Midland Men’s 12 stage & Women’s 6 stage road relays

Sutton Park, Sat. 21 st March 2006

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse after the English men dropped the baton in the 4 x 100 m in Melbourne and the Australians invoked the rules to deny the English women the 4 x 400 m gold ……..

Above: B&R’s last runner, Kevin Lanckham finishes leg 7. 

A crop of injuries, illnesses and unavailability due to other commitments meant that by Friday it was apparent that we would struggle to get 12 runners out. Captain Barry Cooke’s e-mail failed to flush any latecomers out – in fact one more person dropped out! After phoning round on Friday evening it became apparent that there would probably only be 9 B&R men running. It was decided that it would be better to have an incomplete team rather than not run at all but that it was only fair to let the team know that it would be an academic affair and we couldn’t achieve a final placing. On that basis Paul Atkins withdrew - he had planned to run after his 20 mile morning run which is part of his marathon training schedule. A disappointed Mark Graham, who had wanted to test his recent form over the course, also withdrew as he felt he couldn’t justify spending the afternoon over at Sutton if we didn’t have a complete team.

Left: Richard Malin, fastest B&R long leg, with his greatest fan Billy.

Right: Phil Carbutt produced his own fast show (“This year I shall mainly be wearing powder blue”)

On the day, the impression was that the overall turnout in the men’s race was down on previous years. Richard Malin ran the first long leg (5.5. miles) for B&R and had a great run to record a time of 27-54, handing over in 7th position. Next up, Phil Carbutt maintained the momentum by running 16-30 for the first of the short legs (3 miles & 8 yards). Barry Cooke’s ill fortune at Sutton Park continued after being injured during the 6 stage relays last Autumn. He ran the first 2.5 miles of leg 3 well before his hamstring pulled and he had to slow for the last half mile of the second short stage. Even so he finished in 19-40. Gavin Moorhead must have run well on the second long leg as he clocked 34-55 in spite of losing perhaps a minute by going off course near the end as the marshals were pre-occupied directing cars. Len Quartly had stepped in to help the team at short notice and enjoyed the chance to race over a shorter distance than he is used to and recorded 20-51 for leg 5. Phil Anderson ran 17-56, a few seconds faster than last year, on leg 6 for what was to be the team’s last short stage of the day. Kevin Lanckham completed the men’s contribution to the event with an impressive 31-20 on the long stage for leg 7.

Right: Barry Cooke and in-coming captain Len Quartly.

So although there was disappointment with the failure to have a complete team, the B&R men that did turn out were rewarded with good times in mild Spring conditions. Richard and Phil Carbutt ran especially well and the incoming men’s team manager, Len, no doubt gained valuable insight into the difficulties of organising the team. By my reckoning the team were in the mid-twenties before we ran out of runners and with a complete team we could have been in contention for a top 20 place – I think we were ahead of Centurion (who finished 22nd) and Silson Joggers (26th) at the end of leg 6. The results from the chip system so far don’t provide team positions at the end of each leg so we can’t tell how much ground we would have had to make up.

The men’s 12 stage relay was won by Bristol & West AC (3-51-56) ahead of Notts AC (3-53-29) and Tipton Harriers (3-56-19). Halesowen were highest placed of our local Worcestershire rivals, 11th in 4-18-13. Kidderminster & Stourport (4-23-56) were 16 th, Worcester (4-37-55) 21st and Halesowen B (5-03-32) were 31st. According to the Midland AA website there were only 33 complete teams though I think someone on the day said that 48 had started. The fastest short and long legs were run by Rob Walley (Bristol & West, 14-04) and Nick Talbot (Notts. AC, 26-16) respectively.

Due to injury, the women’s team only had five runners so didn’t get a final position. All the legs in the women’s race are over the three mile lap. Heather Blaymire-Brown ran the first leg in 20-11, the fastest time by a B&R woman on the day. Team captain Ann Stuart was disappointed by her 21-58 on leg 2 which she says is a personal worst for the course. Jeanette Malin ran the third leg in 20-43 and handed over to Jo Hounsell who ran 22-14. Liz Clifford was B&R’s final runner completing her leg in 23-26. For some reason all the times apart from Jo’s are down on normal.

The women’s race was won by Leicestershire’s Charnwood AC in 1-42-42. Bristol & West AC who were to win the men’s race later in the afternoon, enjoyed early success taking the silver in 1-46-06 ahead of third-placed Telford AC (1-49-37). Kidderminster & Stourport (12th in 2-05-05) were best placed of our local teams, ahead of Worcester AC (18th 2-10-26), Halesowen (20th 2-13-32) and Stourbridge (24th in 2-20-24). The fastest leg of the day was run by Royal Sutton Coldfield’s Laura Kenney (16-08).

The National Vet’s Road Relays take place in Sutton Park on Saturday 20th May. Phil Carbutt has the details and it is hoped to enter teams in several of the men’s age categories. B&R veteran men who want to run should let Phil know or put their name on the list on the notice board. It is the day before the Hilly 100 but there are no long legs at Sutton so it shouldn’t be too taxing before running 10 miles through the Cotswolds.

PA 29-3-06