Delicious Drake

The Delicious Drake

Fantastic weather, stunning scenic route, brilliant company and delicious food and drink, these were all experienced by the 15 members of Sidmouth Running Club who had entered the Delicious Drake’s Trail. This is one of the three trails organised by Delicious Trails the others being the Dart and Kernow Trails. These runs are where trail running and food festivals collide with each stunning trail showcasing the best of local food and drink.

There is always a fancy dress theme attached to each race and this time it was sporting legends. Helen Palmer came up with the idea of British Equestrian Riders, this was agreed and Terry Bewes was soon on the doorstep of local Event Olympics medal winner Mary King to get some ideas. From that we soon had a team of 15 scouring local charity shops and the internet to kit ourselves out as dressage, show jumping, and event riders, forming the British Equestrian Team complete with a variety of horses.

The run started at Tavistock College sports centre where the tone for the day was set. Once signed in and our dressage routine, created by Debbie Marriot and Don Cawthera was performed in front of a somewhat amazed audience of other sporting legends, we headed to the toasted oat & almond granola, Autumn fruit compote, yoghurt, apple juice and Plymouth tea, and then we were off.

First stop was for breakfast mimosa with lemon drizzle cake. Next stop bacon & halloumi / mozzarella & squash bites, fruit juices and cider, followed 1 mile later by Sharp’s Cornish Pilsner, next stop was a Devon cream tea with Plymouth tea. Another mile later was Gouda cheese, Devon apple and cider chutney, bread and edible local insects, they were quit yummy! Further on pizza & brioche with Norcotts cider. Next, lavender shortbread and a welcome glass of water.

Then rustic sausages and jail ale followed. Another mile then there was apple cake and more lovely water. The final stop offering salami & smoked beef jerky, Tavy porter ale and would you believe it a whole pig roast! At the finish at the Moorland Garden Hotel you were given a meat patty and cookie medal. And just to make sure you did not go home hungry they had laid on a food festival.

Along the way and where space allowed we performed our routine under the musical directorship of David “the carrot” Wright.

Now you may ask yourself “How can you run after all that?” and the truth is you can’t. The stopping and starting, eating and drinking soon takes its toll and the lactic acid build-up in your legs soon reduces you to walking pace over the last couple of miles, but who cares for this was a day to enjoy and boy did we.

The icing on the cake so to speak was that we won “The Spirit of the Trail” award and the 300 competitors raised well over a £1,000 for the CHICKS charity.

Athlete of the day, Christine on her mount

From a Club point of view the “athlete of the day” was Christine Nichols who wore her blow-up horse costume complete with battery operated fan throughout the day and in that heat it must have been like a sauna. After Christmas we will all move into starvation mode ready for the Dart next March when we hope more Club members will join in.