SEAA Road Relays 2007

[double click on any of the photos for the full effect]

The bronze medal winning team with travelling reserve Les Turner

Here we go again... our third trip to the Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot for the Southern Counties' Road Relays. After and 4th in 2005 and a bronze in 2006, we did wonder if we might go one better again and manage a silver... but it was not to be as you will see.

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Roger led off as usual on an overcast day, after overnight rain. The course had a few puddles and some soft places, but was not at all slippery. Roger blasted off rather too quickly up the hill, and led for the first lap (11:20 for the 3k), but at around 4.5k was caught and passed by Oxford City's Dave Parsons. Dave did not get away however, and Roger managed to hold the gap to 15 seconds at handover, running 23:21 for the 6k.

Ray was, as usual, our second leg runner, and with shouts (from Roger) of "mind that hill Ray" raced away, seeking to hang on to Oxford's Clive Rutland. We soon saw however, that although Ray was running the leg of his life, he was making no impression. But Ray knuckling down to the job in hand, continued to pull away from the third place athlete, in the end running a PB for the course (taking 19 seconds of his previous fastest in 2005); a wonderful effort.

Ray handed over to Jim Wyatt for his first run around Rushmoor's deceptive 'ups-and-downs'. Over the past months the whole squad has been working hard on the track, seeking to knock those 'difficult' seconds off race times; Jim too excelled in his work, running the most even paced leg of the afternoon from the Exmouth team, running a creditable 27:42 for the 6k and handing over, still in second place to new member, and long term elite veteran athlete, Pete Tabenor.

Pete, on paper the second fastest of the quartet was, we felt, just the man to consolidate the gains of the previous legs. That is why he was chosen to run 'anchor' -- the best laid plans! Pete had the unfortunate experience of coming up against the Oxford 'B' team's fastest athlete, who ran not only faster than 3 members of his club's 'A' team, but the second fastest leg of the day, Mick Welland. Mick's faster leg-speed quickly closing the gap that Jim had managed to maintain, and poor Pete was left chasing shadows. Pete is however a very strong competitor himself and managed to finish strongly in 25:39, bringing the Harriers home in a solid 3rd place.

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Then the fun started. The race referee (Paul Ross from Ivybridge) announced to team-leader Rowe that the Harriers would be awarded the team silver medal as Oxford had won the gold in the event, and that one club could not be awarded two medals. However, after some delay this was overturned, and we were demoted again back to the bronze. Pity... but on the other hand we maintained our good record in the event adding team bronze to the team bronzes of 2006. And against clubs with much greater resources than little old Exmouth Harriers.

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We frightened them a bit, that's for sure. Times:

RR -- 23:21

RE -- 25:52

JW -- 27:42

PT -- 25:39

Total time -- 1:42:34 (nearly 5 minutes clear of Burnham in 4th)

Thanks to Mandy for the scrummy date flap-jacky things and Mary for the photos. And for all their support with Les who acted as driver, reserve, encourager and supporter in chief.

(RR)