AAA Men’s 6 Stage Road Relay, Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield

Awesome! AAA National Six Stage Title Retained

Race day dawned: an island of bright but blustery weather in an ocean of autumnal storms so severe that the following day’s Young Athletes relays were cancelled. The painful business of selecting a team from a squad whose depth is the true reason for our recent success was over and it was Will Cockerell who manfully played the part of travelling reserve when he’d have given his right arm to be among the six men bearing our colours around Sutton Park as defending champions and favourites. Favourites? Well, maybe, but none of our crew were counting chickens and although Birchfield and Tipton were now rumoured to be not quite so strong as we’d expected, Morpeth Harriers & AC were suddenly being touted as main challengers with both Hudspith brothers and some of their young lions in attendance.

A previously predicted finish time of some minute or so faster than our 2001 clocking, set in more benign conditions, was being revised as nigh on 70 men toed the line in the swirling wind. Last minute instructions - the gun - the race was on.

Stage 1

Amid the hurly burly of the charge down the slope, the slight figure of 20 year-old Richard Ward could be seen, holding his ground and staking his claim for a favourable position for the first climb. Richard had been given the responsibility of bringing us back in the top dozen and he did his job perfectly. Woodford’s new man Cathal Lombard, second-placer in the recent Reebok race at Liverpool, held a clear lead after the first lap but only 17 seconds later came Chester-le-Street’s Stewy Bell, heading a pack of fifteen men all within the space of little more than 30 seconds - and among them “Wardy” in 10th. Morpeth had started impressively but Birchfield were well off the pace in 37th.

1 Woodford Green &EL AC 17:08; 2 Chester-le-Street 17:25; 3 Morpeth H&AC 17:28; 4 Tipton H 17:32; 5 Highgate H 17:38; 6 Newham & Essex B 17:42; ... 10 Belgrave H 17:48.

Fastest: F.Lombard (Woodford Green &EL AC) 17:08; S.Bell (Chester-le-Street) 17:25; T.Ranger (Morpeth H&AC) 17:28; I.Mitchell (Tipton H) 17:32; B.Pochee (Highgate H) 17:38; D.Mitchinson (Newham & Essex B) 17:42; ... R.Ward (Belgrave H) 17:48.

Stage 2

Road relay men in form love stage two and the chance to use the men ahead to pull themselves to a fast time; this time it was Stephen Sharp’s turn. Steve hasn’t felt quite himself recently, suffering from regular headaches, but at least it doesn’t seem to be affecting his running. Swiftly making ground on men ahead, Steve caught Warmby of Newham and together they reeled in everyone and closed right down on Morpeth before the Essex Beagle dug deep to give his club a sniff of the scent at the front of the pack. Our man’s fine run meant that we were a mere 15 seconds off the front as Spen was sent on his way. Birchfield rose 19 places through their international O’Callaghan but were still languishing in 18th.

1 Newham & Essex B (+5) 35:04; 2 Morpeth H&AC (+1) 35:15; 3 Belgrave H (+7) 35:19; 4 Tipton H (0) 35:29; 5 Salford H (+3) 35:33; 6 Woodford Green &EL AC (-5) 35:35.

Fastest: C.Davies (Telford AC) 17:18; M.Warmby (Newham & Essex B) 17:22; S.Sharp (Belgrave H) 17:31; T.Humphries (Cannock &S AC) 17:32; M.Coleman (Medway &M AC) 17:35.

Stage 3

This man is dangerous! Having asked the TM what the predicted time was for his own run, Spen snorted and pointed out forcefully that he’d be back 15 seconds before expected. Cruising the contours of Sutton Park for all the world like a computer programmed cruise missile, he re-enacted his role in the Spring’s 12 Stage Relay and having caught the teams ahead took Belgrave into a lead which just kept on growing. A 15 second deficit became a 55 second advantage as Tipton moved into second and Birchfield came up another twelve to break into the top six.

1 Belgrave H (+2) 52:31; 2 Tipton H (+2) 53:26; 3 Morpeth H&AC (-1) 53:27; 4 Salford H&AC (+1) 53:33; 5 Newham & Essex B (-4) 53:49; 6 Birchfield H (+12) 53:59.

Fastest: S.Barden (Belgrave H) 17:12; J.Moorhouse (Birchfield H) 17:23; B.Tickner (Wells City H) 17:32; D.Bannister (Shaftesbury Barnet H) 17:36; N.Goodliffe (Holmfirth H) 17:37; A.Jones (Cardiff AAC) 17:40.

Stage 4

Allen Graffin relished the chance of a run alongside Aldershot’s young star Chris Thompson but we weren’t giving him that option, sending him out with clear road ahead and behind. It was solo running all the way for the Bels. now, not an easy task in that wind. Morpeth, Salford and Birchfield all moved up at the expense of Tipton with some of the day’s fastest runs and great credit is due to Thompson who ended up as the day’s fastest, the only man to go sub-17 and just a shade quicker than Haughian and Farah from 2001. Meanwhile, Allen G ploughed a lonely furrow up front, running to 6th fastest of the day and not seeing another runner until he encountered Mark Miles, waiting patiently for him at the takeover.

1 Belgrave H (0) 1:09:46; 2 Morpeth H&AC (+1) 1:10:30; 3 Salford H&AC (+1) 1:11:05; 4 Birchfield H (+2) 1:11:16; 5 Tipton H (-3) 1:11:18; 6 Aldershot F&D AC (+10) 1:11:43.

Fastest: C.Thompson (Aldershot F&D AC) 16:53; I.Hudspith (Morpeth H&AC) 17:03; Allen Graffin (Belgrave H) 17:15; R.Birchall (Birchfield H) 17:17; J.Brown (Salford H&AC) 17:32; J.Brooks (London Irish AC) 17:47.

Stage 5

Birchfield switched with Salford to move into the medals for the first time and our old friend Stuart Major took the Beagles up a place to 6th but way down the road Mark was Miles ahead. The Belgrave man had deliberately missed the previous week’s Reebok Cross due to a head cold but now, back in top line, his devastating front run upped our lead by a further minute and more. With no-one to chase, Mark’s was the equal third fastest of the day and his run earned him a GB international vest over 10k in the forthcoming Ekiden Relay in Chiba, Japan.

1 Belgrave H (0) 1:26:54; 2 Morpeth H&AC (0) 1:28:44; 3 Birchfield H (+1) 1:29:04; 4 Salford H&AC (-1) 1:29:36; 5 Tipton H (0) 1:29:40; 6 Newham & Essex B (+1) 1:29:54.

Fastest: M.Miles (Belgrave H) 17:08; N.Talbot (Notts AC) 17:25; R.Denmark (Basildon AC) 17:44; C.McLoughlin (Birchfield H) 17:48; S.Major (Newham & Essex B) 18:01; I.Hollingsworth (Morpeth H&AC) 18:14.

Stage 6

Strategically placed as last man in the team should a sprint finish be required, David Anderson admitted to finding it difficult to get fired up in a big way when the Belgrave lead was approaching two minutes. It did give him a chance to work on his finishing flourish though, and he crossed the line pointing skywards as the cameras flashed and the Belgrave supporters celebrated. Perhaps we can give him an earlier run next time out. The medal positions remained unchanged over that last circuit, although Salford’s Wilkinson earned the fastest run of the lap as he tried to have a crack at Birchfield in bronze - but you’ve got to feel pleased for Darius Burrows of the Birmingham based club who has fought back from life threatening illness to take his place in medal winning teams again.

The winning margin did stretch to two minutes exactly by the end and we were a minute faster than the previous year, now owning the two fastest team times over the recently extended course. It was a great achievement. To win in 2001 and earn our first major title in 50 years was something of a shock. To come back a year later as favourites, having picked up other titles in between, and successfully defend – now that shows that we have truly arrived as a road running club to be respected.

Many thanks to all who supported the team – especially Bill Laws whose cellar will need restocking if he keeps supplying the bubbly, Gordon Biscoe and Alan Black who helped erect the tent and then lent their expertise to Salford Harriers who were trying to get theirs up – and of course Pat who spent Thursday night baking cakes and Saturday brewing tea and coffee.

1 Belgrave H (0) 1:44:24; 2 Morpeth H&AC (0) 1:46:24; 3 Birchfield H (0) 1:46:52; 4 Salford H&AC (0) 1:47:01; 5 Newham & Essex B (+1) 1:48:01; 6 Tipton H (-1) 1:48:09.

Fastest: N.Wilkinson (Salford H&AC) 17:25; D.Anderson 17:30; J.Thie (Cardiff AAC) 17:36; M.Hudspith (Morpeth H&AC) 17:40; D.Burrows (Birchfield H) 17:48; K.Stone (Newham & Essex B) 18:07.

68 teams started; 64 teams finished (including 1 non-scoring team).

Course distance: 5,847 metres.

Fastest legs of the day: 1 C.Thompson (Aldershot F&D AC) 16:53; 2 I.Hudspith (Morpeth H&AC) 17:03; =3 M.Miles (Belgrave H) and F.Lombard (Woodford Green &EL AC) 17:08; 5 S.Barden (Belgrave H) 17:12; 6 Allen Graffin (Belgrave H) 17:15; 7 R.Birchall (Birchfield H) 17:17; 8 C.Davies (Telford AC) 17:18; 9 M.Warmby (Newham & Essex B) 17:22; 10 J.Moorhouse (Birchfield H) 17:23.

Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.