SRC Committee Members Virtual Challenges and Jo’s Cosy Run

Sidmouth Running Club’s vice chair, Sarah Watkins, has completed the South West virtual coastal path challenge in just 16 weeks.
Mighty Green Sarah said, “Even though I had a year to complete the 630 mile challenge, lockdown allowed me to run/walk more and explore different routes around East Devon in the beautiful countryside.”

Sarah with her medal

Sarah’s longest walk was 33.5 miles and the most challenging was Seaton to Lyme Regis and back though most walks/runs averaged 8-10 miles. Sarah even incorporated the Grand Weston Canal virtual 10k run into the challenge and is the first MG to receive her 2021 medal.

SRC Web administrator, Rob Edwards, took on his Raced Coaching virtual challenge on January 1st following the success of him running Lands End to John O’Groats (LEJOG), a distance of 874 miles in six months which passed without incident last year.
Rob thought with a year to complete he would sign up to run there and back, a total distance of 1,748 miles. He worked out that he would need to run 33 to 34 miles a week or an average of 6.7 miles a day 5 times a week but found not being very quick he needed to run 6 times a week. Unfortunately in February 2021 a strong gusty wind and a slippery surface around Jacobs Ladder saw Rob trip over and bang his knee which resulted in 3 weeks of no running and 100 miles lost. But this Mighty Green is back and currently about 6 miles south of Perth (virtually) on the A9, having done 637 miles and almost back on schedule with only 237 miles to go before the end of June before he turns round and comes back again!
Rob likes to run from home over to Otterton Mill and back approx. 10 miles; is it the scenic route or the promise of a cappuccino and flapjack by the river Otter?
Rob’s wife Sue has questioned his ulterior motivation about LEJOG. Yesterday morning after coming back through the door from an Otterton Mill run this morning Sue asked Rob, “How was the run?” for him to reply, “Good, there were only 2 people ahead of me in the coffee queue!” The lengths some people will go to for a cup of coffee!

Cosy Run

SRC committee member Jo Earlam was joined by a group of club members to run 2 sections of her ‘Exeter Cosy routes’ on a very wet Sunday as part of Dementia Action Week. Jo has mapped Exeter in a series of routes which add up to a 26.2 mile circle of the city to encourage those living with dementia to get out and about. Jo created the routes with Exeter Dementia Action Alliance as a tribute to her adventurous dad who loved mapping routes and walking with Jo and lived with diagnosed dementia for four years. Jo, with her husband John who lives with dementia was also featured on this week’s Songs Of Praise, sharing her inspiration behind the route and how she’s personally affected by dementia to presenter YolanDa Brown.

Jo with Yolande

Jo would like to thank all the Mighty Greens who came on the run and weren’t deterred by the flooded fields as it was a great support for the project and Dementia Action Week. The rain certainly made it a memorable run, as Sarah Watkins said, “It was great fun to join Jo today, especially when 12 of us were knee deep wading through a water logged field!.”

It really is this way

Captain Tom’s 100 Challenge in aid of Brain Tumour research

Also on the seafront the morning of the Sid Valley Ring half marathon were a colourful fancy dressed group of Sidmouth Running Club members, walking/jogging/running alongside Charlotte Reid for her Captain Tom 100 challenge and collecting money for Brain Tumour Research.

Captain Tom’s Challenge

Sidmouth Running Club certainly has its heart in the centre of the community.

A Rewarding First Night Back For Sidmouth Running Club

This week saw the return of club runs and Chairman Terry Bewes was delighted to welcome so many familiar and new faces on Monday evening.

It was the first opportunity for the new to the area and 2021 beginners to join a club run and they ran exceptionally well.

Terry took the opportunity before the run to present the Mighty Green 3 mile completion certificates to Kathy Jordan and Jo Crockett and the lockdown #3 challenge awards.

Certificates and Prosecco were presented to the Mighty Greens who ran their heart out on Strava around the streets of Sidmouth Valentine challenge: Mark Norton, Yasmin Salter, Dawn Pike, Jenny Kay and Alexa Baker.

The winners of the observational seat location challenge were announced. This was a challenge to identify 65 seats/benches that the club regularly run past. Runner up, Ann Cole correctly located 27 of the benches and won herself a John Lewis voucher while Alexa successfully located 42 of the benches and won herself a voucher for a cream tea for two.

The winner for the off road bridge challenge where you had to name the location of 34 bridges you would have ran past during the off road lockdown challenges was announced. By correctly identifying 20 of the photos a slightly embarrassed Alexa was presented with a further cream tea voucher for two.

Terry then announced the Lockdown #3 Supreme champion- the only member who had completed all 36 lockdown challenges. A magnum of Prosecco and trophy was presented to press officer and run leader Alexa!

Alexa, who hadn’t appreciated that she was quite competitive, thanked John Chesters and Terry Bewes for setting the challenges and her very patient running buddies, Jenny Kay, who at one point had to help Alexa get her leg over a style, Helen Akay, who probably regretted trusting Alexa’s map reading skills on Muttersmoor and Terry Bewes who ran with her on the Lade Foot (not so) low tide challenge! Alexa is looking forward to sharing the cream teas with her lockdown #3 run buddies when restrictions are lifted.

A Dastardly Delight To Finish the Sidmouth Running Club Lock Down Challenges

The final week of lock down challenges had members self-navigating a run to pass past and present care homes and complete a ‘delight’ in Chairman Terry Bewes words.

Jenny Kay and Alexa Baker thought they would get the harder of the two challenges out of the way first, little did they know they would be running 8 miles up numerous hills on a Monday evening! Not that delightful! Kerry Salter ran the route in 10 min/miles, Tim Swarbrick who had the wind and rain to contend with ran 7.21 miles at 9.08 min/miles, Mark Norton was very lucky to see the Otters and a bat en-route, Bert Dykema ran 16k, David Welsh, Caroline and Jon Ball also completed the challenge. Ross Walton ran 8.4 miles at 8.33 min/miles which he found hard going as the previous day he completed 17 miles of trails!

The care home route was much more sociable and Tash Morgan enjoyed seeing fellow Mighty Greens during her 6 mile run. Carol McManus had an early start, Ann Cole combined the challenge with the pub one, David Welsh had a great run 6 miles at 10.2 min/miles, Jenny and Alexa took the direct route round and ran past the homes in 5 miles while Derek Blackburn ran 10.16k at 5.40 min/km and Bert starting from Sidbury ran the challenge in 20k at 6.14 min/km.

Sarah on the SVR

There have been some great distances covered off road too this week, Sarah Burston ran 14 miles around the Sid Valley Ring; Jane Hemsworth and Jo Earlam completed a 10 mile there and back taper run from Tipton to Feniton

Tim taking a tumble

and the Dynamic Duo, Derek and Tim took on an action packed 19.4k OGLE, which saw Tim fall in exactly the same spot as Jo had earlier in the month!

Jo & Leanne

The final lock down off road challenge was part or all of the Tipton 10k course, with a selfie to be taken by the railway bridge in Harpford Woods. Jo Earlam, who designed the course back in 2007, ran the route with Leeann Thomson,

Christine

Christine Hellier enjoyed her first run of the year in shorts and t-shirt, Beccy Johnson and Tracy Scannell weren’t the only Mighty Greens enjoying the challenge on a sunny Saturday morning,

Mark & Rob

Mark Norton and Rob Waggett were out bright and early and Rob, who has only recently completed the beginners course, ran 11k, a great achievement.

Alexa & helen

Helen Akay, Jenny Kay and Alexa Baker wore hats in support of Brain Tumour Research Wear A Hat Day and managed to find the mud but didn’t get lost for a change!

Brigid & Ann

Ann Cole and Brigid McSmith ran the route on Sunday confidently without a map. Skills have definitely been developed this last lock down!