A Team of 6 men from Beverley AC travelled across the Pennines to Warrington to take on the best of the North of England last Saturday.
Birchwood Park played host to the Men’s 6 stage and Women’s 4 stage2014 Northern Road Relay Championships. This is a prestigious competition where some of the best runners in the north of England compete and 77 Clubs entered over 100 teams in the men’s event, which Beverley took part in.
The course was a fast, flat route, just a little over 6k, partly on straight roads on the edge of an industrial estate but also through the very pleasant surroundings of Birchwood Park. A gala atmosphere makes the day as pleasant to attend and watch as it is to run in.
The race set off to a gun that could probably have been heard in St Helens, as athletes gathered round the start and those running in the next leg gathered in the holding area next to the start to await the next leg of the relay. 6 runners take part in the men’s race, 4 in the women’s. Although cloudy, the rain held off and mild conditions made for good running and pleasant spectating.
Beverley had a tough task against the big city clubs with big selection pools but were acquitting themselves well until injury hit Phillip Reese. He was due to run the 6th and final leg of the relay but aggravated a groin injury he picked up earlier in the week, whilst warming up and was unable to run the last leg, thus meaning Beverley were left unplaced.
Taking previous legs and Philip’s usual times into account, Beverley would probably have finished 109th- 113th out of 117 finishing teams, though that needs to be set against the quality of the field. Stockport Harriers won the men’s race in an accumulated time of1:52:09.
Leeds City were 2nd in 1:53:02 and Sale Harriers were3rd in 1:54:59. The women’s 4 stage relay was won by Chesterfield & District AC in 1:22:49.
Beverley AC times:
Andrew Johnson 24:36, Stephen Peacock 24:03, Edward Lisney 27:35, Stephen Ogden 31:24, Andrew Grainger 31:33, Phillip Reese did not run
