The 2022 Green Belt Relay was a triumphant return, a new beginning, and a moment to look forward with real anticipation. The 24th addition was three years in the waiting, but as a roar set the leg one runners off from Hampton Court on Saturday morning it felt as if we’d never been away. 220 miles later the forty-four teams were crossing our new finish line at the Bushy Park Sports Club (ironically disrupting yet another cricket match in the process), with talk at the post race party turning to the milestone in 2023 of the silver anniversary race.

 

From a Stragglers team perspective, it was also a great success. We may have left on Sunday night empty handed in terms of trophies, but our finishing positions of eighth (mixed) and 19th (vets) were hugely satisfying given the number of withdrawals in the days leading up to the race.

 

For the vets, who were defending champions from 2019, it was a dramatic Sunday as a battle for second place with Serpentine unfolded throughout the day. At one stage we’d dropped to 27th place overall and third in the vet’s competition, but a number of strong runs in the latter stages saw a charge into the top twenty and second spot behind London Frontrunners. An impressive debut performance from James Bowell, and Kevin Price following up sixth on stage 6 with a 15th on the tough thirteen miler from Lullingstone to Tatsfield were two of many performances of note.

 

The mixed team needed to overcome challenges on day two as well. Less than 4 minutes ahead of Dulwich in sixth place overnight, an injury to team captain Simon Webb halfway through the opening stage followed the previous day withdrawal after leg one of Rob Eveson (Rob finished 10th but was unable to run on the second day). GBR rules permit a runner injured on day one to be replaced by a teammate (therefore running three times), and it was Crispin Allen who stepped up to the challenge. Crispin broke his own V50 record on stage 13 before bringing the team home with a sixth-place finish on stage 22. Richard Baggot’s 6th on the tough stage 4 and a strong debut from Chi Ming Wu across the weekend were just a couple of the many highpoints for our mixed team. Mention also to Eliza Hawthorn who stepped off a plane early on Saturday morning and was still willing to run both days. Find all stage results and leaderboards here.

 

The 2022 Stragglers Green Belt Relay teams were, in day one order:

Mixed – Rob Eveson, Kelly Page, Oliver Bowers, Richard Baggot, Chi Ming (Stephen) Wu, Danny Glebocki, Steve Clelland, Crispin Allen, Eliza Hawthorn, John Cheal and Simon Webb (with Simon Brazil as guide).

Vets: Martin Vivian, Malcolm Fletcher, Ramona Thevenet, Peter Wedderburn, Neil Carrington, Kevin Price, James Bowell, Mary Allen, Abu-Turid Bharwana, Nicole Hambling and Ian Hawkes.  

 

Green Belt Relay is about much more than just running. Team spirit, commitment, and a willingness to support one another are essential parts of a successful weekend. With a number of new faces in this year’s event it was especially pleasing to see this side of the weekend alive and well. For those who stayed overnight we opted for bed in Brentwood, which turned out to be cheaper than the previously used Chelmsford option, with decent quality food in the hotel, and with a number of the GBR organising team also staying here it made for a great evening. Sadly our 10 hours in this Essex town left us no time to visit the Premier Inn-recommended local tourist landmark of a nuclear bunker. We were stretched on Sunday morning with two marshal points to look after, as well as getting runners to their stages. Those involved did a great job, but to have a few more of the team able to support this section of the race would be beneficial next time.

 

Away from Stragglers, Thames Hare and Hounds put in another impressive performance to take the overall and mixed titles. Ranelagh were victorious in the men’s race and Clapham Chasers ended Serpentine’s long run to take the women’s title.

 

There was much high-quality racing to be found, in particular on stage 16 with Hillingdon edging out Thames by 1 second at the summit of the Tatsfield climb – a moment which will live long in the memory.

 

And speaking of memories, 2023 will be the 25th running of the Green Belt Relay, although the actual 25th anniversary has been and gone with the race founded by Stragglers back in 1995. It is a momentous milestone with 13-14 May pencilled in for a race not to be missed.

 

Finally, The Stragglers would like to thank everyone who has played a part in making the return of the Green Belt Relay such a success. Runners, drivers, marshals, timekeepers and the many who play a vital part throughout the year, plus of course Pete and Alex for their tireless leadership of this much-loved event.