Farnham Runners take on the UK’s biggest 24-hour relay race
Six teams from Farnham Runners recently took part in Endure 24, the UK’s biggest 24-hour relay race held at Wasing Park near Reading. The teams completed as many laps as possible of an 8km varied and undulating, mainly woodland trail with stunning scenery in 24 hours.
The weather was perfect during the daylight hours and runners were cheered on by their teammates resting in the sunshine in between laps. Overnight temperatures dropped considerably, making sleep difficult but some runners completed as many as 40 miles throughout the 24-hour period. Despite the tough running on a very challenging course and the lack of sleep, it was a weekend of fun and laughter, friendship and support and an incredible team spirit in the Farnham camp.
Our teams…
Every team was incredibly proud of their results.
Small Team Female category
Little Dream Team 1 with Linda Tyler, Bella Weetch, Phoebe Thomas, Bridget Naylor and Ali Mitchell completed 34 laps to come 1st out of 36 teams.
Close behind in 4th place with 30 laps were Little Dream Team 2 with Colette Grist, Gemma Whitehouse, Candy Waller, Meg Grocott and Billy McCulloch.
In 16th place, were The Sole Sisters with Penny Schnabel, Julia Tagg, Jackie Wilkinson, Carolyn Wickham and Nicola O’Connor, having completed 23 laps.
Small Team Mixed category
In this category, Back for More with Jacquie Browne, Shirley Pererett, Chris Gill, Susan Mackenzie and Rachel Morris ran a total of 23 laps to come 72nd out of 116 teams.
Large Team Mixed category
We had two teams in this category.
The Two Farnhams 2024 with Craig Tate-Grimes, Harvey Wickham, Sue Taylor, Paul Mackie, Mark Maxwell and Emma Dawson ran 32 laps and came 35th out of 149 teams.
Just Here for the LOLs with Gill Iffland, Lizzie Morgan, Alison Lamb, Marisa Luttrell, Mike Carter and Pauline Hamilton completed 28 laps to come 74th.
Some comments from our runners….
Billy McCullough said:
“I feel very lucky to be part of such a great running community”
Bridget Naylor added:
“Great weekend of running – with lots of laughter and hardly any sleep”
Club chairman Nicola O’Connor commented:
“Proud, happy and completely exhausted”
New to the event, Candy Waller, said it was:
“…probably the hardest thing I have ever done”
Carolyn Wickham summed up the weekend:
“As always bloomin’ loved it …. can I go to bed now?”
See the Photo Gallery 2024 for further photos from this event