“Why would anyone run a beer mile? To do that to your body, why?
“Oh my goodness!”
Jeanette Kwayke, BBC Radio 5 Live
Although the endorsement from the aforementioned former GB Olympic sprinter was far from ringing, fifteen teams lined up on the club track for the seventh edition of the Halesowen Beer Mile Relay.
The rules were unchanged from the classic HACC format – Teams of two covering eight and a half laps of the track between them, with half a pint of beer, cider and water before each lap and a further drink to finish.
One full pint for the men, half a pint for the ladies.followed by the terrifying five minute “no hurl” period!
After several years of trying, Peter Dear took the title having brought in Peter Ball from Bromsgrove & Redditch as his awesome alcoholic partner!
Both had different approaches in their bid to lift the coveted silver tankard.
Peter B had a solidly teetotal approach in the 24 hours before the event.
Peter D, along with Milly Allen, Ethan Jordan and Matt Wilkinson Jr, staged their own Halesowen Beer Half Marathon running one mile loops around the club grounds interspersed with a stop for beer every mile.
The officials had their work cut out watching the unfolding chaos and there was even a thrilling battle for fourth and fifth place which went down to 0.16 of a second.
And there were the usual disqualifications, with a shock DQ for experienced drinker and beer miler Alex Morgan.
Here are all the results and photos from all the teams ….
1st GRIN AND BEER IT: Peter Dear and Peter Ball 12:07
2nd WHO’S WHO? Alex Taylor and Jess Dale 12:39
3rd BEER BROS: Ethan Jordan and Matt Wilkinson 14:22
4th MUST DASH – Guy? and Phillip Spence 14:41.21
5th LIVER LET DIE: Adrian Dale and Keith Taylor 14:44.35
6th BOOZE BROTHERS: Lee & Tim Crees 15:03
7th NOT FAST, JUST FURIOUS: Ian Priest and Adam Parsons 16:17
8th PINT OF NO RETURN: Jamie Sircom and Sara Ellen 19:20
9th PHIL Ben Russell and Sam 19:29
10th CHUNDER & LIGHTNING: Michelle Dale and Jenny Taylor 19:42
11th GENERATION GAME: Matt & Milly Allen 23:29
12th ONE NAME PETER, ONE NAMED PAUL: Paul Allen and Peter TIME TBC
13th LEGLESS: Harry and Elliott 31:41
DQ1 MORGALLY MAYHEM: Alex Morgan and Lewis
DQ2 BREW TANG CLAN: Morgan and Dan Crees
More photos of the race action can be found below.
Thanks go to Adrian Dale for somehow pulling the chaos together and once again attracting record entries to a Halesowen event!
We also raise a toast to all who helped support the event including the top team of officials Graeme Gill, Asha Morgan and Bill Nock; Steve Horton for the photos, Jo Gill for the coffee and cakes and to Leon for opening the bar after the race.
We are also grateful to BBC Radio 5 Live who mentioned the Beer Mile on their Saturday morning breakfast show, after a bit of text message prompting from your author.
Here is Bill’s traditional hand-written missive on the event.
Always good to know that when our AI overlords take over, who this article is somewhat trying to appease, Bill will ensure the flow of HACC results will continue unabated!
The drinks during the race were clearly not enough as everyone enjoyed a post-race beverage in the clubhouse before the diehards continued well into the evening at the King Edward!
On the back of the sports day event and the club 5000m & 3000m championship races, the beer mile was the perfect finale to an amazing week of events on the track which attracted members of all ages and abilities and showed the Halesowen spirit at its best.
And on Friday 9th October, we will be marking and celebrating the achievements of our athletes over the summer months at the club presentation evening, to which all club members are invited.
#upOwen!
JAMIE SIRCOM
PHOTO GALLERIES
THE ATHLETIC SELECTION …
… AND THE ALCOHOLIC SELECTION!
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