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Just A Minute
Wednesday 11th June 2014
Just A Minute
South Downs Way Relay June 7th is without doubt one of the highlights of the running calendar. Traversing the 100 miles South Downs Way, the race consists of 6 runners running 3 legs each and a harried driver in charge of transporting the runners to each handover point & keeping a record of handover times.
This year competition was fierce with a record number of teams entering.
Runners started in waves from 6am to 9am at Beachy Head near Eastbourne with handover points at 18 locations across the South Downs Way finishing at Chilcomb Sports Ground, near Winchester.
Lizzy Miles started the only Phoenix Ladies team off at 6.30 in glorious sunshine. She handed to Liz Halliday then Kathryn Harnett. A torrential down pour in leg 4 meant Caz Garrett came in soaked & handed to Erica Martin then Hildi Mitchell who again saw the sun. The Ladies worked to keep the pace up but some of us (!) who had never done this kind of endurance race before did feel begin to feel it! As the day progressed the aim was to not be passed by the any of the Phoenix men's teams who had later starts. Crossing the finish line just after 8pm Liz Halliday finished in a Phoenix line up with the Phoenix men's teams finishing just in front & behind her. Total time; 13:32:53.
Prizes are given for 1st & 2nd places however the Phoenix Ladies got a special mention as they were just under a minute behind second place (52 seconds in fact). So close yet so far - training for next year has already started!!
The Phoenix Men's B team showed the ladies how it's done finishing 2nd in their category and receiving one of the coveted medals. It was Malcolm Kemp's 17th consecutive relay and he was joined by Matt Greenall, Jon Wright, Lance Bellers, Phil Hampshire & Phil Grabsky . Starting at 8am they stormed across the line just after 8.30pm, completing the race in 12:34:18.
Finishing 4th in their category, the Phoenix Vets team of Nigel Herron, Donald Maclellan, Jim Whitelegg, Jon Pike Tom Farsides & Dave Powell completed in 11:32:45. Dave Powell took 2 Phoenix records on his legs & it is understood Nigel & Tom were very late stand ins.
Phoenix Men's A Team, who started at 9am, crossed the finish in 11:02:51, 4th overall. The team consisted of Jose Luceron, Dave Carter, James Bullen, Tobias Bremer, Tom Sanderson & Andy Bone, who only stood in on Thursday when James Miles was taken ill.
A special mention needs to be made to the drivers of the teams, without whom it would not be possible. Not only do they ensure the teams reach each handover point in time they keep record of times & in the case of Ro have to listen to an awful lot of chat!
Phoenix Ladies' Patient Driver: Ro Harrington
Phoenix Men's B Team Driver: Petra Kopp
A Team Driver - James Miles
Vets Driver - John Marinko
