SVHC Road Relay 2015

Martin Howell

The first leg runners had the best of the conditions in Strathclyde Park today for the SVHC Road Relay Championships. Starting off bright and calm, the wind eventually picked up accompanied by rain for the later stages. For the second day in a row, the Harriers demonstrated their depth with two full teams and a partial men's and lady's team.

On first leg duty for the M35 team we had Martin Howell, who is very familiar with Strathclyde Park, being a parkrun regular here, even managing to fit one in yesterday too (on a modified course). Martin completed the 3.8 mile lap in 23:26. Andy Henderson ran the first leg for the M50 team. Still suffering from tight hamstrings, Andy completed the lap in a cautious 25:10. Eddie Reid was just out for a run today, so took a spare first leg in our incomplete M35 B team, finishing in 25:25, which was a struggle after yesterday's exploits in Fife. Frances Maxwell was our sole lady and was also just out for a recovery run, finishing in 26:19 and apparently none the worse for having raced two days in a row.

John Freer

On the second legs, Ian Hughes was out to get himself race fit again and seemed to be heading in the right direction, recording a time of 23:16. After an absence of many years due to injury niggles, John Freer made a very welcome return to the Harriers M50 team, running a time of 24:16 and looking very smooth in the process. Our fastest time of the day went to a very in-form Martin Duthie on the 3rd leg for the M50 team, finishing a fantastic 21:25 and leaping ahead of our M35 team. Alan Bow was the unlucky one to come up against Martin on the third leg in the M35 team but still ran a very good 25:10. Finally for the M50's, it was down to Billy Buchanan, "fresh" from the Devils Burden Hill Relay, to hold on to the M50 team's position, which he did with a fine run of 25:19 and a very fast finish. Russell Couper had also been out at the Strathclyde parkrun on Saturday and thought he might just break 35 minutes today. However, he smashed that with a time of 31:46. The M50 team finished 27th overall and 9th M50 team. The M35 team finished 37th overall.

Well done to all for their efforts on a wet and windy day. Thanks also to our mobile supporters, Sandra and Sandy, out for a long run lapping the course in reverse.

At least one photo of all the Harriers are in this album here. (26/01/15 - photos from Sandra now added).
Alan