Midland 6 Stage Men & 4 Stage Ladies road relays
SEVERN AC's young internationals Josh Lilly and Tim Dalton ran fast times in the Midland Road Relay Championships at Sutton Coldfield.
Boosted by these runs, along with solid back-up performances from the rest of the team, Severn finished seventh to better their previous best of 11th and setting a new club record in the process.
Held over three and three-quarter-mile laps, opening leg Gary Hope kept the team close to the leaders so Lilly and Dalton could pace themselves past fast runners.
Hope was 15th in a personal best of 18 minutes, 55 seconds, while Lilly equalled his best area time of 17.46 on lap two.
"It was helpful being able to focus on a succession of runners ahead, but I probably went off too fast," said Lilly,
His time was the fifth-fastest of the day and improved the club to fourth, 61 seconds behind leaders Bristol and West.
Dalton needed a mile to move past OWLS into third. He closed on Coventry in second place and almost overtook them, finishing 15 metres adrift.
Severn were 41 seconds behind leaders Bristol and West, with Dalton's time (17.34) the day's fourth fastest.
Lap four saw Simon Fortnam keep Severn well on track to beat their previous best, as he ran 20.16 to come home sixth.
Seventeen-year-old Gareth Howells, who only started running March, demonstrated he can manage 'big time' racing by clocking 20.33 and dropping just one place.
Dave Lander anchored the club with a 20.22 lap, holding off challenges by Bristol B and Cheltenham to keep seventh.
Team manager Rob Cytlau is optimistic about the team's future.
"They should all improve in the month up to the National on October 18," he said.
Severn's ladies' team, running four laps of three miles, qualified for their national championships.
Jo Fletcher led off and placed 19th in 16.34, a personal best.
On lap two Lucie Woodyatt smashed her best by 40 seconds, improving the club to 11th with a time of 16.03.
City schools champion Rachel Underhill made her senior debut with a lap of 19.37 for 24th, and the team were anchored by Jo Davis (20.33) to maintain the qualifying place.
MIDLAND ROAD RELAYS, SENIOR MEN (6 x 3.75 Mile): 1 Bristol/West 1:46.46, 2 Notts AC 1:48.20, 3 Coventry Godiva 1:49.33, 7 Severn AC 1:55.28 - 15 Gary Hope (V40) 18.55, 4 Josh Lilly 17.46, 3 Tim Dalton 17.34, 6 Simon Fortnam 20.16, 7 Gareth Howells (U20) 20.33, 7 Dave Lander (V40) 20.22, Severn B - 69 Stephen Hale 22.00, 93 Joe Cowdell (U20) 26.29, 96 Mike Anderton (V50) 31.31.
Ladies (4x3 miles): 1 Charnwood 59.55, 2 Bristol/West 61.16, 3 Telford 61.29, 25 Severn AC 72.47 - 19 Jo Fletcher 16.34, 11 Lucie Woodyatt 16.03, Rachel Underhill (U20) 19.37, 25 Joanne Davis (V40) 20.33.
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