Surrey County Road Relays, Wimbledon Park

Men's 6 x 3 miles.

Surrey Gold

Here's a quiz question for the future: Which Belgrave relay runner took over in 2nd place - and then in the same race took over again from the man who had set out ahead of him! Answer: Martin Dent.

Our SEAA and Belgrave 10km track champion Martin was looking for a tough training session, ideally two 3 mile legs with 6-7 minutes recovery between. He got his wish by running 4th leg for the A team, taking over just a pace or two behind Harry Corbett who was setting out for the B team which at that stage was still leading the field. After taking Belgrave into an unassailable lead Martin then got just under five minutes respite before he did his second stint as a B team runner, taking over from Harry.

Martin was awarded the medal for the fastest man of the day - but in actual fact David Anderson, not yet eligible as a Surrey runner, had set a time 7 seconds faster on stage one in giving the B squad a lead that they did not lose until lap four. Dave was testing his fitness with the SEAA Road Relay two weeks away and the verdict was "right on target".

Both Warren Lynch and Junior Galley stepped into the breach as previously selected A men became unavailable. Warren in particular ran "out of his socks" on stage one. Given a target of 16 minutes by the TM he delighted Belgrave supporters and amazed himself by running just over a minute quicker than he ever has before on this course - 15:17.

Another man who astounded was 19 year-old Mark Humphrey. A novice to the sport but fit through having played football, Mark set out on stage three for the B team at a pace which had supporters expecting a "blow-up". But this young man is a tough cookie. Simon Marwood for the 'A's didn't catch him until the finishing circuit on the track was reached. Simon gained a 5 metre advantage but Mark wasn't done yet and launched a long sprint for the takeover zone that took him and the 'B's back into the lead. Mark's aim is to make the British League team - and if this what he he what he can without a distance running background then your correspondent, for one, believes he can do it!

A great start to the season. It's been six years since we last held this title - 1997 and the the last time the event was held at Walton. Roger Alsop is the only man who has remained in the team since that day and in the intervening years he has picked up four silver medals in the event. It's nice to get gold again.

1 Belgrave 1:29:18; 2 Thames H&H 1:31:51; 3 Guildford & Godalming 1:34:30.

A - W.Lynch (7) 15:17; 2 J.Galley M40 (6) 15:18; S.Marwood (2) 14:49; M.Dent (1) 13:53; R.Alsop (1) 15:19; W.Cockerell (1) 14:42.

B - David Anderson (1) 13:46; S.Zealey (1) 15:59; M.Humphrey (1) 15:35; H.Corbett M45 18:47; M.Dent 14:35; no 6th runner

Women's 4 x 3 miles.

Bronze for the Belles - Course Record for Angela

While David Anderson was setting the fastest men's time, Angela Walker was doing a similar job on stage one in the women's race. It's a shame, in a way, that the women's race is held at the same time as the men's, because the outstanding women's runs tend to get buried in the pack. But on the plus side it's good to have both teams supporting each other, and Ange received a Belgrave ovation as she led the female teams home with 16:44 to go a minute clear at the head of our all-time list and the fastest female time ever achieved on the circuit.

An unfit Tania Sturton had a torrid time trying to hold things together on lap two but with Syreeta Stracey and Helen Alsop both pulling back places it was bronze medals for the Belles again.

Syreeta was still sporting bruises received when she crashed her bike a month or so back while duathlon training. She was hospitalised for a short time but thankfully has recovered to the extent that she is not only back road running but competed in Switzerland a couple of weeks ago in the World duathlon Championships.

1 Ranelagh 1:12:31; 2 South London 1:13:18; 3 Belgrave 1:15:09.

A.Walker (1) 16:44; T.Sturton (5) 21:18; S.Stracey (5) 18:53; H.Alsop W35 (3) 18:14.

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