National Road Relays Report
C&C took two teams to the National 12 and 6 stage road relays at Sutton Park, Birmingham on the 6th April 2024.
The previous best finish for the senior men was 16th but this was sensationally bettered by this year’s team which finished 15:15in fourth place, missing out on a medal by a second! Twelve men made up the team with half of the team running a short leg and the other half running a long leg. Tom Bridger ran the fastest short leg of the day (15:04) with Alex Melloy equal fifth (15:15) and Jack Gray ninth (15:22). The members of the team were Norman Shreeve, Jack Nixon, Sebastian Anthony, Dominic Jones, James Teagle, Peter Chambers, Ian Williamson, Josh Carr and Max Walk.
Not only did Jack Gray compete in the men’s senior team he also team managed the women’s team. Jack reports as follows;
On Saturday 6th April, the Cambridge and Coleridge women’s team achieved an impressive 13th-place finish at the National 6-Stage Road Relays.
On a mild windswept day at Sutton Park, Cambridge’s women went to battle with the best clubs in the country.
It was a day for graft, not glamour. The best evidence of the conditions was the club tents that kept threatening to take off and disrupt the flight path of Birmingham International.
Despite the challenging conditions, our women showcased their grit and determination against the nation’s top clubs.
On the fiercely competitive leg 1 (5.4 miles), Amie Reed displayed both endurance and mental fortitude, securing 24th place with a commendable time of 34:25.
Following suit, Jenny Leggate delivered a stellar performance on leg 2 (3.2 miles), clocking in at 18:13 and propelling the team to 18th place. Jenny was third fastest on her leg and earned her place as 2nd u20 overall on the day (we think!)
Continuing the momentum, Lucy Jones gained another place on leg 3, crossing the finish line in 19:15 and pushing us to 17th.
On the last long leg, Leg 4, Ellen Leggate then showed that speed runs in the family, running an excellent 32:48 to move us into 16th. Ellen missed a top-ten finish on her leg by just two seconds and was one of the fastest masters athletes on the day.
Isabel Mansley ran an impressive sub-19 time on leg 5, elevating us to 14th place. Super Isabel was 7th fastest on her leg.
Last, but certainly not least, was Hattie Clayton. Hattie stepped in late on Friday, like a hero, to make our super 6 and capped off a great day by bringing us home in 14th.
Due to a team being disqualified for doing something naughty, we were upgraded to 13th place. This is a truly excellent result for an absolutely wonderful team made up of 5 juniors (u20s)! The future is bright for C&C.
A Musing for the Future
The National Road Relays offered a fantastic opportunity for our club to come together in the picturesque setting of Sutton Park.
With 24 men and 6 women competing, the atmosphere was excitable and supportive. While the event features elite athletes, it welcomes participants of all abilities (whether you run a 5k in 13 or 30 minutes!), creating an inclusive and enjoyable experience.
As managers of the men’s and women’s teams, Jonathan and I would love to see more members of the club at these events, especially on the women’s side.
We therefore ask that you make a note of the following races, and perhaps drop either of us a message if you’d like to find out more:
– Southern 4 Stage (women) and 6 Stage (men) Road Relays on Sunday 29th September; and,
– National 4 Stage (women) and 6 Stage (men) Road Relays on Saturday 12th October
By Jack Gray, C&C Women’s Team Manager.
As ever thank you all of the athletes, coaches, supporters and ‘behind the scenes’ helpers that make these events possible.