To finish off, here are my main achievements within athletics shown on my 'Athletics C.V'

Mike Bouldstridge

(Birchfield Harriers/ Mercia Fellrunners)

'Career Achievements': (1985-2003)

As a 'veteran' of 520 races, most of which were completed between the years from 1985-2003, my running career has covered many aspects of long distance running with my main achievements listed and explained below. Although I still run occasionally mainly for fitness, I have still tested myself occasionally in races since 2003, although my once regular racing regime of 30 to 40 per year has dwindled more recently to a less demanding 1 or 2 races per year schedule, usually with insufficient training!.... Here are the best parts of my 'running career' at a glance...

Pictured above running the Callow fell race in 2009. Pic. sourced from Alister Tye's brilliant website which you can find at www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk


  • Fell / Mountain Running:
  • My first 'taste' of mountain running came in the 1999 'European trial' race held around latrigg and finishing up 'Skiddaw' and 'little man'. Only four months after surgery to both shins to 'scrape away thickened fascia' (I know, sounds disgusting!!) I was limited to the type of running I could do, and with the encouragement from team mate, good friend and 'Fell running extraordinare' Tim Werrett, I decided to have a go at the 'up-hill' only race. The outcome was a surprisingly good result, finishing in 7th position overall after a battle with Robb Jebb, thus just missing an England vest by 1 place as there had also been two 'Scots' infront (Bobby Quinn & Chris Robison) leaving me 5th Englishman home. This result encouraged me to participate in more 'Fell' and 'Mountain' events, and join 'Mercia Fell Runners' where I achieved the following results in the colours of Mercia...
  • Above: In 'Mercia' colours & ''In control'' whilst leading the British Champs race at 'Skiddaw' in 2003...until team mate and British Champion Simon Bailey (right) had other ideas!! Simon went on to win in a fast 63':18'' with me succumbing to the relentless Skiddaw descent (& blisters!) to finish 5th in 64':58''. Pic courtesy of Steve Bateson www.runningpix.co.uk

  • Represented England in 4 Internationals including: Knockdu;(2000), Snowdon;(2000) and World Champs;(2001, 2002)
  • Represented Great Britain Twice in European Champs;(2002) and Susa International(2001)
  • Member of Bronze medal team;(2001 World Champs-'Arte Terma')
  •  Winner of 'England' World Champs Trials (2001) with another 6 'Top Tens' in World and European Trials
  • 2 time Winner of 'Rivington Pike' Fell race (2000, 2002)
  • Current record holder for 'Bradbourne' Fell Race (2002) and Riber Run (2002)
  •  5 'Top Ten' places in Mountain 'Grand-Prix' Races Inc:
  • Molten, 7th(2000) and 10th(2001)
  • Lenzerheide, 7th(2000) and 5th(2001)
  •  Matterhornlauf, 9th(2000)
  •   Personal Bests include:

'Rivington Pike' Fell Race                                            16:54    (2002)

'Skiddaw' Fell Race                                                       64:58   (2003)

'Shelf Moor' Fell Race                                                  41:32   (2001)

'Lenzerheide' 'Mtn' Race (Switz)-10.4Km/540M   41:59   (2001)

'Molten' 'Berglauf' (Italy)                                               47:10    (2000)

'Snowdon' Summit                                                        43:16    (1999)

  • Winner of Team Silver Medals with 'Mercia F.R'; FRA Relays (2003 and 2004)
  • Fastest Individual split; FRA Relays (leg 4) (2003)
  • Winner of Team Bronze Medals; British and English Championships (2004)

          Below: 'Snowdon 2007', '12-Stage 1999' & 'Racing the Kenyans!!'

Cross Country:

  • My Cross Country career highlights as a Junior athlete were 5th in the Midlands X, 10th in the English Schools and 18th in the National. My Senior career was mainly based around the 'Birmingham League' Division 1 races whilst representing Birchfield, which provided high quality competition throughout each season between 'championship' races. Starting as a 17 year old in 1990 with an 85th position, I made 35 appearances in the league between then and 2004. I progressed from 85th to a best of 27th within 3 years by 1993. I then strung together 22 races in the 'top 20' from 1994 to 2004, sixteen of which were 'top 15', along with nine 'top 10's' and four 'top 6's'. My best finish was a 2nd on the 'tough' course at Leek, backed up by a 3rd and 5th on the fast terrain of our home course at Birchfield, but unfortunately I never quite managed a victory! I also acheived two 2nd places in the 'overall' season, missing winning by a single point on both occasions! Around these races I would compete in the usual 'championship' races with bests of 6th in the 'Midlands' and 22nd in the 'National', along with 'European Trial' races where I finished 23rd twice. Many season's also included a 'representative match' for the Midlands team (Inter-area) where my highest finish was an 11th over the undulations of the 'Cosford' XC course. Along with many runs in the highly competitive 'Brussells World X-challenge' each Christmas (best of 38th) the seasons were full of variety. I actually lined up between Haile Gebreselasie and Paul Tergat on that occassion, where they only finished 4th & 7th respectively!! showing the quality of the field. I also gained 1 'England vest' over the XC after some good runs in the 1999/2000 season races...
  • Below: Start of 1992 'English Schools XC' where I finished 10th...& Above: My 'England' debut in Ireland 2000.

  • Made England International Debut in 'Ras na Heireann XC' in Ireland finishing in 11th position (2000)
  • Midland '7 mile XC' runner up and 'team Gold' (1996)
  • World Trial /Inter-Counties                                            

33rd (2001)                                                            

  • European Trial

23rd (1999 and 2001)

  •  'Reebok Challenge'

10th Overall (1999)

  • Midland Championships

6th    (2001)

8th    (1998 and 2003)                                           

  • English 'National' Championships

22nd (2003) and 18th in 'Jnr' (1993)

  • 'Birmingham League' Division 1 runner up; (1998 and 2002)
  • Highest Birmingham league Position; 2nd (Leek-2002)
  • Twice 'Warwickshire' Senior Champion (1999 and 2001) and 'runner up' (1996 and 2003)
  • Birchfield Senior Champion (1995 and 1996)
  •  Birchfield Junior Champion (1993) and Youth Champion (1990)
  • Represented 'Midlands' team on 12 occasions in 'Inter-regional' matches; (Brussells, Cosford and Margate) with best of 11th individual.

         Below: After racing in 2006 alongside mates and fellow 'Mercia' men Tim Werrett & Paul Lavelle, and right, 2008 'multi-terraining' and 'Callow' fell racing in 2011...
  • West Midlands Schools Champion (1992)
  • Member of winning team; English Schools XC & 10th individual (1992)
  •  Member of Team Bronze Medalists; ECCU Senior Champs (2000)
  •  Member of Team Bronze Medalists; ECCU Senior Relay Champs (1999)
  •  Winner of Team Silver Medal; ECCU Junior Champs (1992)
  • Winner of Team Gold Medal; ECCU Junior Relay Champs (1992) and runners up (1993)
  • Twice Winner of Team Gold Medal; Midlands Senior XC
  • Twice winner of Team Silver Medals; Midlands Senior XC
  • Twice Winner of Team Bronze Medals; Midlands Senior and 'Boys' U/15's XC
  •  Winner of Team Gold Medal; Midlands Senior Relay XC and 2nd fastest Individual time (2000)

 

                                         Road Racing:                          
  • Most of my best results on the road came in 'Relay' races where I was part of many winning teams for my club 'Birchfield Harriers', and although it was nice to win big events with my club, it would have been nice to post p.b times more in-line with my 'relay' splits. I feel times in the region of 29':30'' for 10k would have better reflected my ultimate potential, along with sub 49':00'' 10 mile times, which my 12 & 6 stage times had indicated I was well capable of producing. Unfortunately with a pretty sparse road racing background outside of representing the club (only 13, 10k's - all sub 31':00'', and 5, 10 milers - all sub 51':00'') I wish I had done more!

 

  •  Personal bests:                                                                                                                        
  •         5k                                                         14:30   (2000)
  •         5 miles                                                24:02   (2000-En route to '12-stage' p.b)
  •       10K.                                                    30:06   (2001)
  •       10 miles                                             50:01   (1996)
  •       (12-stage relays)   'Short leg'       14:31   (2001-'time trial' on my own, week before the National 12 Stage)
  •       (12-stage relays)   'Long leg'        26:03   (2000)
  •       (6-stage relays)                                17:22   (2001)
                                                                                                                     
  • Fourth Fastest Individual 'Long Leg' at AAA National 12-st Road Relays (2000)
  • & Ninth Fastest Individual at AAA National 6-st Road Relays (2001)
  • 'Winner' of leg 1 at AAA National 6-st Road Relays (2001)
  • Winner of Team Gold Medal; AAA National 12-stage (1998)
  • Winner of Team Silver and 3 times Team Bronze; AAA National 12-stage
  • 6 times Winner of Team Gold Medal; Midlands 12- stage
  • 3 times Winner of Team Silver and once Team Bronze; Midlands 12-stage
  • Twice winner of Team Bronze; AAA National 6-stage
  • Member of Gold medal winning team; AAA 10k/Inter Counties 10K (2001)
  • 4 times Winner of Team Gold and once Team Bronze; Midlands 6-stage
  • Birchfield Champion (1994 and 2002)
  • Course records at 'Walsall Flyer 10k', 'Aldridge 10K', 'Globe 5k'(twice) and 'Gloucester 5 miles'
  • Represented 'Midlands' Team on 7 occasions in 'Inter-area' matches at; (Milton Keynes relays, Llanrwst 10k, Bradford 10k, Birmingham, Gloucester, Berlin 'Nacht' 10k and Erewash '10')

 

         Track:

My track times, to say the least are not really worth mentioning and were achieved despite my 'dislike' for running 'round & round' in circles much prefering the 'freedom' that road, XC and eventually Fell and Mountain races bought. Being a member of a mainly 'track orientated' club, I raced on the track until the age of 24 when I finally decided to ''give up on a bad job!!''

 

 

  •   Personal Bests:             1500m           3:58.8         (1990)

3000m             8:30.1          (1994)

5000m           14:32.72       (1991)

  • 'Warwickshire' Senior 3000m Champion (1993) and runner up (1994)
  • 'Warwickshire' Junior Bronze Medallist at 1500m (1992)
  • 'Warwickshire' Youths Bronze Medallist at 1500m (1990)