Valley Striders Awards are presented annually, usually at the Christmas Party. These include
- The Marathon Cup for the best marathon performance that year.
- The Vadim Kuznetsov Trophy for the best age-graded performance at the Leeds Half Marathon.
- The Max Jones Trophy for the best age-graded performance at any distance.
- The Also-Ran Trophy to recognise the achievements of a runner who has shown regular commitment to racing, training and the club in general.
The Valley Striders Grand Prix Winners and the Fell Grand Prix Winners also receive their prizes at the annual awards. See the Grand Prix page for more information of current standings and past winners.
Marathon Cup
For the history of the cup, see https://www.valleystriders.org.uk/archive/horsmar.htm
Presented by Janet Kitchen for best Marathon Performance(the original cup was the cup presented to the winner of the Horsforth Marathon 1981-1987).
| Year | Winner | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Daniel Grant | 2:38 at Leeds |
| 2024 | Hannah Brown | 2:55 at London |
| 2023 | Amanda Spencer | 3:12 at York (age 54) |
| 2022 | Jonathan Ball | 2:41 at Manchester and Chicago |
| 2021 | Jonathan Ball | 2:44 at Manchester |
| 2020 | --- | --- |
| 2019 | David Herdsman | 2:26 at London |
| 2018 | John Hobbs | 2:31 at London (fastest Strider this century) |
| 2017 | Tim Straughan | 2:59 at London (age 51) and 2:57 at Chester (age 52) |
| 2016 | Andy May | 2:32 at London (fastest Strider this century) |
| 2015 | James Tarran | Two sub-3 marathons and a Bill Rowan medal (sub 9-hour) at Comrades Marathon (53 miles) |
| 2014 | Myra Jones | Winner at Kielder, runner-up at Windermere, PB at Valencia |
| 2013 | Kim Threadgall | Winner and course record at Yorkshireman marathon |
| 2012 | Andy May | 2:34 at Berlin (fastest male Strider this century) |
| 2011 | Liz Wood | 3:14 marathon qualifying for London 2012 |
| 2010 | Dan Fisher | Fastest marathon of the year 2:42 at Amsterdam |
| 2009 | Panos Aristotelous | Winner at Fleetwood 2:38 and Wharfedale |
| 2008 | Eric Green | 5 marathons 2:55 to 3:07 all in Striders top 10 for year |
| 2007 | Tracey Morris | 2:36 at Osaka, 19th in World Marathon Championships |
| 2006 | Brian Hanley | 2:36 at London |
| 2006 | NB special award to Tracey Morris for competing in 4 championship marathons (UK, Olympics, Commonwealth, European) | |
| 2005 | Jules Barltrop | 2:58:55 at Berlin Marathon |
| 2004 | Tracey Morris | 2:33 at London (1st GB), 2:40 at Olympic Marathon, Athens |
| 2003 | Lisa Wilyman | Winner at Leeds 3:01 |
| 2002 | Kathy Kaiser | |
| 2001 | Eric Cusack | M45 Team Gold at WAVA Marathon, Brisbane |
| 2000 | Alan Hutchinson | |
| 1999 | Kathy Kaiser | W45 Winner at WAVA Marathon, Gateshead |
| 1998 | Kathy Kaiser | |
| 1997 | Gary Shipley | |
| 1996 | Sylvia Watson | Represented GB in World 100k champs |
| 1995 | Max Jones | |
| 1994 | Yvonne Bissitt & Kathy Kaiser & Sylvia Watson | UK Half Marathon team champions (York) |
| 1993 | Max Jones | |
| 1992 | Paul Briscoe | |
| 1991 | Kathy Kaiser | |
| 1990 | ? | |
| 1989 | ? | |
| 1988 | ? |
Vadim Kuznetsov Trophy
Awarded for best age-graded performance at Leeds Half Marathon. Vadim died, aged 40, in 2004 and the trophy was presented to the club by Vadim’s wife, in is memory. The Leeds Half marathon was Vadim’s favourite event.
| Year | Winner | Time | Age | AG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rav Panesar | 1:16:57 | 44 | 80.30% |
| 2024 | Maddy Illingworth | 2:01:28 | 68 | 76.81% |
| 2023 | Paul Grave | 1:24:54 | 47 | 75% |
| 2022 | Sue Sunderland | 1:50:55 | 61 | 76.16% |
| 2021 | Huw Lippiatt | 1:22:21 | 49 | 78.28% |
| 2020 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2019 | John Hobbs | 1:14:18 | 41 | 81.36% |
| 2018 | John Hobbs | 1:13:25 | 40 | 81.77% |
| 2017 | John Hobbs | 1:12:59 | 39 | 81.76% |
| 2016 | Sue Sunderland | 1:39:50 | 55 | 78.99% |
| 2015 | Andy May | 1:16:39 | 41 | 81.12% |
| 2014 | Mary Egan | 1:45:18 | 59 | 82.19% |
| 2013 | Steve Webb | 1:21:36 | 51 | 82.76% |
| 2012 | Mary Egan | 1:46:07 | 57 | 79.28% |
| 2011 | Andy May | 1:14:53 | 37 | 80.53% |
| 2010 | Bernadette Clayton | 1:38:43 | 52 | 79.68% |
| 2009 | Panos Aristotelous | 1:13:17 | 27 | 80.81% |
| 2008 | Paul White | 1:32:01 | 61 | 80.30% |
| 2007 | Roy Flesher | 1:26:52 | 54 | 79.80% |
| 2006 | Roy Flesher | 1:22:28 | 53 | 83.32% |
Also-Ran Trophy
For someone who has tried hard but not won anything. This trophy was presented by the clubs honorary president, Stuart StJohn.
The trophy is presented to someone who has taken an active part in races and training throughout the year.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Adam Parton |
| 2024 | James Slater |
| 2023 | Jon Jackson |
| 2022 | Richard Irvine |
| 2021 | Dinesh Kaulgud |
| 2020 | --- |
| 2019 | Sean Cook |
| 2018 | Leila Kara |
| 2017 | Chris Sawyer |
| 2016 | Pascale Fotherby |
| 2015 | Sean Fitzgerald |
| 2014 | Andy Pagdin |
| 2013 | Roy Huggins |
| 2012 | Gary Mann & Sarah Howell |
| 2011 | Sarah Smith |
| 2010 | Paul Holloway |
| 2009 | Nick Barnes |
| 2008 | John Wallace |
| 2007 | Ian Sanderson |
| 2006 | Paul Sanderson |
| 2005 | Bob Jackson |
| 2004 | Eric Green |
| 2003 | Debbi Wagman |
| 2002 | Annemi Van Zyl |
| 2001 | Mark Bean |
| 2000 | Sara Dyer |
| 1999 | Paul White |
| 1998 | Tony Haygarth |
| 1997 | Sue Midgley |
| 1996 | Dick Dale |
| 1995 | Bob Wilkes |
| 1994 | Dave Taylor |
| 1993 | Tony Foster |
| 1992 | Wilf Little |
| 1991 | ? |
| 1990 | ? |
| 1989 | Danny Burnham |
| 1988 | John Umpleby |
| 1987 | ? |
| 1986 | ? |
| 1985 | Ron Kelly |
| 1984 | ? |
| 1983 | Ray Price |
| ???? | Mike Crosfill |
| ???? | John Whalley |
Max Jones Cup
Presented in memory of Max Jones who died, aged 82, in 2010.Awarded for Best Age-Graded Performance (it was his favourite topic).
It was fitting that in its first year it was won by Lou Gilchrist (a youthful 77 at the time), with what is still the best winning AG% of 95.
Between 2007 and 2009 Lou achieved 8 AG% of greater than 100 for distances between 5 miles and half marathon, many of these were world bests. In 2010, new Age-Graded Tables were published!!
NB it cannot be won again by a previous winner.
| Year | Award | Name | Race | Dist | Time | Age | AG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Cup Winner Best Performance | James Tarran Amanda Spencer | York 5k York 5k | 5k 5k | 0:18:12 0:19:22 | 59 56 | 85.91% 91.07% |
| 2024 | Cup Winner Best Performance | Marcos Valero Amanda Spencer | York 5k Trafford 10k | 5k 10k | 0:14:57 0:39:47 | 28 55 | 85.95% 89.35% |
| 2023 | Cup Winner Best Performance | Gavin Taylor Amanda Spencer | Mid Cheshire 5k York parkrun | 5k 5k | 0:14:43 0:19:25 | 25 54 | 87.32% 88.77% |
| 2022 | Cup Winner | Amanda Spencer | York 5k | 5k | 0:19:41 | 53 | 86.58% |
| 2021 | Cup Winner | David Song | Mid Cheshire 5k | 5k | 0:15:00 | 28 | 85.67% |
| 2020 | --- | --- | |||||
| 2019 | Cup Winner Best Performance | Sue Sunderland John Hobbs | Vale of York 10 Abbey Dash | 10m 10k | 1:13:07 0:31:56 | 58 | 84.87% |
| 2018 | Cup Winner Best Performance | Vicky Sims John Hobbs | Bilbao Half Doncaster 5k | half 5k | 1:21:25 0:15:34 | 44 | 85.4% |
| 2017 | Cup Winner Best Performance | Liz Ball John Hobbs | Abbey Dash Evensplits 5K | 10k 5k | 0:49:13 0:15:45 | 64 | 83.5% |
| 2016 | Cup Winner | John Hobbs | John Carr 5k | 5k | 0:15:46 | 38 | 85.7% |
| 2015 | Cup Winner | --- | |||||
| 2014 | Cup Winner | Malcolm Coles | Leeds parkrun | 5k | 0:21:24 | 73 | ???? |
| 2013 | Nominated | Ian Sampson | Abbey Dash | 10k | 0:37:22 | 53 | 84.2% |
| 2013 | Nominated | Steve Webb | Apperley Bridge | ||||
| 2013 | Nominated | George Black | |||||
| 2012 | Cup Winner | Richard Balshaw | Salford 10k | 10k | 0:34:13 | 44 | 85.58% |
| 2011 | Cup Winner | Andy May | Abbey Dash | 10k | 0:33:44 | 37 | 82.38% |
| 2010 | Cup Winner | Lou Gilchrist | Sale 5 | 5m | 0:43:49 | 77 | 95.10% |