Green Belt Day 1 - hot and anxious

Day One of the annual Green Belt left many in the three Stragglers teams hot and anxious. We’d already experienced a race-eve drop out from the women’s team but Sonia Bandeira swiftly and nobly stepped forward. Then Trevor Ford in the vets team woke up in agony and it looked like another super sub would be needed.

Conditions were warm - over 20 degrees for much of the afternoon, so the last thing the Stage 5 runners needed was a flat tyre, 11 miles from the start of the stage.

Despite everything everyone completed their stages. Andrew Simpson running for the open men’s team was the first Straggler to finish Stage 1 in 1:32:12 and 19th.

Maritz Freysen was first home on the second stage in 1:07:57 and 13thplace, but Jim Desmond and Sonia weren’t far behind finishing 16th and 17th respectively.

Team captain Chance Rowan led the way on Stage 3 finishing 15th in 1:19:12, while Maddie Garner was first to finish on Four, in a time of 1:33:47 and as third fastest woman on that stage.

Austin Molnar finished inside the top 10 at 9th on stage 5 in 1:27:01 while Nicky Hornzee was 2nd fastest woman and 21st.

Malcolm Calder was our first finisher on 6 while Duncan McConnell led the Stragglers home on stage 7. They finished 12th and 9th respectively.

Crispin Allen was ranked highest on Day One, finishing 6th on stage 8 while Adam Davies was first to finish and 14th on stage 9.

Rob Chambers matched this on stage 10 finishing in 1:08:43 while Martin Vivian was the first Straggler home on 11, the final stage of the day.

Standings after stage 11 showed the open men’s team 12th and 4th in their category, the Vets at 27th spot and also 4th among the vets teams, while the women were 3rd and 31st team overall.

Roll on Sunday!