Cotswold Relay race 25/06/11
103 miles, 10 Stages, Off-road through the Cotswolds
Chipping Campden to Bath Abbey
Couriers Total Time:
15:43:32
This years race was run in very different conditions to last years event.
Cloud and a strong cooling wind was the order of the day with damp slithery conditions underfoot for the early stages.
Things ran quite smoothly (for a change) as all runners and support crew managed to get to start/finishes at the appropriate times (phew!)
Clive Rowberry
Leg 1 – Chipping Camden to Stanway House. 12miles 373 Metres Ascent Start 7.00am
Our first runner of the day was early bird Clive who persevered manly with a dogged determination despite a couple of injuries which have blyted his comeback year (again) His foolhardiness earned him 45th place with a time of 1:55:39.
Max Suff
Leg 2 – Stanway House to Cleeve Common 11.8miles 473 Metres Ascent Start 8.15am.
The team captain had a stinker of a race and was lead away to be shot afterwards as this was thought to be kinder in the long run! For the record he was 26th in a time of 1:45:48.
Ann Willis
Leg 3 – Cleeve Common to Seven Springs. 8.2 miles. 327 Metres Ascent. Start 9.35am
Anne enjoyed her run-and it showed. Finishing around a minute behind Dave Sherwood of WV fame was an excellent result – watch out you XC ladies! Her time was 1.22.37 in 51st place
Richard Wall
Leg 4 – Seven Springs to Cranham Corner Start 10.30.
Well, how Rich made such a short and flat leg last so long remains a mystery. However, reports of a runner leaving the Air Balloon via the car park have yet to be substantiated. Time by calender was 1:51:59. 40th position.
Dave Williams
Leg 5 Royal William, Cranham Corner To Ebley Mill, Stroud: 11.7 Miles 302 Metres Ascent Start 11.45.
Dave had a strong run pushing Dan Robinson (International marathon runner) around the course and finished 10th in 1:23:21.
Alison Cooke Leg 6 – Ebley Mill to Dursley 8.8 Miles. 409 Metres Ascent Start 13.00pm.
Alison finished an impressive 18th overall and 2nd lady. Strong running on the climbs and good navigation reaped the rewards on this leg. 1:19:29.
Kevin Barnes
Leg 7 – Dursley to Wooton Under Edge
Start 14.00. 7.2 Miles 292 Metres Ascent
Kev had a storming run to knock a couple of minutes off last years time.
No doubt due to his rigorous carbo-loading regime.
Position 26th Time 1:03:17
Steve Niblett
Leg 8 – Wooton Under Edge to Old Sodbury. Start 15.00.
Steve had doubts about lasting the distance on this leg but he coped very well with the hills up to the eleventh mile when a touch of cramp set in.
64th position. 2:09:05.
Sheryl Evans
Leg 9 Dog Inn, Old Sodbury to Cold Ashton 240 Metres Ascent Start 16.20.
Sheryl was a touch nervous about losing her way on route but smartly she latched on to another lady who knew the course with her eyes shut.
This ensured the many maps and Atlas’s Sheryl carried with her were redundant . Possibly GPS next time?
1:33:35. 51st position
Steve Littlewood
Leg 10 – Cold Ashton to Bath Abbey 240 Metres Ascent Start time 17.20.
It was a sight for sore eyes to see Mr littlewood totter off into the sunset when we kicked his zimmer frame away from him at the start of his leg. Once up to speed thoughts of coming out of retirement soon began to fade as he struggled to keep his bearings (or is that marbles) on entering the city of Bath. The venerable Mr L finished 28th in a time of 1:18:42.