A large turnout from the club descended onto Hetton’s finest (and only) country park for the annual Royal Signal relays. In contrast to most years, the course was damp and cold, with the temperature struggling to raise above freezing. No real wind though, so that was something.
Race 1
The Senior women’s and veteran women’s race started the programme. Each team of four had to navigate two 1.1-mile laps each, with a large hill near the start of each lap. So, for newcomers to Hetton, optimistic starts (and deaths) were the order of the day.
We fielded 3 teams (2 senior, 1 vet). Positives could be seen from the races despite the conditions and the misfortune of nearly everyone either suffering from illness or having caught it in the week prior.
Vet Women 19th – 1:06:24
Monika Molnar 16:07
Kaye Collins 16:46
Leanne Robertson 15:58
Cheryl Richards 17:33
Senior Women 34th – 1:21:49
Elisabeth Middlemas 16:18
Joanna Hughes 21:37
Stacey Bell 20:15
Fiona Bell 23:39
Senior Women B 35th – 1:27:03
Lynda Clough 19:48
Mandy Dixon 21:50
Sarah Berry 26:34
Agnes Bastien-Langham 18:51
Race 2
The Second race of the day was the Senior and Vet men. 6 in a team for this one over the same course and 2 laps each. Both the Vet team and Senior team were constantly overtaking each other throughout the day. With a particular strong leg from Gary who recorded the 12th fastest vet leg of the day. However it was the Vet men team who finished first with Jonny getting the team over the line in a respectable 8th place for the vets team.
Vet Men 8th – 1:20:33
Keiron Lightfoot 12:39
Gary Wallace 11:54
David Best 13:18
Mark Temple 14:02
David Grimes 14:09
Jonathan Richards 14:09
Senior men 29th – 1:23:38
Ashley Slavin 12:15
Lee McCarron 12:50
Jordan Bell 11:22
Ben Heckles 14:13
Jon Dodds 15:22
Stewy Bell 17:36