SEAA Men's 12-Stage Road Relay, Milton Keynes

An entertaining day at MK - but no medals

A twelve year run of being called to the presentation ceremony came to an end as the Bels were unable to muster enough support to place higher than 5th. It was entertaining stuff though, as we book-ended with a couple of (very useful) men who have seen nigh on 50 summers apiece, and it was amusing to see the joy we spread as clubs down the field were able to savour time "in front of Belgrave".

Good ol' Mike Trees stepped into the breach to offer a long stage when he would have been very much happier with a short'un and he was followed up by Hassan Raidi who had made a 'dash for the cash' in the previous day's Victoria Park Open 5 miles and probably still had some of the effort in his legs. So after two stages we were about 15 positions and two minutes further back than hoped for.

Nick Goolab's effortless stride soon had him moving through the field nicely and his 24:01 made him fastest of the day - for the 30 seconds it took for chasing Wells City Harrier Ben Tickner to follow him across the line. We were up to 16th but still some ten places lower than the master plan had decreed. Aldershot were steaming away in front but Rumour ran among the cluster of Team Managers at the takeover area, whispering, "they're 'front loaded' ".

Mal Byansi relinquished a single place before handing over to fellow Ugandan Paskar Owor whose startling 23:43 for 5 miles the previous day was followed by a 24:55 clocking here. We were up to 10th while the Beagles had made huge inroads into AFD's lead with a 23:36 from Chris McKay that moved him to sixth on the all-time long stage list.

The Sharpster claimed three more spots for the Bels as he ran second fastest on the stage and the halfway mark came up. The Beagles now led the procession and the top ten teams, with the Bels in 7th, had pretty much shaken off the pretenders. Highgate Harriers were causing a few eyebrows to be raised as they moved into 3rd behind Aldershot; Woodford Green and Shaftesbury would surely remain solid to the end ... and our Common companions Thames Hare & Hounds were living up to their promise to feature, now in 6th.

We began the Brains Trust - throwing boffins Richard Ward (Cambridge), Jonathan Blackledge (Oxford) and James Kelly (Cambridge) into the fray. A slightly unwell Richard did not baulk at being handed a long stage, JB ran fastest on his leg and third best of the day for the short stage, and James was pleased with his 25:05 long stint after a period of uncertainty due to shin soreness. Good runs but the gaps had been large and we were only able to move up two slots to 5th.

Way short of his normal fitness, Neil Speaight didn't really know what to expect as he set out with the next runner in front over a minute away. He was solid, a good 70 seconds slower than a fit Sp8y but, amazingly, he was quickest on his leg, and as the runners hove into view he was in 3rd place, just 17 seconds down on Highgate in 2nd. It seemed all teams were now scrabbling around to finish off their twelve.

The Cockerpillar had earlier expended huge energy in managing his ladies and was soon under pressure from Woodford's Mark Burgess, dropping behind somewhat by mid-lap ... and then coming back to reclaim his place by a quarter of a minute, running one second faster than in 2010. Still in third!

Over to the Ice Man, then, for the show down. He's seen it all in a 30 year career in athletics - from international level in Norway to Wimbledon Common parkruns. Highgate were only 38 seconds up the road but it was Woodford's middle-distance ace Matt Shone champing at the bit that was the worry. Knut wasn't going to be fazed - but it was obviously too much of an ask to hold on to the medals and Thames Hound Nick Altmann could also smell Belgrave blood, pouncing as the race drew to a close and pushing us back into 5th.

As we said earlier ... entertaining!

1 Newham & Essex Beagles 4:17:46; 2 Highgate H 4:18:43; 3 Woodford Green w Essex Ladies AC 4:20:03; 4 Thames H&H 4:20:56; 5 Belgrave H 4:21:21; 6 Aldershot, Farnham & Dist. AC 4:23:09; 39 teams started, 31 teams finished.

Belgrave 'A'. M Trees M45 (28) 27:27; H Raidi (23, 19th fastest on leg) 18:30; N Goolab (16, 2) 24:01; M Byansi (17, 17) 18:41; P Owor (10, 6) 24:55; S Sharp (7, 2) 16:44; R Ward (8, 11) 25:58; J Blackledge (7, 1) 16:40; J Kelly (5, 2) 25:05; N Speaight (3, 1) 17:45; W Cockerell (3, 7) 26:14; K Hegvold M45 (5, 17) 19:21.

Belgrave 'B'. E Smith (36) 30:41; R Norville (35, 32) 19:59; R Harding M45 (35, 35) 32:57; P Willis (35, 29) 20:10; C Dickinson M60 (35, 35) 30:57; A Luce M40 (35, 26) 20:08.

Fastest short stages (5,506m): 1 D Clorley (Luton) 16:11; 2 J Hay (Aldershot F&D) 16:13; 3 J Blackledge (Belgrave H) 16:40; ... 5 S Sharp 16:44.

Fastest long stages (7,978m): 1 C McKay (NEB) 23:36; 2 B Tickner (Wells C) 23:59; 3 N Goolab (Belgrave H) 24:01.

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