ERRA National Women's 4-Stage Road Relay, Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield

Naughty But Nice

Will Cockerell writes: As in 2011 we fielded two strong teams for this most competitive of events. Our B's had the tough option of bettering their counterparts of two years ago who were littered with bandits, boxing above their weight. Well, the 2013 vintage took a deep breath and went 3 seconds faster; oh, and they've improved from the 7th best B team in the land, to 6th. Many thanks to you all, so much more fun to have you there. Co-skipper Jojo went 15-20 secs better than expected, Fee was back to her best after a tricky last few weeks, and ran-over 11 girls on two; Vicki was there as always, to keep us in check; and Fi Maddocks made her relay debut in style with a fine finishing burst.

A few minutes up the road and our A-squad did it the hard way after we started with our ace... how very not to behave in public! But, ooooh sometimes it's fun to be just a little naughty. Our men's TM had a similar swish outside the off-stump down in Rushmoor, and weren't the crowd treated to one of the most exciting pieces of athletics since the last lap of the Munich 5,000 of '72. Well, this was pretty special too. After we programmed 14:20 into the little computer in Tish's back [designed in Japan, engineered in Germany], she beat the mark by 1 tick and had a splendid duel with doyennes Lily Partridge and Juliet Potter, both of whom have been winning medals on the national club scene for a decade plus. One recalls Lily as a U13 shrub convalescing in our club tent after she won team gold at the 2004 National cross. Great running then, for a time that would stand up as 6th best of the day.

Welcome back to the big time Sammi Amend. It's always a close call to chuck an athlete recuperating from an 'op' into the den of iniquity that is Stage 2 of a relay, but SA more than justified her selection, in what must have been like running in a tumble-dryer. Another slightly gung-ho selection with the calibre of Fee thrashing away in the B's, was Mel, but her two excellent runs in the Surreys and Southerns warranted her place. This was a real step-up in class, and she scrapped like a cornered tiger. Well done Mel - take the standard of running you saw here and let it inspire you in your training. And then our enforcer Lou, barrelling on, refusing to get caught by the flying Squires of Hallamshire, and nearly running down Tipton. All eyes on April then, when our strength in depth will be telling.

1 Aldershot F&D 56:42; 2 Birchfield H 58:36; 3 Charnwood AC 58:49; 4 Aldershot F&D ‘B’ 59:19 ... 15 Belgrave H 1:03:18; 42 Belgrave H 'B' 1:09:15. 77 teams started, 66 finished.

Belgrave A: T Jones (3) 14:19; S Amend (13) 16:17; M Wilkins (15) 16:27; L Blizzard (15) 16:15.

Belgrave B: J Rhodes (47) 16:31; F Maycock (36) 16:15; V Goodwin (46) 18:41; F Maddocks (44) 17:48.

Fastest: 1 G Steel (Charnwood) 13:49; 2 E Gorecka (AFD) 14:04; 3 S Twell (AFD) 14:06... 6 T Jones (Belgrave H) 14:19.

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