While most people's attention was focused on the Leicester match, i was where the real action was...... Sutton Park, for the Midlands 6-Stage Road Relay Champs.
I ran 5th leg for a strong looking Masters team, who felt we might be in contention for a medal........ i set off in 4th place, about 40 seconds behind 3rd placed Shrewsbury AC....... ran 20:10 for 5.5km on a really hilly course for a road race...... lost a bit of time on 3rd, so we were really out of the medal hunt....... our final leg guy is deep in the throes of marathon training, and was unable to really put his foot down, and we dropped to 5th.
In the main men's race, we were leading for the first couple of legs, but didn't have the strength to hold it, and drifted back to finish 11th..... still our best finish since before covid, and qualifying for the National Champs in a fortnight at the same venue, with ease.
The Midlands Champs has improved in depth since before covid, when we could turn up with a decent but not full-strength team, and finish in the top 6. That said, i expect we'll be inside the top 10 Midlands teams at the National in a fortnight.
Unfortunately we didn't field a ladies team today.
Senior Men
1st Western Tempo
2nd Bristol & West
3rd BRAT (Birmingham Rowheath)
11th Cov Godiva
25th Nuneaton Harriers
36th Leamington
43rd Cov Sphinx
51st Kenilworth
77th Massey Ferguson
88th Northbrook
Masters Men
1st BRAT
2nd Stroud & District
3rd Shrewsbury AC
5th Cov Godiva
Unfortunately no other local clubs put a Masters team out.