ERRA Men’s National 12-Stage Road Relay, Sutton Park
Bronze medals were truly worth the struggle
Having assembled a team that, on paper, had a good chance of winning, we faced all sorts of difficulties in the 48 hours before the start. Even during the race things didn’t go to plan with most turning in a run with which they were less than happy. And yet this has to go down as perhaps our feistiest performance ever. Twice we battled towards the front of the field and went into the second half of the race a couple of minutes down but still not totally giving up on a win. We finally came away with bronze medals that were truly worth the struggle. A trace of early disappointment gave way to the feeling that we had fought well and, let’s face it, although things didn’t go our way we still medalled – for a seventh consecutive year. New guys coming into the team went home with hardware that once might have been no more than a dream and prospects for the future continue to look exciting.
Early worries about niggles that may have kept crucial team members on the sidelines were discarded only for "Milesy" to phone in with a cold, and it was confirmed early on the Saturday that he wouldn’t be running. Mark knows from bitter experience how such a problem can develop into a full-blown chest infection and with only seven days until his marathon début it was something he couldn’t risk.
So with a hole blown in the long stage line-up the running order was thrown up in the air and Simon Jones’ meticulously planned handicap competition was binned as short stage runners went long and long stage runners went short in an attempt to reduce our predicted overall time.
But the worries didn’t stop there. Before the race the team manager was requested to appear before the race referee to receive a warning: “the report that you ran an ineligible runner at the SEAA race will be ignored here – but you must abide by the rules.”
“What!” Exclamations of incredulity were followed by the more detailed accusation from another team manager that the person we ran as Jonathan Blackledge (wearing 608) on stage six at Milton Keynes was actually an under age, non-cleared athlete. All we can do is direct you to this link so that you can determine for yourself whether it was Jonathan or not!
It was hot
We’ve encountered some rough conditions at Sutton Park but for once the sky was blue, the air was still – and it was hot. Malachi Byansi was rewarded for his 8th placing first stage SEAA run with a position on the start line in the National race … and within half an hour he was our first disappointed man of the day as he ran perhaps half a minute slower than expected for an opening position of 28th. But let’s take a look at the statistics in hindsight … and note that this time he had improved to become 7th Southern man home. Mal’s run was fine. Ex-Belgravian Rick Hayman placed 19th for Sale Harriers in 27:26.
Early leaders Kent AC, for whom Jermain Mays’ opener was the day’s third fastest, were displaced by Severn AC on the second stage, while serious contenders Tipton were 4th and Newham & Essex Beagles rocketed up to 7th. Belgrave’s position was improved too, as Padraic Buckley moved up eight places. We were two minutes ten off the lead and now it was the turn of Neil Speaight.
Originally down for last leg, should things be tight for a win, Neil had stepped into a long stage role to keep our challenge alive. At this point we should correct an earlier report that Neil is moving up to 5,000 metres on the track – he’s still tilting at 1,500 metres but intends to hit the event with more background and endurance work than ever before. Tucking in behind Blackheath’s Mike Skinner, six places were won by Neil – but again in a long stage time that we might have thought would be faster. Another one time Belgrave man took the Beagles up to 6th – John Clarke – but it was Tipton now in charge with previously under-rated Cardiff in 2nd.
Shugri – one of the biggest movers
An extraordinary run came from Shugri Omar on lap four. One of the stage’s biggest movers, he came up ten places to carry our colours through the takeover zone in 4th – the sort of run surely worth 14:25 but in fact – 14:54. With few exceptions all runs now appeared to be on the slow side and could only be put down to the still, hot air – particularly on the out and back stretch up to the far point of the long stage.
Living up to his promise to tackle a long stage to strengthen the team if we lost anyone, Stephen Sharp was up next and here, surely, was where we’d make an impression. But no less than five of the day’s fastest long stage runs were thrown up on lap five and, just to make things worse, Steve was suffering from a stomach problem that had him wishing it was a straight race, groaning afterwards: “ … I tell ya, I’d have come out …”
Tipton and Leeds were looking worryingly strong now, although the word on the course was that Tipton were front-loaded.
The Skipper had mixed feelings on receiving a call into the team on race morning. His heart was heavy for Mark, but nevertheless pleased to be getting an outing on the hallowed tarmac of Sutton Park. He hit his short stage just as he intended before sending “Wicksy” away to start the second half of the contest. Phil is intent on setting a blazing time on the long stage some time or other but on this occasion, with his tight calf muscle holding him back, he had to be satisfied with a Belgrave best of the day and a time just five seconds slower than his previous best as he dragged the team up four more spots. Leeds, known to be at full strength and expected to be solid to the end, now went ahead of Tipton while Cardiff were 3rd.
The chase for a medal was on
We’ve never seen a bad run from Jonathan Blackledge in Sutton Park and he flogged himself around the short lap to overtake the Morpeth and Notts AC teams, drawing closer to all ahead of him as he clocked second fastest on the stage – 14:37. Simon Jones was fresh from a best ever 10k the previous weekend and on lap nine he pushed past Tipton, the Beagles and Sale for a super run, beating some illustrious names and giving way only to Morpeth’s Ian Hudspith. A minute clear of second placed Morpeth, Leeds were now looking out and out winners but the chase for a medal was really on for the Bels as Si had brought us to within 13 seconds of bronze.
What a début from Mark Pollard
Tenth stage was entrusted to Mark Pollard who had been nursing a sore shin for some weeks, bolstering only a little running with workouts in the swimming pool and on the bike. He was terrific, faster than anyone else on the lap except Darren Bilton who extended Leeds’ advantage to two minutes. Not only did Mark move past Cardiff, he pulled back 50 seconds on Morpeth, failing to catch their runner by just one second. What a début!
With eight national team golds in his trophy cabinet it was up to Paul Freary, using every ounce of his experience to give our final man enough to hold off the advancing Beagles and keep us in the medals. Paul clung on to Morpeth’s Mark Hudspith for as long as possible and at the end of the stage we had a minute and 21 on the Newham boys – with a powerful Mark Warmby due to take over and eager to attack our own Richard Ward.
Warmby was going to have to run a blinder to do it – but all round the lap he was cutting down the gap until, as the final turn was reached, the Belgrave man seemed just out of reach. Even then, further urging from his team mates had him chasing again and it was with huge relief that we welcomed "Wardy" at the end of the finish straight, still with 11 seconds in hand.
Belgrave: M Byansi (28) 27:51; P Buckley (20) 15:23; N Speaight (14) 27:20; S Omar (4) 14:54; S Sharp (11) 27:17; W Cockerell (12) 15:34; P Wicks (8) 26:40; J Blackledge (6) 14:37; S Jones (4) 27:06; M Pollard (3) 14:36; P Freary (3) 27:44; R Ward (3) 15:41.
Teams: 1 Leeds City AC 4:11:31; 2 Morpeth H 4:13:42; 3 Belgrave H 4:14:43; 4 Newham &EB 4:14:54; 5 Cardiff AAC 4:16:20; 6 Tipton H 4:16:37; 7 Notts AC 4:16:53; 8 Sale H 4:17:13; 9 Owls AC 4:18:09; 10 Shaftesbury BH 4:18:16; … 70 teams started; 66 teams finished.
Fastest legs
Long stage (5.38 miles). 1 J Ndayisenga (Birchfield H) 25:21; 2 P Nicholls (Tipton H) 25:52; 3 J Mays (Kent) 25:53; 4 S Deakin (Leeds City) 25:54; 5 R Russell (Thames Valley H) 25:59; 6 G Comish (Sale H) 26:01; 7 I Hudspith (Morpeth H) 26:08; 8 G Thornton (Kent) 26:13; 9 D Bannister (Shaftesbury BH) 26:15; 10 B Farquharson (Notts AC) 26:16.
Short stage (2.995 miles). 1 N McCormick (Morpeth H) 13:39; 2 F Tickner (Wells City) 14:00; 3 J Mellor (Liverpool H) 14:09; 4 D Bilton (Leeds City) 14:30; 5 M Warmby (Newham & EB) 14:31 6= S Dirrane (Leeds City) and S May (Owls) 14:32; 8 J MacDonald (Trafford) 14:34; 9 M Pollard (Belgrave H) 14:36; 10 J Blackledge (Belgrave H) 14:37.
Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.