UKA Gloucester 10mile road race
Also on Sunday the 30th of December, Kirsteen Welch (seen here at the SW X-Country Championships) took part in the UKA Gloucester 10mile road race. There were lots of talented athletes there, so it was a tough competition to take part in.
Kirsteen ran very well and was having a good race in-spite of being sent the wrong way with the front runners by a race marshal! This was frustrating for Kirsteen, however with typical KW determination, she still managed to cross the line to claim the 3rd Lady, 1st for her age group and 23rd out of 408 runners. Her time was 1h:07m:42s, still a great result even with the misdirection adding an extra 0.65 miles.
The next and first challenge of 2019, is to represent Devon this coming Sunday in the Southwest XC Championships with the aim of being selected for the National XC Championships in Loughborough in February.
Sunday Training Continues
With a great turnout on the last Sunday training run of 2018. Twenty two members and three dogs met up at the Sidmouth Rugby Club. With new titanium studded shoes being worn, David Lee was able to show how much looping back can be achieved with good equipment.
David Wright tows The Line along the Canal
David Wright represented the Mighty Greens on Thursday the 27th of December, by taking part in the Taunton Running Club’s fun and friendly annual event, The Bridgewater To Taunton Canal Run. He parked the car up at Taunton railway station to catch the 08:36 to Bridgewater train and run back along the canal path to Taunton. This was sociable event with around 80 other brightly coloured runners getting on the train at Taunton. So with high spirits on and off the train David made the 14.5 mile run back only stopping for the hot soup halfway back. It was a great way to burn off the excesses of the season and finish the running year that was 2018.
What some Mighty Greens did next
A 9:30 start from the Sailing Club, a social run and back in time for the Boxing Day swim.
The 2018 Plym Merry Xmas Trail marathon
The organisers, First And Last Running Ltd normally hold this as a four seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn) event throughout the year. This year they added The 2018 Merry Xmas Plym Trail Marathon. O Sunday the 16th of December two Mighty Green ladies, Jo Earlam and Jane Hemsworth took part.
The race started at Clearbrook, near Yelverton and continued south towards Plymouth along the old railway line, now the Cycle Route 27. It is downhill all the way out, with the turnaround point being Coypool. This meant it was an uphill trek all the way back! The half marathon competitors ran the one circuit. Our two MG ladies took on the full marathon, so they had to do two circuits. It’s a beautiful scenic route on a path shared by walkers, runners, cyclists, cows and sheep! There is no traffic to contend with, making this marathon pleasurable to take part in. The refreshment stations were well stocked with chocolate, crisps, peanuts and satsumas as well as sports drinks and gels! Both ladies ran together giving moral support and were very happy with their finishing times of 4h:47m. Respect goes to both runners with Jane finishing her 22nd marathon and Jo, now having completed 65 marathons in total. Does this qualify her for marathon OAP status? I think it should, but i hope that it doesn’t mean that Jo is going to retire from the marathon scene.
Both ladies enjoyed the well organised event and would really recommend this one. Jo rates it as her favourite so far.
One Way Ticket To Exmouth. Run, Jog Or Walk Back To Sidmouth.
The annual coach trip to Exmouth on Sunday 16th December included 27 SRC members and 4 dogs. The coach made a stop at Budleigh for Christie Ward, Julia Haddrell, Alexa Baker and a few other members, to make their way back along nine miles of the coastal path. Then Janice Long, Greg Ward, John Sharples, Peter Bishop and a Whippet were dropped off at the Exmouth Lifeboat Station for a longer eleven mile jaunt back. The final drop-off point was at Exmouth Rugby Club giving a fourteen mile trek back to Sidmouth. On disembarking the coach, Tim Mitchell and Richard Summerhayes shot off leaving The Rusty Runners (Terry’s words not mine) Monica Read, HelenPalmer, Cathy Keast and Terry Bewes to their more leisurely paced Jog back along the coastal path. There were some heavy showers, lots of mud to wade through and many hills to climb on what was a great day out.
Deb and Don Capering around Cockington
Don Cawthera and Deb Marriott both ran at the Cockington Christmas Caper this weekend. Every year since 2004, Christian charity The Barnabas Sports Trust has organised this event. It was 7.5 miles of mud and hills. Fancy dress was an option and a great route around the footpaths and cycle paths of the Cockington Estate in Torquay. Running the route together they managed placings of 161 and 162 out of 240. Dons time was 1h:32m:31s and Deb’s was 1h:32:39. They still had enough energy after the run for a bit of Christmas shopping at the craft stalls much to Don’s delight!