That was March

Sidmouth Runners finish March in style

Sidmouth Running Club welcomes runners of all abilities and experience and the last week in March saw a whole range of runners in action.

During the week night runs the Club celebrated another cohort of beginners completing their New Year programme by running three miles nonstop. With a few runners to go more than 20 beginners of all ages have now achieved this important milestone in their running development. They will now join club runs on Monday and Wednesday evenings with the opportunity as the evenings draw out to join the off-road groups running footpaths and lanes in East Devon.

The smiling beginners described themselves ‘proud and motivated’ as they were congratulated by other club members.

 

One of last year’s beginners, David Skinner, completed the Easter Bunny 10k organised by Yeovil Town RRC. Around 450 runners followed a waterlogged route around the villages of West Camel and David, who is now a seasoned Park Runner was pleased his time over this longer distance of 1:08:27 and 338th position, and an enormous bunny medal.

 

Following some cracking marathon training runs from the boys the previous weekend the girls were not to be outdone and pulled out all the stops for the Easter weekend. Kerry Boyle and Clare Ashby stormed around their final long training run on a course that started at Countess Wear and followed the River Exe up to Exwick, then downstream to Starcross, and finally back up to Countess Wear. They completed their 20 mile route at an average 8.22 minutes per mile, with a negative split and three minutes faster than their last long run. With all the hard work done now Kerry and Clare are looking forward to easing back the training and saving their legs. Clare Ashby said ‘we have got three weeks to go until the London Marathon and we are more than ready to taper!’

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Posted in SRC

Sunday Explorers

Two great Sunday Runs

Great club outing. Coach to Seaton then 12 miles back along the Coastal Path. The coach then carried on to Colyton for 14 miles back along the East Devon Way. A day to remember.

 

Bowood House Tri

Bowood House Sprint Triathlon

Four of Sidmouth Running Club’s lady members, Becky Robson, Jane Hemsworth, Sarah Watkins and Helen Palmer had an early start on Sunday heading up to Bowood House in Calne, Wiltshire to take on the Sprint distance Triathlon taking place there for the fifth year.

The Sprint comprises a 750 metre fresh water lake swim, followed by a mile uphill run to the transition area where competitors race to climb out of their wetsuits onto their bikes. The 21k fast bike ride around the wilder parts of the grounds begins with a few technical corners and hill climbs to enjoy before the descent on each lap. The route loops around Bowood Golf course, Osprey Farm and Lord Lansdowne’s private drive which is inhabited with game fowl. Returning to the transition area once again the competitors change into running shoes for the 5K hilly but scenic run around the stunning gardens and waterfalls.

Becky has been competing here since the event started in 2013 and has watched it grow over the years. There are quite a few rules within the sport with a penalty of disqualification if you forget them so it keeps you focused.

Becky was first home with split times of swim 22:42, bike 48:40, run 28:28 with T1 & T2 a combined time of 1:41:09.

Jane, swim 31:18, bike 54:13, run 26:33 with T1 &T2 a combined time of 1:53:21.

Sarah, swim 25:38, bike 59:20, run 30:38 with T1 & T2 a combined time of 1:57:34.

Helen, swim 31:15, bike 54:13, run 30:31with T1 & T2 a combined time of 1:57:34.

Both Sarah and Helen were very pleased with their times as Sarah has been recovering from an operation over the last few months and this was Helen’s first triathlon. Standing proudly on the podium in their Mighty Green shirts complete with medals and suntan they all vowed to return next year in greater force.

There were 186 finishers.

The Grizzly

The GRIZZLY

The Grizzly, what can you say about this 20 mile multi terrain race? Renowned as one of the toughest going, that takes in shingle beaches 3 times, river runs twice, hills many, muddy woodland trails, no make that very wet and muddy, flint paths, fields, and not forgetting the two bogs and the famous Stairway to Heaven. A race that sold out 2000 places in a matter of hours back in September and is greatly oversubscribed, attracting runners from all over Europe, well one word, FANTASTIC.

Fantastic organisation by Axe Valley Runners, start by the Town Cryer, route, views, marshals, supporters all around the course, entertainers, water and food stations, competitors and the fantastic 25 Sidmouth Running Club members nearly all resplendent in their Mighty Green Club shirts who took on the challenge.

Of the 1573 that started the main race 1569 finished, with the Club having 6 runners in the top 500. Danny Painter 109th in 3:00:33 (last year142nd in 3:02:19), Antony Hall 124th in 3:03:09, Gary Anning 317th in 3:26:48, Nigel Maeer 419th in 3:35:19 followed by Julian Bartlett in 3:37:40 and Mark Welland in 3:37:48. This is the second race in a row that Danny has just gone over the hour mark by just a few seconds, third time lucky Danny.

Other club results Susie Perry 3:49:26, Carine Silver 3:48:26, Alan Colwill 3:55:03, Charlotte Forrer 3:58:24, Katie Kent 4:03:14, Naomi Garrick, 4:04:35 who ran dressed as a Strawberry in preparation for her attempt at the world record for the Guinness Book of records at the upcoming London Marathon.

Simon Hollyer 4:06:46, Rocker Sheppard who last year took the ambulance to the finish when an injury got the better of him at Seaton Hole managed to finish this year in 4:12:11, Becky Robson 4:23:47, Lynda Hawkins 4:27:33, Jonathan Dale 4:38:52.

The Rusty Runners, Helen Palmer, Cathy Keast, Moncia Read, Terry Bewes along with Janice Ranson and David Wright all ran the course together and finished in 4:48:39.

We had 2 runners amongst the 494 that started the 10 mile Grizzly Cub Run, Suzi Rockey 2:03:36 and Sarah Burston 2:06:54. Suzi was outstanding when you consider that only a few weeks ago she was hobbling around on crutches.

A feature of this race is the tree of remembrance where runners can tie a ribbon to it in memory of someone. This year it was particular moving and emotional to see Debbie and Don by the tree as runners tied their ribbons in memory of Debbie’s 19 year old son Sam who recently died so tragically.

Another great Grizzly and we all look forward to the next one.

Seaton Parkrun

Seaton Parkrun

Parkrun is phenomenally successful in getting people of all ages and abilities out of the door early on a Saturday morning to run 5k in their local park. Parkruns are free, timed 5k events, not races and are held at 9am every Saturday morning in 431 locations around the UK. Now Parkrun has come to Seaton!

Last Saturday, a cool but bright windy morning was the 3rd week of this event and saw 115 people taking part. The course is almost entirely flat consisting of 2 laps of the esplanade. The only unusual and challenging aspect of the course is the short stretch of pebbles along the beach at one end of each lap and a short stretch at the finish.

There has been a Sidmouth Running Club member in each of the 3 events so far. In the first, Suzi Rockey ran 27:43 and in the second Jane Hemsworth ran 24:52; Carol Hounsell who only joined the Club a couple of months ago and ran with the two mile group also ran in the second event in a time of 32:19. Now wearing the Club’s Mighty Green vest she has over the last couple of weeks moved up to the four mile group and then knocked almost 3 minutes off her time last Saturday by running a personal best of 29:37. Rob Edwards also ran last Saturday in 23:47 with his step-daughter Katy 29:15 and 10 year old grandson Stanley 29:00, both of whom ran more slowly than usual, but then the views are a distraction.

Another nice feature about Parkrun is that the results give everyone an age/sex adjusted score so that times can be easily compared, therefore we can see that Jane Hemsworth has the best performance so far for a Sidmouth runner.