Stubbington Green Runners

THE South Downs Way was once populated by Neolithic people, the Celtic settlers and the Saxons. This summer, one of the most picturesque settings on the south coast will be populated by an assortment of runners of all shapes and sizes, wearing an array of colourful garb.

Stubbington Green Runners has won the prestigious 100-mile relay three years on the trot. Last summer, the squad finished four minutes ahead of the opposition to complete the run in a time of 10 hours and 21 minutes.

Men's captain, Chris Hall, is gunning for a fourth successive win, but he is also hoping to field possibly two other Stubbington men's teams. This year's race is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 3rd , and Chris would like to gauge interest by hearing from any Stubbington men who would like to take part.

The South Downs Relay is a unique and highly demanding experience not to be missed, with the six-strong teams following the Countryside Commission's acorn way marks starting at Beachy Head in East Sussex, and finishing at the Chilcomb Sports Ground near Winchester .

The relay consists of 18 legs, so each competitor runs three legs, averaging 16 to 18 miles during the day. The start is staggered with teams setting off every half hour from 6am.

While one member runs, the rest of the squad are riding are minibus taking them to the next leg. It is quite a logistical operation, requiring plenty of advance planning and route recce-ing.

If you are interested in taking part, then contact Chris at hally.pfc@ntlworld.com