50 miles: up and running!

Sunday 6 September saw Woodbridge School host the inaugural 50 mile cross country relay on the school cross country course.

This is an event we hope to repeat every year, the Sunday after Speech Day, in which teams of staff and parents take on the students over 50 miles.  The format is simple: seven athletes in a team racing one mile at a time (with the mile loop including the aptly named 'Kill Hill' in the valley), with athletes able to do a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 miles, and rests needed to be between 1 mile and 6 miles after each lap.

The perfect weather played its part with optimal running conditions. The nine team bases (three of students and three of adults vying for the honours over 50 miles, and three junior teams racing each other over 20) were spread around the main fields to aid social distancing and there was a great community feel throughout the day as all did battle.  And the battle was fierce! The level of competition and performance was outstanding throughout the day, and in keeping with the occasion the Student 'A' team were overall winners, but only by two and a half minutes after almost five hours of racing. It was every bit as close amongst the juniors, with all three teams finishing within ten minutes of each other.

Full results:

50 Mile A Race:

1. Students - 4:48:10 (course record is now set).
2. Adults - 4:50:41

50 Mile B Race:

1. Adults - 5:25:21

2. Students - 5:36:26

50 Mile C Race: (with young students athletes, only the adult team did 50 miles and the race was agreed in advance as the first to 35 miles)

1. Adults - 4:07:50 at 35 and 6:00:59 at 50 miles
2. Students - 4:22:22 at 35 miles

Junior 20 Mile Relay:

1. Smiley Milers 2:29:57
2. FOOSS Team 2:35:32 (name includes the first initial of each athlete)
3. Jet Streamers 2:39:49

Congratulations to every athlete and our enormous thanks to timekeepers and other helpers, not forgetting all at Woodbridge School for their help in hosting the event in difficult times.

Every athlete was rewarded with an engraved medal, and there were splendid trophies for each category with a shield to the overall winners.  Undoubtedly, though, the highlights of the prizegiving were the lucky dip chocolate awards available to students only!