Mighty Green and park run enthusiast Derek Blackburn planned his travel accommodation to be near the location of the only park run on the equator. Even jet lag, the 7.30am start and the 33o heat didn’t dampen Derek’s enjoyment as he represented Sidmouth Running Club at the East Coast Park park run in Singapore!
Derek flying the MG flag in Singapore
Fellow park run enthusiast, Clive Gilbert, didn’t have a problem with the heat! The Mighty Green ran the Ashton Court park run in Bristol, having ran a 5k warm up beforehand which signalled the completion of his Tommy 10k challenge. Fund raising for the Royal British Legion, Clive had to run 10k a day for 11 days from November1st to Armistice day. Run leader Clive took on this challenge as his son Matt joined the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in April and raised over £150.
Clive celebrating in Bristol
Vice chair Sarah Watkins and Carol Hounsell took part in the Drogo10 organised by SW Runners. The MG duo decided on the first mile to take it slow and steady as they had past many fallen and returning runners who had gone over on the mud! They both enjoyed the hilly, muddy, cross country terrain with stunning views of the Teign Valley and finished in 2:26:02.
Junior run leader Adrian ‘Gripper’ Horne headed up to Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire to take part in the aptly named Sodbury Slog. Organised by Bitton Road Runners the 10 mile route is billed as a lung busting, trainer ruining, hill climbing multi terrain challenge. To commemorate the fallen the race is preceded by 2 minutes silence and the last post. Gripper said it was very wet and cold but despite this enjoyed himself and finished in 2:07:01, 706th out of a field of 1057.
Gripper slogging away
The first Sunday run was another way to ruin your trainers as Sarah Clapham found out! The route from Sidford, down the Byes to pick up the coast path to Weston, into Harcombe (10 miles) and onto Sidbury (13 miles) was full of mud and not made any easier with the persistent rain so there were plenty of slips and trips along the way.
The sea is there somewhere!
The idea of the Sunday runs is to increase your mileage and time on your legs in preparation for the Blackdown Beast, 4 Trigs, Grizzly and the clubs’ own Exe to Axe but it is also very social and gives you an opportunity to meet members of the club you wouldn’t normally run with on a club night.
Blue skies at Weston