Hill. Follow along the alley across Idovers Drive then follow across via Toothill Village Centre to the bridge across Tewkesbury Way and back to the Link. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42674065 "
This is a group run you will not be left behind.
Meet outside the 'Harvey'; beside the Link (West Swindon District Centre) from 6:30 for 6:45pm run.