Green Wheel Relay joy for Yaxley Runners and the Rumbles Running Club all-star team
Yaxley Runners picked up 2 first places at Sunday’s Green Wheel Relay with the Rumbles Running Club winning the men's senior prize.
Rumbles are a Hampton-based training group and one of their founder members, Phil Martin, used his popularity to attract a high quality team of runners who were never likely to be beaten.
But Yaxley won both the senior ladies and veteran ladies titles. The club also got two 2nd places and a 3rd place in the other categories.
Rumbles belted their way round the 46.41 mile course in a time of 4:34.00. They actually had the fastest runner in 4 of the 7 legs. Runners can run a maximum of 2 legs, and legs 4 and 5 featured Alex Gibb running the 15.2 miles from Newborough to Alwalton in 86:25.
Despite doubling up Gibb was the quickest athlete of the day on both legs. Henry Jones and Phil Martin were the fastest runners on legs 2 and 6 with Stuart Haw 2nd fastest on leg one. Leg 2 runner Jones covered the 4.2 mile stage from Eye to Newborough in 26:51. Not bad for a 15 year-lad who was running in his first ever competitive race. The team was completed by Lewis Maskell and Barry Cliffe who both performed well.
The senior Yaxley ladies completed the course in 5:52.00. Kayleigh Longfoot was the 3rd fastest runner of the day on leg 5, with Abbie Branston 8th quickest on the 2nd leg. Kerry Goymour was 13th fastest on leg 3 with Vanessa Gunn 17th on the final stage. Lucy Branston, Claire Piercey and Lucy Clarke also ran well.
Yaxley’s veteran ladies went round in 6:37.43. Lisa Box and Bianca Barletta made the top 20 on legs 3 and 5 with Helen Joyce 24th out of the 52 runners on the 4th leg. The winning team was completed by Kathryn Hawkswell, Ruth Bradshaw, Nicola Cuthbert and Emma Walker who all played their part.