Autumn Relays
The Autumn Relays are a 3 person team handicap event for members of Blyth Running Club only, minimum age of 14 on the day and usually takes place over a 2.35 mile course around The Riverside (Kitty Brewster) Industrial estate, normally on a Wednesday evening in October. However, please note that this year we are trialing a new course of 2.5 mile at Cramlington. The meeting point will be the old Cramlington library car park (what three words – reporters.tabs.forks) with the route being entirely off-road on foot/cycle paths.
Start/Finish at 10, Cowley Road, Blyth Riverside Ind. Est., NE24 5TF (adjacent to Timestep Dance Academy)
Entrants must be aged 14 or over on day of event and be fully paid up BRC members
Prizes – the first three teams and the fastest male, female and vets (O35).
History
The event takes its name, unsurprisingly, from the Top House pub near the Sports Centre; the trophy we all run to try and win was donated by them in time for the second event. For the first four years, the event followed a route around Newsham Road, Plessey Road, down Broadway and back along Princess Louise Road. After one or two close calls with traffic daring to get in the way of runners hell bent on winning, or at least catching the person in front, this route was abandoned in favour of the current course after the 1990 race. This was due to concerns over safety, since runners had to cross several roads during the race. From 1991 on, the course has been the one most people are familiar with, around the top end of the Kitty Brewster Industrial Estate. At 2.35 miles this course is slightly longer than the original one, which is why 1989’s winning time is not the course record. Due to problems in the Industrial Estate, the 2011 event was held on an out and back course from Blyth Quayside.
For the first six years there were separate men’s and ladies teams, with prizes for each; from 1993 onwards the teams were mixed, with only one team prize.
FACTS & FIGURES
Course Records
Congratulations must surely go to Steve Gillespie, who has completed 35 of the 37 races. Below is a table listing all runners who have completed 10 or more races.
Both Robbie Barkley and Cath Young (Coultate) have recorded four wins each (Robbie –
During the thirty-seven years of the event, 457 different people have now taken part, running in over 400 teams. The individual figure might be even higher, but results for the first few ladies events are not quite complete.
In 1988, husband and wife pairing Allan and Linda Kenny were winners in both men’s and ladies categories, both running first leg; this was emulated in 1992 by Keith and Christine Willshire, both running the second; since the event is now for mixed teams, this can’t now be repeated.
WINING TEAMS
Cramlington Course (2024, 2.5 Mile)
New Course (1991, Blyth Ind Est, 2.35 Mile)
Original Course (~2.3 Mile)
*In 1989, one team was disqualified after one runner (Michael Cole) took a wrong turn at the top of the course.
Best Times
Cramlington Course (2024 onwards) : 10 best times
Blyth Course (1991-2023) : 20 best times
Blyth Course (1987-1990) : 20 best times