The U13 teams were up first and once the blue and yellow face paint was applied the team headed to the start line. First up was the boys with Oscar, Charlie and Thomas ready to roll. This is a very strong team and with a chance to place highly. Oscar led off and was stone last at the start having being put at the back by the marshals on the start line. The first 500m was torrid skipping in and out of people trying to gain places and after getting to 3rd at the half way point gradually lost places and finished 6th in a time of 13:49 which was 12 seconds slower than his time last year. Considering the dreadful last month of football related injuries, this was a remarkable run! Charlie took on the reigns for our second leg and gradually worked his way past runners and overtook the Wolves and Bilston second team to get us into 3rd on the road at the end of his leg. Charlie looked strong at the 3k point and kept pulling further clear of the W&B lad all the way to the end in a time of 14:22. Last up on the third leg was Thomas. Thomas was running a great leg but was caught by one of the UKs best U13 long distance runners. Once he was passed, Thomas stuck with him until the final sprint when Thomas enabled ‘Beast Mode’ and sprinted to the finish getting us the bronze medal in a time of 13:51. Surely it can’t get any better than that can it?

Next up were our U13 girls, Selina, Roni and Lucy in team one and Arya, Amelie and Eva in team two.

Team one, Selina led us off and ran a remarkable leg considering she is a multi event athlete and mainly a sprinter. Selina smashed it and dug in deep to get us across the line in 7th in a time of 15:56. Selina handed over to Roni who’s leg can only really be described as ‘special’ Roni went from 7th to 1st, piercing through the pack like a hot knife through butter and handed over to Lucy around 30 seconds in the lead in a time of 14:15. This was an astonishing leg from Roni! Lucy who is one of many fell runners in our club kept up a great cadence and looked great passing me at 3k and she went on to increase the lead and bring home the glory on the glory leg in a time of 16:44. The U13 girls midlands champions are Shrewsbury AC and what makes it even better is all three of these girls are lower years and can do this same race again next year.

Team two- first up was Arya who ran her socks off running a great leg keeping herself in the middle of the pack crossing the line in 21st in 17:16. Arya handed over to Amelie who ran past me at 3k still around the middle of the pack and she said to me “How long left?” She pulled her socks up and marched to the line and handed over to Eva in 18th in a time of 17:07. Eva ran a very good race and had a really good battle at the end with another athlete and looked very strong during her run. Eva made up two places and brought us across the line in 16th place in a time of 17:27.

Next up was our U15 girls team of Chloe, Megan and Emma-Jayne. There were high hopes of a top 10 finish as this is another strong team. Chloe led off and was in the lead until 3k when she was passed by another girl. Chloe was not to be denied and powered up the hill to hand over to Megan in 1st in a time of 13:46. Megan went off fast and kept us in the fight and whilst being caught by some of the very big clubs was able to cross the line and hand over to Emma-Jayne in 4th place in a time of 16:16. Emma-Jayne had another great run for the club and was involved a sprint finish passing one runner right on the line to finish us in 6th in a time of 16:43.

Last up was our U17 boys team of Jake, Sam and Toby, by this time we were trying to arrange the presentations for the U13s teams, so most of us were rounding up the young ones. I know Jake (13:24 - 18th), Sam (13:56-17th) and Toby (14:09-18th) ran great legs and were very competitive and did our club proud and finished in 18th place.

For a small club, we did very well and both Roni and Chloe were fastest runners in their respective age groups with Oscar having the 9th fastest leg and Thomas having the 11th fastest leg.

This could be the best junior team performances ever achieved by Shrewsbury Athletic club.

Very well done to all the juniors and also the seniors who competed afterwards on a special day for the club. A second place for our masters ladies team and a third place for our masters men was amazing.

Report and pics by Jamie Adams