NATIONAL WOMEN'S 6 STAGE ROAD RELAYS
SUTTON PARK 23RD APRIL 2005

RACE REPORT.

This is arguably the best event on the endurance calendar which is open to "ordinary" Club athletes. Yesterday was no exception with a superb race not to be decided until the final leg where 4 teams were vying for medals, fielding the same team which took silver in the Midlands Champs and with five runners beating their time in that event we just missed out finishing in 4th place, which was by far the best result we've had since our silver medal in the inaugural race in 2000 which featured the formidable Bev Hartigan, Amanda Wright and the everlasting Sarah Bentley. I cannot praise the team too highly this was a superb effort. 

Leg 1.
Amanda Dalkins, Terrific effort on the most difficult of legs kept us in the fight with another excellent run to come back in 22nd place in 17:45.
Leg 2.
Becky Sanders, delaying resting her foot injury till after this race, and only being able to cross train for the last three weeks still ran to par with 17:42 taking 4 places to come back in 18th.
Leg 3.
Cathy Mutwa, small enough to fit in a decent carrier bag, but what a talent! now a regular for us despite Army duties in Kenya. She zipped round in the fastest time ever recorded by a Birchfield athlete in a time of 15:59 which was second fastest of the day and also by passing 18 runners gave us the lead.
leg 4. 
Rachael Rowberry, cancelled a triathlon a week ago to be fresh, then fell ill! No problem for our Kiwi still ran quicker than her Midland time retaining the lead in 18:07.
Leg 5
Sarah Bentley, recovering from Chicken Pox (her daughter's) also retained the lead with another fine run in 18:10.
leg 6
Juliette Oldfield, given yet another hospital pass, I hope she doesn't think it's personal it's just that I know she won't bottle it on last leg, she was given the lead along with Kate Read who ran in this years world xc champs, Lucy Elliott who's medalled every year but one, and a cracking runner from City of Glasgow who we didn't know. Juliette came in 4th running 18:02, completely wrecked after running 13 seconds quicker than three weeks ago and you can't ask any more than that.
Overall Time 1:45:45

B team
Michelle Tanner, was the only runner but was able to improve her Midlands time by 11secs. to run 20:34 with much more to come I'm sure.

Previously at Sutton Park.
2000. 2nd in 1:42:19. 
2001. 16th in 1:56:53.
2002. 9th in 1:48:06.
2003. 14th in 1:57:22
2004. No Team.

Eddie Cockayne.