Back in 2017, The Swindon Half Marathon was given a brand new route. A predominately flat and fast course making it ideal for beginners and elites writes Cheryl Boulton.

I had lived in Swindon for 15 years and never entered the Swindon half marathon (due to the old route being so hilly). Now that I’ve lived in Devon for a while and conquered some proper hills, Peak Hill being one of them, I felt it was time to give Swindon a go. I then saw some recent reports on social media, which were suggesting that race directors were unable to make this event work financially and that his would be the last Swindon Half Marathon ever! That was it, the deciding factor, I entered immediately!  

The event starts in the town centre of Swindon, with the new route passing various landmarks of the town, including the notorious Magic Roundabout, The County Ground, the Oasis, the Railways, the McArther Glenn Outlet Village as well as the Old Town before a downhill dash back into the Town Centre to finish line under the big screen of Wharf Green.

I started training on 4th August, with a 7 mile distance run once a week, increasing by a further mile every week with my last long run of 12 miles, being on the 8th of September. 

Before the start, It was great to see so many runners from my previous running club, the Swindon Allstars. Even better was that one of them, Kim Tindskard Christensen, agreed to run with me throughout, but only after agreeing a target of 2:05-2:15. This would prove to be invaluable in helping me cross the line. 

Within 2-3 minutes of setting off at 9.30am, heavy rain began to fall and continued for the duration of the run. Both of us were doing well achieving 6 miles in an hour until the 7.5 mile point where I stepped into a rain filled pot hole outside the Mc Arther Glenn shopping outlet. I twisted my left ankle, went flying and scraped my right arm on the ground as I slid. The pain was horrific but despite a Race Marshall calling for a medic, I managed to get up, wrap my handkerchief around my bleeding arm and continue with the remaining 5.5 miles. My friend was a great support carrying my water bottle, motivating me and encouraging me along (especially at mile 11 at Pipers way. Amazingly I finished in 2h:06m:17s. Resilience, perseverance, a friends encouragement and the wearing of a Mighty Green shirt got me round the remaining 5.5 miles. The question now is-will my ankle heal in time to run the Great West Run on 13th October?

Featured Image: Cheryl Boulton (left) with her friend and Swindon All Stars member Kim Tindskard Christensen after completing the Swindon half Marathon.

The events were organised by Flying Fox Running and the routes took the competitors over the unique Pebblebed Heathland of Woodbury Common. 

Nikita Kay, a new SRC member of just two weeks, having done the couch to 5k using an app on her phone, decided to take on as her first race, the 5k What Came Before. That in its self was brave, but braver still was completing the route having been stung on her backside by an angry wasp! She was not alone in being stung, Suzi Rockey also received one on her butt. Alexa Baker had been given her ticket to this race by Kyle Baker as a Birthday present. She too received a sting to her rear end! David Skinner who has a habit of getting stung by wasps during races had his finger stung…you got away lightly David as your stinger was not a BumBiter! Kyle Baker led the MG’s around the route while Terry Bewes took a more defensive decision to run at the back of the competitors keeping well away from the pesky wasps.

Antony Hall took off right from the beginning of the What Came Before 10k race. He literally shot off leaving all behind him. He sustained his pace throughout the race and held the lead position all the way around. He took first place by over 4 minutes. Christine and Karen Farnham evaded the angry insects and ran the route together.

The 5 mile Night Jar competitors enjoyed being on a moonlight Heathland. Julia Haddrell managed to beat last years attempt by four minutes. Laura Broughton was really pleased to have knocked twelve minutes from her previous attempt and Bex MacDonald also gained a PB time. Kat Hall ran a respectable ‘middle of the field’ race. Dee Lawerence decided it was time to take the plunge and do an event. She chose running 5 miles in the dark and completed it in a very respectable hour. Terry Bewes also took part in the Night Jar in the Sweeper position and ran with Dee.

Tim Swarbrick took on the 10 miler and enjoyed it, so much so, that he took a wrong turning halfway around! He noticed that the competitors that were behind him had all taken a different route…and then the penny dropped! Fortunately he had not gone far off route and only lost a few places.

Results: 

What Came Before 5k…Kyle Baker 6th, 25m58s. Suzi Rockey 18th, 31m31s. Nikita Kay 35th, 37m19s. David Skinner 40th, 39m31s. Alexa Baker 43rd, 41m39s. Terry Bewes 46th 43m59s.

What Came Before 10k…Antony Hall 1st Male, 1st MV40 in 43m38s. Christine Farnham 18th, 31m31s. Karen Farnham 26th, 1h00m05s.

Night Jar 5 miles…Kyle Baker 12th, 44m58s. Becky MacDonald 19th, 47m45s. Laura Broughton 29th, 51m05s. Kat Hall 35th, 53m29s.

Julia Haddrell 59th, 58m58s. Doreth (Dee) Lawrence 70th, 01h06m41s. Terry Bewes 71st, 01h06m42s.  

On Saturday the 14th of September, Adrian Horne took part in the Hospice Wild Tri Extreme on Dartmoor writes Hamish Spence. 

He completed a 32 km cycle ride on a route that skirts around the Meldon Reservoir and some steep ascents onto the wild tops of Dartmoor. After that, he ran a 13 km trail onto one of the highest Torrs of Dartmoor, a climb that Adrian completed a fortnight ago doing a marathon. However this time it involved crossing boggy terrain, a water course, rocks and more mud. Adrian was back and taking on Yes Torr again, but with a renewed enthusiasm to beat this brute. Beat it he did, coming in 17th over all, in a good time of 4h51m, raising £144.00 for Hospice Care while he was at it. 

A First  Marathon For Allan Kay 

Allan Kay took part in the Trail running challenge, Dartmoor marathon which was organised by Trail Events Co writes Hamish Spence. 

Allan, who is 46, took part in this, his first ever marathon and found it quite a tough race. However, as he is running the 2020 London Marathon for charity he wanted to push himself with his training program and see where his fitness level has got too. Allan really enjoyed the race up until mile 22, where he felt he started to struggle. However, he was not about to give up and he knew he would complete the route. He was really pleased with his time-keeping, although he didn’t have a set finish time in mind, his only goal was to finish it. Allan finished 21st out of 39 runners and 5th out of 9 in the vets category.

Featured image: Allan Kay during The Dartmoor Marathon 2019. Photo by @kb_pho_vid. 

The 21st Sidbury Fun Run, part of the Sidbury Fair Week, was held on a beautiful, very warm morning last Sunday writes Sarah Ginsberg. 

There were over 180 entrants, both runners and walkers, ranging in age from babies in buggies to grandparents, together with many of their four legged friends. Eight Mighty Greens took part; Naomi Garrick, Rachel Burrows, Michael Ginsberg, Sarah Ginsberg, Paula Farrand, Bert Dykema, Emma Grainger and Jenny Benattar. 

The Sidbury Fun Run is a surprisingly tough run although relatively short. It starts up hill, all the way to the top of Evergreen Hill, a mere 550 feet of climbing. Then follows an even longer uphill section of 596ft with a very welcomed downhill and cooler run through the woods. A short pass in-front of Sidbury Manor and on to the finish line at the Village Hall. Here, a delicious hog roast and cold beer was on offer, along with a fine pottery souvenir mug for all finishers. This was a great family event with a fabulous community atmosphere.

First Mighty Green home was Sarah Ginsberg (2nd Open Lady), followed by Naomi Garrick and Paula Farrand (2nd Local Lady).

Otter Rail and River 10k 2019.

The Otter River and Rail 10k race was organised by Tipton St John Playing Field Association in conjunction with Sidmouth Running Club and was sponsored by Otter Brewery, Harrison-Lavers and Potbury’s and Michelmores Solicitors.

This year the Sidmouth Running Club as a whole supported the Charlie Gwillim fund raiser and ran as Charlie’s Angels. Charlie at 27 years of age was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour and she is being looked after by her fiancé Rob, who is her full time carer. The SRC was working closely with her business Devon Embroidery, prior to her illness on some new ideas for club kit and she had spent a lot of time on its development.

Fifteen minutes before the start, a very lively warm-up session taken by Honiton Running Club’s Paula Ferris was enjoyed by the competitors. With many traditional warm up techniques put into a dance-like routine and all to music. This added to the jovial atmosphere of the day.

With warm, but cloudy weather and bone-dry conditions underfoot, this scenic off-road multi terrain10km race got underway at 11:00hrs sharp. Forty one SRC members took off from the village playing field of Tipton St John. The competitors ran around the edge of the cricket field, through the carpark and on down-stream along the River Otter to the village of Harpford. A well earned water stop with energy giving Jelly Babies awaited them on arrival. They then enter into Harpford Woods proceeding along a footpath until the old railway line. Here, the route takes a turn to the left and up a flight of steep steps back to Tipton along the old rail route. At Tipton village centre they turn right into a narrow footpath and through fields with a shot spell on the road to Fluxton. At Fluxton they head up hill and back to Tipton along the road. When back at the village it was a short run along the river and into the village playing field to be cheered enthusiastically over the finish line by Terry Bewes.

Results: Toby Garrick 35m19s coming 3rd overall and 1st SRC runner to cross the line. David King 52nd and 1st M65 in 49m14s. Katherine Hilton came 58th in 49m14s and taking the prize for 1st local Woman and 1st F45. Stuart Coles 66th in 51m12s. Naomi Garrick 70th, 51m36s. Sarah Ginsberg 71st, 51m37s. Tim Swarbrick came in 85th position in 53m43s beating Hamish Spence, who almost finished his race face down in the first field of wheat! Hamish managed to stay on track and crossed the line 87th in 54m04s. Allen Kay 98th, 54m54s. Christine and Karen Farnham left it to the last few yards to decide as to which one would take 100th place, even then it was a photo finish and Christine got it by a whisker in 55m24s. Karen Farnham had to be content with the knowledge that she was the 1st of the 100’s (101st) in 55m26s. Graham Sheppard 109th, 65m26s. Sarah Clapham 115th, 57m12s. Richard King 122nd, 58m13. Michael Ginsberg123rd, 58m14s. David Millen told me that he would be taking it easy during the race, that would wouldn’t be breaking any records. This lasted all of about 100 yards, when David’s more competitive stride took ahold and carried him into126th place in 58m31s. Shaun Tipton 131st, 59m18 making him the last Mighty Green to beat the 1 hour point. Colin Flood 136th, 1h01m22s. Becky McDonald 141st, 1h01m44s. Paula Farrand 156th, 1h03m00. Jane Hemsworth 143rd, 1h01m50s. Jennifer Bentley heard as she rounded the last corner before the sprint to the finish line, a fellow SRC member calling out, “Come on Bert, you can catch Jenny”! Jenny crossed the line in160th place in 1h03m14s, just ahead of a puffed-out Bert Dykema who really tried to catch JB but took 163rd place in 1h03m18s. Carolyn Sinclair 171st, 1h04m06s. Bridget McEleney-Smith 176th, 1h04m40s. Kat Hall 179th, 1h05m21s. Dave Wright 182nd, 1h05m43s. Lesley Hook 184th, 1h06m11s. Jason Chipps, 209th, 1h10m34s. Bruce Odlin 214th, 1h11m23s. Emma Grainger 219th, 1h12m35s. Julia Hadrrell 228th, 1h13m58s. Sue Cunningham 229th, 1h14m06s giving her the 1st in the F70 category. Jon Ball 238th and Caroline Ball 239th, both crossed the line in1h17m34s. Not far behind Jon and Carolyn were Tania Puddicombe 239th and Sarah Burston 240th, both managed a last minute burst of energy and sprinted over the line, TP in 1h17m45s and SB in 1h17m46s. Ann Cole 252nd ran with Doreth Lawrence 253rd both arriving back together in 1h23m28s with Tristan Chipps 256th in 1h27m56s.

The Jackie Box Fun Run.

   Taking part or helping out in the Tipton Jackie Box Fun Run on Saturday were 8 juniors all of which were proudly wearing the Mighty Green writes Kerry Boyle.

Three had participated in the recent FUNdementals in athletics course who were Elsie Wiltshire, Seth Lancaster and Dominic Hall, the 5 others all have parents or siblings who are Sidmouth running club members. The more experienced of the group started off steadily, knowing that it was a mile and not to sprint off too fast across the playing fields at Tipton. The next part along the river was harder to negotiate through the cow field and rabbit holes, but despite a few trips and ankle twists they picked themselves up and all completed the run back along the old train track to the Tipton playing fields. All of the children received a medal and a large sugary snake for their fantastic efforts! Elsie Wiltshire a local from Tipton received a haul of medals winning first girl in her age group (under 10’s) and first local girl. Fraser Felton-Smith also wearing the mighty green was first Tipton boy and also finished first in his age group (under 12’s). Oscar Burston was 2nd in the under 10’s followed by Seth Lancaster who was 5th in the same age group. Also completing the race for Sidmouth was Georgia Felton-Smith, Jake Burston and William Hall. Congratulations to all, you did yourselves and Sidmouth running club proud!