July is the time to experience the lighter side of Honiton Running Club’s Blackdown Beast-the Blackdown Beauty and four Mighty Greens did just that. Starting from Hemyock Junior School, the self-navigating route took them through the very picturesque Blackdown Hills.
Beauties Ann, Neville, Charlie and Jane
This is very much a social run not a race with a cream tea stop halfway round in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support. SRC’s Jane Hemsworth and Ann Cole were very appreciative of a warming cup of tea having got caught in a downpour, they both ran the 11.75 mile route. Charlie Fawell and Neville Hylton ran the 18.5 mile route which is a great achievement being full of scones, jam and cream!
A rather damp Jane and Ann
The Otter River and Rail 10k and fun run also took place on Saturday organised by Tipton St John Playing Field Association in conjunction with Sidmouth Running Club. It was a case of how many Mighty Greens does it take to fill chairman Terry Bewes’ shoes following another fracture on Monday AFTER the club run. Only 3 weeks back running after four months off following his fall which fractured his elbow, he is now looking at 6+ weeks off running with a fractured ankle; Terry is certainly being tested this year! Terry was very grateful to Brigid McEleney-Smith, Jo Earlam and Alexa Baker who (under his supervision) erected the finish line arch and flags early in the morning ahead of the event. Also stepping up was MG Naomi Garrick who led the warmups before the runs in a very fun fashion and Leeann Thomson who along with Jo were the back runners.
A Mighty Green turn out
Five juniors proudly represented the club in the 2k fun run with Reuben finishing in 9 minutes, Harry 11 minutes, Amelia 12 minutes, Anna 14 minutes and Jack who stopped to help a young boy who had fallen, 22 minutes. They all enjoyed themselves especially the jelly snake at the end!
Twenty Two Mighty Greens enjoyed the 10k run along the river Otter, through Harpford Woods, along the old railway line back towards Tipton, through fields out to Fluxton and along muddy tracks back to the village playing fields. Roger Worthinton was the first male SRC to finish in 51:36, 50th out of a field of 230 runners and Kerry Boyle first female SRC to finish in 53:06. Mighty Greens Catherine Hilton and David King won first local woman finishing in 56:57 and first in MV70 age category in 54:22 respectively and everyone received a bottle of Otter Brewery beer.
The Juniors gather
Results: Roger Worthington 51:36; Colin L’Anson 51:50; Kerry Boyle 53:06; Adrian Harris 53:43; David King 54:22; Catherine Hilton 56:57; Richard King 57:06; Tim Swarbrick 57:15; Yasmin Salter 57:57; Naomi Garrick 59:10; Scott Chown 59:33; Katy Cartwright 59:83; Christine Farnham 1:00:19; Karen Farnham 1:01:12; Sarah Clapham 1:03:18; Brigid McEleney-Smith 1:03:18; Carol Hounsell 1:08:02; Grace Wightman 1:14:02; Marion Johnson 1:17:54; Donna Womersley-Westlake 1:19:45; Hannah Wightman 1:19:48; Emma Grainger 1:22:10