Sidmouth show of strength at the Devon Schools’ Cross Country

Some of the town’s younger runners, including some from the junior section of Sidmouth Running Club, were in action at the Devon Schools’ Cross Country event last Saturday at an exceptionally muddy Stover School. Brilliantly organised, the course was set-up to provide race distances ranging from 2.2 km to 6.5 km. The course map included a lap of what was affectionately titled ‘Torture Field’ where the energy-sapping mud was arguably at its worst!

To even make it to the start line the athletes had already come through two rounds of selection; firstly at Bicton for East Devon then at Blundells for the joint Exeter and East Devon team. All the runners did the town proud in very difficult conditions.

From the Running Club, Joe Ashby, Josh Miller, Kate Marriott, Toby Garrick, Will Ashby and Tommy Reardon swapped green vests for blue to take on the challenge. This was ‘proper’ cross country with all runners having to run laps of a brutal course which started very muddy and quickly deteriorated through the day! All runners can be extremely proud of themselves for digging deep and producing inspiring performances. Excellent Sidmouth performances were delivered by Tara Darlami (Minor Girls), Kate Marriott (Inter Girls), Joe Ashby and Ollie Beech (Junior Boys), Josh Miller and Will Bond (Inter Boys), Rory Morgan and Will Ashby (Senior Boys). Particular congratulations were due to Josh Miller (9th) and Toby Garrick who had a storming run to make it onto the podium in 3rd position. Both have qualified for the next round – the South West Championships.

Justin Ashby, a coach with Sidmouth Running Club said, ‘With talented runners such as these, the future is bright for Sidmouth Running Club. Ben Chesters and I look forward to nurturing the talent in our Wednesday night intervals session at the club!’