Luton AC win through to National Championships
By finishing in the top 20 in the Southern 12 man road relay championships at Milton Keynes on Sunday Luton AC qualified for a prestigious place in the National finals to be held in Sutton Coldfield on the 24th of the month.
The race from the Open University, Walton Hall, held in changeable blustery conditions, was run over 12 alternating stages of 8km and 5.5km,. The highly valued prize for this annual event was a place in the British Championships for the first 20 finishers and Luton eased in 18th, well clear of the pursuers hoping for a place in the finals.
It was Paul Farmer who got the team off to a flying start on the first long leg when he brought the team in 5th of the 61 starters. Paul’s effort earned him 20th overall long leg of the day with his time of 24.53.
In fact, it was the long leg runners who secured the team success by each of them, bar one, being timed in the top 20 for their leg. The short leg runners, on the other hand, weakened dramatically by late withdrawals, rarely impacted on the faster times for their legs, although they never dropped outside the top 20.
Evergreen super veteran Alan Daglish was charged with the responsibility of the second leg, the first short. In this highly competitive race Alan fought hard to maintain Luton’s position and kept them on track by coming home 17th in 19.26. Responsibility then fell to Rob Palmer on long leg 3 and Rob had a storming run to climb to 13th in 25.19, 42nd fastest of the day. On short leg 4 Roger Howell had a good run in 20.39 but this dropped the team out of the top 20 for the only time during the afternoon to 20th. Long leg 5 saw Matt Linbourne clinb to 18th, even though he was running with a heavy cold and taining hard for the London Marathon in 2 weeks time. Matts time was 26.08. Leg 6, the short leg that brought the team to halfway was run by young Jamie Attwood, making his debut for the senior men and what a debut it was. Jamie ran the fastest short leg of the day for the club in 18.42, raised them 3 places to 14th and was credited with 15th fastest short leg for the day, a remarkable achievement.
Halfway and well inside the top 20. Gareth Suffling set off on the 7th and long leg, running solidly to come in 17th in 26.59. Considering Gareth is completing his degree at the moment, a major distraction, this was also a highly creditable effort. 8th and short leg next was Chris Green, also running with a heavy cold like Linbourne. Chris dropped just one place to 19th. Andy Stowe proved his fine run recently in the TVH road relays was no fluke when he stormed long leg 9 in 27.00 and up to 18th. Into the breech on short leg 10 came team manager Chris Stebbings, brought in to the team by the late withdrawals. Chris returned the slowest short leg of the day for the team in 21.17 but held position in 18th. The final long leg fell to Stuart Still and a very lonely long leg it was too. For the whole of his near 5 mile loop Stuart could not see anyone in front nor could he see any pursuers, making it very difficult to maintain his pace. Stuart did what was necessary and the team maintained 18th in 28.05. Simon Stebbings seems to make his racing comeback every year at this event and this year was no exception. Taking the short last leg by the scruff of the neck Simon ran strongly 19.36 maintaining the teams 18th place to the finish.
At the close team manager Chris Stebbings was delighted to then be handed to piece of paper inviting the club to compete in the National Championships on the 24th. A fantastic achievement in the first year of this new club formed by the merger of Luton United AC and Vauxhall AC.
Chris Stebbings
Luton AC
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