NATIONAL 6/4 STAGE RELAYS 2017

SUN SHINES IN LIVINGSTON FOR NATIONAL ROAD RELAYS

Sunday afternoon saw the first official day of British Summer Time and the weather didn’t disappoint as sunny conditions were the order of the day for the National 6/4 Stage Road Relays.

The event is so called due to the fact that for every full men’s team the quota is 6 runners, while the women have 4 athletes in a full line up, although many clubs do field incomplete teams in order to give any runner who wants to take part a run.

The format of the race see’s athletes running alternate distances, with a short leg (3.15 miles) competitor being followed with a longer leg (5.75 miles) and so forth, with the course being quite hilly, and some twists and turns to keep everyone on their toes.

In the Ladies race it was pre event favourites Central taking the honours by over a minute from Edinburgh University. Kilmarnock Harriers fielded 1 complete and one incomplete team, with a big positive for the Club being in the fact that over half of their athletes took part in the high class race for the first time.

Leading the Club off in her first race after a long injury lay off was former Captain Kara Tait, and although she was a bit outside her previous best times for the course she nevertheless clocked the quickest Kilmarnock time on the day, was just outside the top 10 of any athlete on show, and more importantly got a valuable race under the belt as she will unquestionably get quicker with each passing race. Special mentions too, to debutant Sandra Dickson for taking on the tough first short leg in the incomplete team and like many others continues to improve on a weekly basis.

In the Men’s event, like their Female counterparts it was Central who took the title, although there was a bit of drama as one of runner up Cambuslang’s athletes did briefly take a wrong turn during the race.

Kilmarnock Harrier Richar Mair was once again athlete of the day in the Club stakes with his first leg clocking of 16.14 not only placing his team in an early top 5 position, but also the 7^th fastest time of anyone over the short legs and further improves his reputation as one of the quickest newcomers on the circuit.

Like Sandra Dickson, special mentions go to her husband Douglas who too competed for the first time and also benefitted greatly with a race in a National event for the first time.

Full Kilmarnock Times were –

Women – short legs (3.15 miles) – Kara Tait 19.09, Stephanie Hewitt 21.16, Sandra Dickson 29.47

Women – long legs (5.75 miles – Liz McDerment 45.35, Amanda Bryden 46.15

Men – short legs – Richard Mair 16.14, James Wales 18.09, Douglas Dickson 25.10

Men – long legs – Scott Martin 34.19, Colin Glencorse 35.38, Murray McDonald 47.11.

Well done to all 11 athletes who ran, and next up for many will be the Tom Scott 10 Miler at Strathclyde Park on Sunday.