While many SRC runners were focused on the Grizzly, Derek Blackburn went all out to tick ‘J’ off his parkrun alphabet. The Mighty Green travelled to Poznan in Poland to run the nearby Jezioro Swarzedzkie parkrun which was a lovely flat route along a river.
Derek with his J
Alice Gill also avoided the muddy hills by taking part in the Bath Half organised by TDL Events. The popular ‘Big City’ race starts and finishes in Bath city centre and is a flat course that hugs both sides of the river Avon. The MG felt strong all the way round and was very pleased with her time of 2:25:09, 4598th out of a field of 8441!
Alice pleased with her Bath Half result
Much closer to home Judith Jeeves and Jane Hemsworth took part in Running Event’s Pie and Pasty Challenge. Starting in Exmouth you have 7 hours to run as many of the 5.3k laps along the disused railway line as you wish. Judith completed a half marathon in 2:33:08 and Jane ran a full marathon in 5:21:10, great training for her upcoming London marathon. Along with their very nice medal they received a well-deserved pasty or pie of their choice.
Judith happy with her pasty and medal
Junior leaders Donna and Grahame Womersley-Westlake had a day to remember on Saturday when they took part in Wild Running’s Race With No Name. Not for the faint hearted this is a 50k East to West traverse of Dartmoor, starting at Trenchford Reservoir and finishing in Tavistock. Donna, who ran the Grizzly the previous week, and Grahame encountered some very extreme weather conditions, 40mph gusts most of the day and 3 hours of painful hailstones battering them. Underfoot wasn’t much better, there was a diversion through the Marine firing range because the trails were too boggy which made their minds boggle considering what they had already run through. They also found themselves scrambling over bushes and rocks when pathways disappeared and had 1900m of elevation to contend with. Despite this and Donna getting stuck in the mud at one point and ‘tobogganing’ down a hill on her bottom when she slipped, the adventurous Mighty Greens finished in 11 hours and 7 minutes.
Donna and Grahame braving the elements
There was no lie in for Donna and Grahame the next day either as their daughter Amelia represented the SRC Juniors taking part in South West Road Runner’s Feighan Fury fun run. The 8 year old Mighty Green completed the 5.5k muddy trail run with 167m elevation in 51 minutes, passing many adults on the hill sections, finishing with a sprint finish 19th out of a field of 38.
Amelia smiling all the way
A week on from running the Grizzly Nikita Kay and Kyle Baker tested their legs at the Weston Super Half. Starting and finishing at The Grand Pier with nominal elevation this is one of the UK’s most unique seafront halves. Instead of the pebbles of Seaton and Branscombe the pair had sand to contend with, 1.5 miles of it, twice, as well as running along the promenade, closed roads and country lanes. Head coach Kyle finished in 1:52:25, 410th out of a field of 1481 and Nikita knocked 15 minutes of her previous half marathon time, finishing in 2:02:28. They each received a medal and a t-shirt and were home before lunch!
Nikita and Kyle at the Weston Super Half
There is still time to get involved with our Junior Fun Run and JP’s Exe to Axe on 6/7th April. Please find more information at www.sidmouthrunningclub.co,uk