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It was a long journey for the 12 representatives of Morpeth Harriers who travelled down to Sutton Park in Sutton Coldfield for the English Road Running Association 12 Stage Road Relays on Saturday, one made worse by a series of accidents on the motorways south that made the journey even more difficult.
In the end, after over four hours of racing, a team decimated by injuries and unavailability finished just outside the top 20in a respectable 22nd place, having creditably managed to make the top ten for the first six legs. Finn Brodie led off for the first long leg, finishing 13th in 27:38, with Will Cork on the first short leg moving the club up to 7th with 15:36. Carl Avery on leg 3 had the team up to 3rd place after the second long leg with the club’s fastest time of the day, 26:29, with Ellis Hetherington keeping them there on leg 4 (16:02). Connor Marshall (27:56) and George Lowry (15:38) had them in sixth, but thereafter a much depleted squad drawing on veterans, athletes a little short of race fitness and those else called up at the very last minute to ensure a complete team did well to hang on, Matthew Briggs (30:48), Josh Fiddaman (16:02), Rob Balmbra (30:23), young Joe Dixon (16:28), Mark Banks (30:33) and John Butters (17:23), ensuring an overall time of 4 hours 27 minutes 52 seconds, with Morpeth 22nd out of a total of some 56 complete teams. Gateshead Harriers, 39th in 4:51:43, were the only other North East team to make the journey. All conquering Leeds City AC, for whom Phil Sesamann ran the day’s fastest long leg of 25:27, were runaway leaders in a time of 4:11:28, over three minutes ahead of Bristol and West in 2nd (4:15:00) and London outfit Highgate Harriers (4:15:34), for whom Jacob Allen ran the day’s fastest short leg of 25:43. No NE Women’s teams turned out in the Women’s 6 Stage, won by Thames Valley, with Leeds City 2nd and Sale Harriers 3rd. Full results here. Comments are closed.
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July 2025
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