ERRA National 4-Stage Road Relay, Sutton Coldfield

Belles maintain a solid record in Sutton Park

The Belgrave record in this event, first tackled in 2001, is pretty solid. In that first attempt we were 7th with what remains our fastest time of 1:01:32. The standard goes up every year and with around 100 teams usually taking part we can be pretty pleased with our record of never dropping out of the top third of the field and usually placing around 20th. So it was again in 2008.

Sarah Murphy was given the role of setting the Belgrave team going and as arms flailed and elbows jabbed in the rush down the initial slope she was giving as good as she got. Things are so tight on this first leg and around 75 teams all finished within three minutes of the leader. Sarah completed her stint in a bunch all sharing the same time and sent Birhan Dagne on her way.

With a stream of runners ahead of her, Birhan set about picking off as many as she could and had reeled in 29 by the end of her run. Now it was time for Tilly Heaton to take her turn before dashing off down south again to visit her dentist for root canal treatment - ooh!

We were now in 26th and last stager Catherine Bryson ran a cracking 15:10, although she'd have been happier if it had been faster, to run the Belles through the line in 20th place, maintaining our solid record in the event - 6th Southern club.

1 Aldershot F&D 57:24; 2 Charnwood AC 59:09; 3 Chester-le-Street &D 59:16; ... 20 Belgrave H 1:03:27; 100 teams started and 81 finished.

S Murphy (team position 46, ranking on stage 46) 16:07; 17 B Dagne (17, 9) 14:51; T Heaton (26, =42) 17:19; C Bryson (20, 6) 15:10.

Fastest: F Murray (Chester-le-Street) 13:50; C Purdue (Aldershot F&D) 13:54; C Hoyte (Arena 80) 14:09.

Pictured right: Sarah Murphy gave as good as she got on stage one. Photo by Pat Mead.

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