National 12 Stage Road Relay (13/04/2015)

Tipton Harriers were unable to match the club's record in the National 12  Stage Road Relay at Sutton Park, but performed creditably to finish 16th out of 60 teams that completed  the course, and beat some well known clubs like Newham and Essex Beagles, Woodford Green, Sale Harriers, Swansea Harriers, Coventry Godiva, Blackheath and Birchfield Harriers.

The present event replaced the London to Brighton National Road Relay in the 1960's when traffic became too heavy and dangerous. The event then moved to other venues - Leicester and Derby before settling down in Sutton Park in 1970.  In the 47 years since the London to Brighton Tipton have been in the medals on 30 occasions, with 15 wins, 9 runners-up, and 6 third places; no other club can match these achievements. The club last wins came in 2011 and 2012, with runners-up place in 2010.

The course had been changed this year making it more difficult on the early loop, to give a testing course with pulling gradients, and a strong breeze to contend with.

Ian  Williams was in fine form to give Tipton a good start with 12th place in Stage 1, a long one of 8.96k timed at 27 mins. 41 secs. A short Stage 2 followed with a distance of 5.14k; these distances were run alternatively. Young Gareth Griffiths ran very well to finish in 14th place in 16m 31 secs. Dan Dalmedo followed on the long leg and found the going tough to finish 19th in 29.24. Tom Holden found the pace too fast to place 21st in 17.02. Sean Byrne, returning from overseas duty, ran a solid 29.55 to maintain 21st position.

Another young team member Luke Vine produced a good performance in 16.36 on the short leg to gain two places to 19th, followed by the experienced runner Ian Mitchell who gained another three places to 15th after a swift run. Shaun Barnsley a young runner gaining experience at this level lost two places  but had a determined run in 17.23. Liam Roberts  retained the 19th place with a reliable and hard run performance completing the long stage in 29.30. Dean Bate, another of the Tipton team gaining experience at the top level had a good run to gain two places in 17.08, to send off Oz Ellis on the final long stage,  which he found a hard experience not being at full fitness, but only losing one place to 17th in 30.25, a bit below expectations. Harvey Maguire had the final short leg to run at the end of the relay and produced a fine performance to gain a place and put Tipton in 16th place in the National Relay; his time 16.26 from a runner showing improved form. Tipton Harriers final time was 4 hours 36 minutes 52 seconds.

Tipton was one of a few teams who had had two teams that qualified for the event, and the 'B' team finished 57th in 5 hrs. 21 mins. 51 secs., the best runs coming from young athlete Jacob Anson on a long leg, 31m 59 secs. and veteran Nigel Stirk on a short leg in 17.29.
 
Altogether, a reasonably good day for the club, but with missing team members it could have been much better, and expectations need to be reignited to strive to reach towards past standards of Tipton Harriers.

Results