Hunts Warriors Team
Windy, warm and undulating terrain. Four juniors from Denise’s training group ran, along with Matthew Bone, David Johnson and Luke Clifford.
Natty Clifford (U18B) was 1st leg 8.8 miles and was 4th fastest on his leg with 50:35 (5:45 per mile).
Jake Johnson (U16B) was 2nd leg 16th overall in 34:32 (4.2 miles)
Jack Bone (U16B) was on the 5th leg the FASTEST runner on that leg overall with a time of 29:17 over the 4.7-mile course
Ethan Locke (U18M) was 13th overall on leg 6 over 7.6 miles distance 51:10.
The team finished 9th overall out of 47 finishing teams.
Hunting the Baton – Race Report (A Tale of Grit, Glory & Questionable Pacing Decisions) – by Ben Nash
The sun rose over the Green Wheel Relay with optimism, excitement… and at least one team member quietly wondering why they’d signed up for this in the first place. Enter Hunting the Baton (Hunts AC Road Running Section) armed with determination, teamwork, and just a hint of regret.
Stage 1 (8.8 miles) – Colette Guinea (1:05:09) led the charge with a solid opener, setting a steady tone while the rest of the team nervously checked their watches and questioned their life choices. Stage 2 (4.2 miles) – Richard Roberts (37:24) wasted no time injecting some serious pace into proceedings, dragging the team firmly into positive territory. Spirits lifted. WhatsApp messages started flying. Suddenly, this felt real. Stage 3 (6.4 miles) – Ross Griggs (48:35) delivered a strong, controlled run to keep the team right in the hunt; despite a surprise mid-race cameo from a herd of cows, proving once and for all that cross-country hazards are alive and well.
Stage 4 (8.8 miles) – Steven Lewis (1:35:34) Then came that leg. The long one with added mileage. The one that turns legs to jelly and smiles into grimaces. Steven took it on with grit and determination in what can only be described as a heroic effort (enjoyment not guaranteed). Stage 5 (4.9 miles) – Pauline Stocker (44:31) responded perfectly, bringing composure and strength after the big leg. A steady, determined run that kept the team firmly competitive.
Stage 6 (7.61 miles) – Ben Nash (59:07) By this point it was less “running” and more “forward survival,” but Ben dug deep to hold everything together heading into the finale. Stage 7 (5.7 miles) – Ellie Smith (47:59) brought it home in style with a composed final leg, sealing the team’s effort with pride—and almost certainly an immediate need to sit down.
With a total time of 6:18:40, the team finished joint 20th out of 54 teams; a strong showing in a competitive field and a result built on consistency, teamwork, and plenty of resilience.
Of course, no relay effort is complete without the people behind the scenes: Joe Kirens, who cycled the entire 50-mile route providing invaluable support (and probably questioning his life choices too). Hilary, Matt, and Mary, who expertly handled the logistics, transport, and general chaos of moving runners around all day. Without them, the team might still be standing at the start line wondering what to do next.
“Hunting the Baton” didn’t just take part, they chased the race down with determination, humour, and a healthy tolerance for discomfort. A brilliant team effort, a great day out, and plenty of stories to tell. Next year? Well… let’s just say there’s definitely time to find a few minutes.