SAC - Mile of Miles Champions 2025!

A fantastic evening was had by all at the Mile of Miles event held at the New Forest Academy School in Hardley with the Red & Whites taking Victory by a comfortable margin. 

The event consisted of 10 per team running 1 mile each round the grass track as a relay with each team having a minimum of 3 Ladies per team. 

It was an amazing turn out for the Red & Whites with 2 full teams cheering and shouting each other on as every lap went by. Also not forgetting our brilliant support coaches Noel O’Dowd, Richie Pearson and Pete Haynes with the latter running leg 2 for the B Team and leading by example to the many in attendance from his group. 

Alice Burch and Jon Grainger led the teams off. Alice more than held her own against mostly men with a 5.49 clocking whilst Jon used all his vast years experience to fly through the field in the latter stages with a 5.40 mile for 5th. 

Ellie Monks stormed round leg 2 in a time of 5.12 moving up a couple of places but more importantly closing the gap on the podium places ahead but still some way behind Stubbington Green who laid down the gauntlet early on with a comfortable lead in their bid for the Title. 

Amanda Miles ran a strong 3rd leg (5:50) as did Steve Marcer on leg 4 (5:32) both closing down distance keeping the Red & Whites in the hunt. 

Leg 5 is where things changed significantly as Jez Curtis ate up the ground with a time of 5.06 handing over in the lead to the ever dependable James Smith for leg 6. 

There were strong runs from James (5:19) handing over to fellow M50 training partner Mark Lown (5:30) who in turn passed over to Tom Stevens (5:24) on Leg 8. Tom who celebrated his 35th birthday recently and now joined the SAC veteran ranks put further distance from the chasing teams. 

Callum Olden, our youngest member of the team by some years breezed round with the fastest time of the day in 4:45 to put victory beyond doubt handing over to Matt Risden with a huge advantage and the task of bringing the baton home and in the process running the second fastest time of the day with 4:57. 

Hannah Willson continued her running form from the RR10 series on Leg 3 for the B Team handing over to Clint Whitfield just back from recent injury clocking 6:18 on Leg 4. 

There was some very good consistent strong running from Keith Hollis (6:26), Nigel Wakefield (6:39), Gisela Hoppe (6:22), Matthew Crocker (6:02), Jim Bennett (6:26) and some surprised how fast they ran. 

Special mention must go to Caroline Barnfield running Leg 6 for the B Team as the third lady to complete the team and did remarkably well considering her knee problems. 

As this years Title Winners we now get to play host next year at the Sports Centre where all help will be greatly appreciated to make it a success on and off the track. 

Well done to everyone who ran and supported 

SAC - Mile of Miles Champions 2025!!!! 🔴⚪️🔴⚪️🔴