Southampton Running Club's more experienced runners take to the streets of Birmingham this weekend trying to make an even bigger impact in the National Veterans' Relays at Sutton Coldfield.

They are taking teams in both the vet 40 and vet 50 age groups with hopes of making strong improvements on a promising 2005 showing - their vet 40 team finished 21st of 80 teams and the vet 50s were 17th of 50.

The vet 50 squad looks to both past relay members and some fresh blood in order to target a top-ten finish.

The squad includes Martin Benning, Ian Richardson, Neil Hotson, Keith Taylor, Dave Carter, Martyn West, and Richard Walley to battle over the six consecutive legs of 5km.

The younger men, the vet 40s, are waiting on fitness tests to finalise their squad line-up but are ideally looking to Jon Grainger, Graham Bungay, Peter Costley, Adam Bridge, Mark Gregory, Vitto Raucci, Malcolm Riddle and Ian Whitcher to compete for the elusive top 20 place this year.

The following day the club stage their Netley 10K at Victoria Country Park, starting at 10.30am.

The long-term race director, Richie Pearson, expects to be missing on Sunday as instead he will be running in the 50th Isle of Wight Marathon, a very popular race in the UK calendar.