Essex Way Relay 2024!

2 September 2024 - By Jodee Mayer

Another glorious (i.e, far too warm) day we had at the Essex Way Relay.

Thanks to everyone that responded to my 9 million posts, we got 3 teams out this year spread from Epping to Harwich (approx 82 miles split into 10 legs) with start times throughout the day.

Pre-race

Leading up to the day, DJ, Ian Lucas, and Graham Eyre did a few recces of the leg we manage, leg 5, the route taking runners from Cressing to Great Tey.

As part of this recce they did some needed pruning and, crucially, checking there weren’t any amendments to the route caused by the two new solar panel areas.

This is a crucial part of us being able to manage Leg 5, and our gratitude to DJ, Ian and Graham for giving up their time.

Leg 5

Steven Alder kindly stepped forward to manage Leg 5 again this year.

We had a strong team of volunteers, but sickness and some forgotten diary clashes meant that some kind folk stepped up at the last minute to help Steven get everything ready, send the runners off, and count them back in with, I expect based on the picture of Ross below, some much needed water!!

 

 

Huge thanks to Steven and our team of volunteers:

Set up: Mick Conroy and Damien Walsh. As some of you will have seen, Damien and his family also set up an impromptu water station (which I am certain the runners were grateful for!) and also marshaled the A120 road crossing!

Ending: Andrew Read, Angela Read, Karen Flowers

As above, we couldn’t manage a leg without the volunteers, and a huge thanks to you all.

Results

A couple of last minute changes, but we still put 3 full teams out on the Essex Way this year – thank you to each and every one of you.

The conditions were rather warm to say the least – though I don’t think EWR day has been cloudy in the years I have been with the club and perhaps someone with a longer memory can recall if it ever has been!

I don’t have many stories from the trail this year, but know that there were runners who sacrificed their own runs to stick with team mates to ensure everyone got through safely – and that is what the EWR is all about.

Having seen him as he finished his leg, a shout out to Harry Solomon who came 10th in his leg, our highest finishing place, having run from home to the start, then after his leg ran to Manningtree to “round up” to 20 miles. Then once off the train, he ran to home as well! I think a couple of our runners marathon training also rounded up their miles, and we are grateful to you for including the EWR in your training plan.

Witham RC Team C came 28th overall, Witham RC Team B came 54th,  and Witham RC Team A came 61st out of 79 teams. Well done to all our runners from the day, here is the individual breakdown of each runner and position:

	WRC A – 41		WRC B – 42		WRC C – 43
Cat Pos	47		40		19
Pos	61		54		28
1	48	Celine Elson	41	Hannah Watson	37	Andy Watson
2	73	Steven Alder	72	Sian Tate	38	James Attenborough
3	67	Kerry Townsend	65	Karen Flowers	66	Shane Ketteridge
4	63	Christine Israel-Jones	58	Clarice Sanderson	15	Andrew Smith
5	56	Ross Silverton	54	Lisa Leader	20	Youssef Oucouc
6	58	Jason Lilley	57	Nat Lilley	34	Glen Waller
7	40	Mick Conroy	22	Terry Alabaster	10	Harry Solomon
8	59	Jodee Mayer	58	Jenny Layley	60	Jonathan Moore
9	38	Ian Lucas	37	Annalise Tye	37	Graham Eyre
10	37	David Jobling	35	Nadia McLeod	19	Dean Whittaker

A massive well done to our runners and volunteers. Another succesful day!

Looking forward to next year already!

JM