On a sunny first Sunday of September, almost half of GFDR members took part in one of the club’s favourite events of the year, the Essex Way Relay.
An all-day event starting in Epping and finishing in Harwich, the Essex Way Relay is a ten-legs team race where a different runner covers each leg. The finishing positions of runners from each team are tallied up, and the team with the fewest points wins.
GFDR had 4 teams on the field: two men’s teams, one women’s team and a mixed one.
The club’s highest placement before this year had been a 3rd place in 2022, and expectations were high with so many runners recording PBs this year.
In 2nd spot until leg 9, trailing an incredibly strong Southend A, the GFDR A team were able to capitalise on an unlucky leg from the Southend runner and get into leg 10 in front. The final leg ended up a triumph lap with a large group of GFDR runners cheering the finishers on and lifting the first Essex away trophy in the club’s history.
From a total 74 teams, GFDR’s other 2 men’s teams finished 10th and 29th, and the women’s finished 4th in the female category.
Overall a fantastic day, and the club would like to thank everyone involved with the event.
