Autumn Training on track at Sidmouth Running Club

Sidmouth Running Club Members have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather and spectacular local trails to get some off road training miles in ahead of the winter series of local trail events.

20 club members, led by Head Coach Tim Mitchell, are spending Wednesday evenings on a 10 week programme focussing on technique, pace and stamina for off road running. Putting some of that learning into practice group members were out and about running the footpaths and lanes this weekend.

Hamish Spence led one group, consisting of Bert Dykema, Cath Miller, Paula Farrand, Polly Walton, Kerry Boyle and guest Sam. This group planned 7-8 miles but setting off from the Sailing Club their route by the golf course to Mutters Moor, Ladram Bay and back to Port Royal turned it into a 9.5 mile run.

Meanwhile it took a bit of teamwork to navigate another group consisting of Terry Bewes, Sue Colman, Kate Johnston, Debbie Marriott, Monica Read, Cathy Keast and Don Cawthera. The planned route up the Otter from Newton Poppleford to Ottery and then up along East Hill to White Cross and down through Harpford Woods was spectacular, but longer than planned. Terry Bewes said ‘It was a fantastic route encompassing fields, lanes, river bed, woods and views to die for but closer to 12.5 miles than the planned 9-10!’

‘We are preparing well and hoping Sidmouth Running Club will be out in force at the upcoming local events – the Bicton Blister on 27 November and the Otterton Reinder Run on 2 December.’

Both events have different distances on offer and a warm welcome for runners of all abilities.

What a great turnout last night for the first of the winter runs from the Club with over 50 turning out. We welcomed 2 new members Sam and Darryl, two ladies who did not understand Devonshire and I did not understsnd them! Good to see John Hounsell and a few others back with us. Tim’s Technical Sessions got off to a great start and a big thank you to the run leaders who made what could have been a bit of a mess a great success by taking the runs at the last minute. Thank you all. Photos Tim Mitchell‘s group and the 4 and 5 mile group who caught up for a chat.

Sidmouth Running Club

Sunday saw the last of the Four Trigs training sessions before the big day on February 5^th. Fifteen Sidmouth Running Club members and two dogs set off from the car park at Knowle to run the Beacon Hill Trig down and through Harpford woods, up Back Lane across Muttersmoor to the cliff and onward to the Trig at the top of High Peak, retracing their steps to the top of Peak Hill then back through the woods, across the golf course and back to the start.

Nine and a half miles in total with over 1500 feet of elevation gain. All three of the training runs have been in ideal conditions with no rain, conditions we hope for on the day.

On Saturday the Mighty Green will be at the Blackdown Beast starting from Dunkerswell.

Sunday 29^th January is the coach to Colyton and run or walk back the East Devon Way, a 12 or 15 mile option. Spaces are still available, contact Terry.

SIDMOUTH Running Club

With the last of pre-Christmas 10K races now over, our thoughts and training now focus on the post-Christmas and New Year races and runs. Most of these are long distance runs from 16 miles to marathons along with the odd half marathons and 10Ks thrown in for good measure.

We start on the 29th December with the Bridgwater to Taunton canal run of 16 miles before starting the New Year with the Blackdown Beast 16 miles, then the Four Trigs 16.5 miles, the Grizzly 20 miles, JP’s Exe to Axe 22 miles, the Taunton and London marathons, the Delicious Dart 16 miles and the Salcombe Coastal marathon taking us to the end of April.

The training programme for these events started last Sunday when 14 members boarded the coach and headed to Exmouth Rugby Club where 13 ran the coastal path back to Sidmouth, 14miles. It was cold and foggy when we left Sidmouth and even worse when we got to Exmouth.

Starting to run around the estuary, harbour and promenade the fog was so thick you could not see the sea. But by the time we got to the other end at Straight Point the fog had cleared, the sun had come out and coats, hats, gloves and one layer of t-shirts came off. The remainder of the run back was like a spring day, it was hard to believe this was December.

Our other member Rob Edwards who is recovering from a knee problem decided that the hills may be too much so he decided to run the other way up the river to Exeter and in the interest of safety he carried his railcard and bus pass. The weather was not so kind to him being cool and foggy all the way but the rewarding cappuccino at Exeter Quay soon warmed him up.

The New Year will also see the start of the 8 week beginner’s course, January 4th where our leaders will endeavour to have you running 2 miles by week 8. As we are a running club not athletic club, we run for fun and enjoyment. Age is not a barrier, our current members range from 9 year old to seniors in their seventies.

We would also like to extend an invitation to the various independent runners we meet during our runs to come and experience a couple of free runs with us and see the difference running with a club can make.

For the 10K runners we will be holding an eight week training programme aimed at Beginners, those doing their first 10K, Improvers, who have done one or two and want to improve their times and Experienced ones. Busy but exciting times lie ahead for the club.

See web site for details.

On Sunday we ran a new route which was surely the most scenic and panoramic we have done. The weather was perfect, sunny, warm and clear. You could see through SIDMOUTH gap to Haldon and beyond to Dartmoor and High Peak and beyond to Budleigh and Torbay.

If the woods have bluebells in them it will be stunning and one to check out in the New Year. And only 9.5 miles.

The sun setting on the 6 mile group last night. A fitting image as last night was the last off-road training run of the year on a Wednesday evening. So it is back to the Sailing Club and the roads over winter. The last off-road Monday run of the year is next Monday over at Otterton.

A lovely evening and it was on the hill over at Ladrum Bay when the 6 milers were finally caught by the 6 plus group.

What a colourful bunch. “The Sunday Long Run Series”, Emma’s title and I liked it, got off to a good start and we were pleased to welcome Polly Walton and Charley Forrer to the group.

To start the series we had a six mile run from Newton Pop down the Otter and back. The photo was taken at the half way point 3 miles down the river but to my amazement all were adamant that as they were enjoying it so much we should carry on down to Otterton. What could I do but agree so we ended up doing 8 miles.

He who wields the pen or in this case the keyboard! You can all relax as Helen is leading an 8 mile run from Newton Pop next Sunday