AAA Women's 4-stage Road Relay Champs, Sutton Park

Belles find it tough at Sutton Park

A top 20 place was hoped for, but despite strong performances from all of the girls it wasn’t to be for the Belles. In all seriousness, an international athlete of Birhan or Getenesh’s calibre will be needed to bring the team home in a top 15 position from now on as this competition has seriously picked up. It just reinforces the strength and depth of our men’s team as they continue to make winning look so easy.

Stage 1

The rain had started just before Tilly took on the challenge of stage one, and it didn’t stop all day. Although Tilly is one of our stronger runners at present and up for this gruelling first leg, the jostling at the start and the sheer quality of the field meant that despite a 14 second improvement from last year, Tilly brought the team back in 46th place.

Above: They're off. Behind the red and white Salford vest is Gemma Phillips of Kendall AC, Mark Miles' girlfriend. In the centre, for Belgrave, is Tilly Heaton. Photo by Alan Mead

Stage 2

Local girl Vicky Edwards took on the second leg with the aim of pulling the team up a few places. But the challenges of the hilly course and the bad weather meant that Vicky battled throughout. More used to longer distances and the challenges of triathlon it was a tough short sprint for Vicky who has been missed from the Wimbledon Park training group this past year.

Stage 3

Bristol now had a large and growing lead at the front of the pack and Windsor and Wakefield began the battle for the minor places. Louise Cooper for the Belles meanwhile had the opportunity to pull the Belles up 11 places into 36th place with another PB over the course, this time an improvement of almost one minute from her 2002 time

Stage 4

With the Belles down in 36th team captain Juliette Clark was told to do as much as she wanted to on last leg, after all she was running a half marathon the next day! But in true Juliette style, our captain valiantly picked up the baton and proceeded to work her way through the field clocking the Belles' fastest leg of the day and being the first Belle to break 16 minutes since 2002. Kate Reed from Bristol also clocked a fast last leg with the fastest of the day to bring Bristol home in a superb first position.

Statistical analysis:

Our fastest time in 2001, which earned us 7th place then, would only have brought us home in 11th place in 2004.

2002’s time of 64.41 would have achieved 23rd place rather than 15th and 2003’s time of 64.32 would also have achieved 23rd place had those times been run this year.

If we had our four fastest girls together, in form, repeating their previous bests, then we would have clocked 59.51 which would have earned us 3rd place this year. The dream is not impossible…..

Teams: 1 Bristol & West AC 57:46; 2 Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow AC 59:20; 3 Wakefield District H & AC 59:59; ... 28 Belgrave H 1:05:50; 93 teams started; 74 teams finished.

Belgrave: M.Heaton (46) 16:03; V.Edwards (47) 17:13; L.Cooper (36) 16:39; J.Clark (28) 15:55.

Fastest: 1 K.Reed (Bristol & West AC) 13.59; 2 H.Yelling (Windsor, SE&H) 14.03; 3 J.Bleasdale (Hillingdon) 14.14.

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