The Exmouth Harriers V60 team returned to Sutton Park, Birmingham, for the 3 x 3 mile BMAF Road Relays 2007. This national event involves some of the best runners in the country. Here, old friends enjoy meeting up again, but once the races are under way the friendliness is replaced temporarily by fierce competition and intense rivalry. Harriers seem to have a particular bond with Clydesdale, who again gave us a great welcome, helped to erect the Exmouth tent and banner and were naturally invited to share it with us.
Clydesdale are a top team and won gold in both 2005 and 2006. This year they only came second in 55:39, but were slightly handicapped because one of their team fell 20 feet off a ladder a week before the race! The winners were Oxford City A.C. in 53:59.
Ray Elston ran a very tough first leg for Exmouth in 20:14, and performed extremely well to hand over to John Perratt in 16th place overall. John stormed away, and brought the Harriers up to 11th in 19:38. Finally, Roger Rowe, still recovering from his knee operation in January managed to overtake another 4 athletes in 18:45, to bring us home in 7th place overall in 58:37 - less than two minutes behind bronze medallists, Birchfield Harriers. The age group is 60 – 69, so for Exmouth, with ages ranging from 62 – 70 and averaging almost 67 years, this was a tremendous achievement against generally much younger men. And Roger Rowe’s great performance, despite the knee operation, resulted in 10th place individually out of 73 runners!
Exmouth also had strong support from Mandy Marvin, who has now joined Bedford Harriers, but retains her first claim membership with Exmouth. Mandy provided the home made cookies that helped the team to run so well! Les Turner travelled as reserve, but fortunately wasn’t required with all the team reasonably fit and running so well. Exmouth Harriers times:
Ray Elston 20:14
John Perratt 19:38
Roger Rowe 18:45
A field of 550 runners competed in the Ivybridge 10K race, including three Exmouth Harriers, who all turned in good performances. Andy Johnson came 52nd in 39:45, Lee Russell was 146th in 44:12 and Jim Wyatt was 262nd in 48:50. The winner was Matt Robinson of Torbay A.C. in 33:25.
Clydesdale are a top team and won gold in both 2005 and 2006. This year they only came second in 55:39, but were slightly handicapped because one of their team fell 20 feet off a ladder a week before the race! The winners were Oxford City A.C. in 53:59.
Ray Elston ran a very tough first leg for Exmouth in 20:14, and performed extremely well to hand over to John Perratt in 16th place overall. John stormed away, and brought the Harriers up to 11th in 19:38. Finally, Roger Rowe, still recovering from his knee operation in January managed to overtake another 4 athletes in 18:45, to bring us home in 7th place overall in 58:37 - less than two minutes behind bronze medallists, Birchfield Harriers. The age group is 60 – 69, so for Exmouth, with ages ranging from 62 – 70 and averaging almost 67 years, this was a tremendous achievement against generally much younger men. And Roger Rowe’s great performance, despite the knee operation, resulted in 10th place individually out of 73 runners!
Exmouth also had strong support from Mandy Marvin, who has now joined Bedford Harriers, but retains her first claim membership with Exmouth. Mandy provided the home made cookies that helped the team to run so well! Les Turner travelled as reserve, but fortunately wasn’t required with all the team reasonably fit and running so well. Exmouth Harriers times:
Ray Elston 20:14
John Perratt 19:38
Roger Rowe 18:45
A field of 550 runners competed in the Ivybridge 10K race, including three Exmouth Harriers, who all turned in good performances. Andy Johnson came 52nd in 39:45, Lee Russell was 146th in 44:12 and Jim Wyatt was 262nd in 48:50. The winner was Matt Robinson of Torbay A.C. in 33:25.
(LT)
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