24thBMAF Road Relay Championships

On Saturday two teams of Holmfirth Vets travelled down to SuttonPark, Sutton Coldfield for the National Vets Road Relays organised by the BMAF.

In recent years we have had considerable success in this event winning both team and individual medals but this year instead of the usual 5 teams we could only manage two teams, an F45+ and an M55+. Even these teams were far from our strongest as injuries and other commitments had decimated the number of runners available.

Potentially if we had our strongest teams out we would have been in contention for bronze medals in F35+, silver in F45+ and Gold in F55+.

The M55+ would have also madethe top 6.

In the event we were fortunate that two runners who would not normally have expected to be taking part offered to ‘run if needed’. Rowan Eastwood who has not raced before and Neil Midgley who has long been a member and has raced on fell and trail but rarely if ever as apart of a club team.

Both were concerned ‘with letting the team down’, being somewhat slower than other members of the team but as we all told them there would be no team without them and just being there as a club was the important thing.

This event is a great club event particularly when you take a full set of teams as half the fun is cheering on all the other team members. Your own run while important is only a small part of the day.

In the first race Lesley Ewart, being without the rest of our very good F55+ team, moved down an age group and ran the first leg for the F45+ team. As usual she ran a very strong race and finished 5th F45+ in 20:05 for the undulating 3 mile course. This time was the fastest time of the day for a 55 year old but by running for the F45+ team she had given up the right of an individual medal in the F55+ age group.

Lesley handed over to Helen Pettit who always seems to pull out her best in relays and she made up two places to bring the team back in 3rd in a time of 21:23. Helen (left) still manages a smile a few seconds after the finish climb. She was even heard to remark, when she’d got her breath back, how she had really enjoyed the run! Rowan Eastwood, a relatively new member of the Harriers ran the last leg.

It was a very brave decision to answer my plea for more runners, when you have never raced before and the event is a National Road Relay. She ran strongly all the way cheered on by the rest of the team members to record a very creditable 27:23 to finish 9th team.

Rowan, just over half way round her lap, still managing a smile for her supporters

In the second race with only an M55+ team Andy Hauser led off and though suffering from a heavy cold still ran our fastest time finishing 7th in 18:24.

Andy handed over to Rob who last time he took over from Andy, found himself in the lead on leg 3, tried to go with the faster runners who soon caught him and blew up at about half way! This time I went off steadily was still overtaken by 3 faster runners within the first half mile or so but then managed to overtake two other M55’s so just lost one place overall in 19:04.

Neil Midgley, another late replacement, ran the 3rd leg a very solid 22:20 in 15thposition and Steve Beardsell, amazingly running again after his hip operation, picked up two places to finish 13th in 19:34.

Steve finishes strongly on the uphill finish.

Once again this was a very enjoyable day and it was important to be there as a club with friends from Rotherham, Wakefield, Doncaster, Sheffield and Bingley near by (to our club tent) there was quite a Yorkshire enclave. Next year let’s try and get 5 teams out again and go down by coach as a team.

I will be canvassing for runners early next year so be warned and be ready to earmark the date in your calendars.

Rob K

Photos of the race and all competitors can be found and downloaded free from