RUNNERS Mick Allen and John Perratt, from Sidmouth with Exmouth's Ray Elston, who turned 70 the previous day, won the V70 National Road Race Relay title.

RUNNERS Mick Allen and John Perratt, from Sidmouth with Exmouth's Ray Elston, who turned 70 the previous day, won the V70 National Road Race Relay title in Birmingham, finishing well ahead of second placed Bingley Harriers.Despite suffering nasty injuries when tripped up on the start line, Elston made up good ground over the first leg and completed the section having caught the two V70 teams ahead of him.The second athlete away was Mick Allen of Sidmouth RC and he overhauled the Sutton Coldfield runner to finish the stretch on the shoulder of the Bingley runner.The third man to run, John Perratt, began his stint looking to make up a six second deficit on the Bingley runner Fred Gibbs.Gibbs sported a best time of 11:52 for 3k in 2008, some 27 seconds faster than the best Perratt had managed, but Perratt produced a wonderful run, caught, and passed his opposite number and went on to sail home with a leg time of 20:43 - the quickest time of the day.