Head Coach Tim Mitchell welcomes new Run Leader, Chris Day-Kerry
Templar 10
Templer Ten
Wind rain and general murkiness did not stop Three Mighty Greens from competing in the Templer Ten on Sunday 4th November. This 10-mile race is predominantly an off-road, on tracks and trails cross country event, organised by Teignbridge Trotters Running Club. Twins Karen and Christine Farnham, along with John Doherty lined up in the grounds of Stover School near Newton Abbott.
At 11 o’clock they set off out into the countryside and headed for Stover Park and the fields of Teigngrace. With the windy and wet conditions the route was muddy and slippery. All three did well with Christine finishing 2nd in the FV55 category in 1h32m35s, giving her the 168th place over all, followed shortly after by sister Karen who attained a time of 1h:32m:46s and 171st place. John, who has completed this race five times managed a spritely 224th position in a time of 1h:44m:16s. There was a very good turnout of competitors with 268 finishers.
Sunday Runners
Sunday Sessions out in the Country
With many medium and long distance events coming up over the next few months, the Autumn training program is in full swing now. So, it is of no surprise that the dampness of Sunday morning didn’t put off one K9 and 19 members of Sidmouth Running Club from the mornings session.
They met in Newton Poppleford and were led by Helen Palmer from the tennis courts carpark, up into the Harpford woods to the Bowd where they joined and followed the old railway track to Tipton St John. Then along the River Otter, across some fields to Fluxton and into the country lanes to Venn Ottery and Sotherton. There was a lot of good off road running including Aylesbeare Common. This was an eight mile loop with something for everyone, enjoyed by all and more importantly, done and dusted before the weather set in.
Snowdonia Marathon
Snowdonia Marathon
Danny Painter felt the full force of the cold spell whilst competing in the Snowdonia Marathon on Saturday the 27th of October. This was a tough marathon to compete in but it has outstanding countryside to distract you.
The first five miles over the Pen-y-pass, all 1,100ft of it was uphill and was just taste of how tough this event would be. The route then drops down to the Pen Y Cwyryd junction, then follows the old road along to the campsite until it joins the A498. The next 2km is farm track and downhill. A short section uphill and back up to the main road at the campsite. It continues to the village of Beddgelert and along the A4085 to Waunfawr. A rapid climb to 1,200ft at Bwlch y Groes and downhill to the finish in Llanberis. Danny has been nursing a leg injury for quite while now, so his expectations on performance were to be a finisher. By the 14th mile he realised there was a need to adapt his running to a slower pace, which helped ease the pain.
With the 26.1 miles covered and a total of 2,684ft of elevation gain, Danny crossed the line in 3h:55m:52s, giving him a fantastic position of 461st overall out of 2223 competitors.
Dartmoor Vale
A Cool Day For The Dartmoor Vale Marathon
Three Mighty Greens took part in the Dartmoor Vale Marathon on the 28th October. All 26.2miles of chilled northerly winds and many hills were braved out by Dave Wright, Jane Hemsworth and Jo Earlam. The start for this event was from Sibelco, East Gold Works which is next to the Newton Abbott Racecourse. It then headed off out along the busy main roads of The Teign Valley into the villages of Kingsteignton and Chudleigh and then on along country lanes beside Ugbrook Park, which is a seemingly never ending hill. Two laps were completed by the marathon runners. Jo, who including this one has done a total of 64 marathons, didn’t really get the runner’s high out there, but did find herself matching her halfway time of the Exeter half marathon in 2h:16m:46s. at least she can claim to be consistent. For the first lap Dave led the Mighty Green team, with Jo and Jane further back encouraging each other to keep on at it, eventually catching Dave up at around the fourteenth mile. The trio then walked and jogged together egging each other on to the end with Jane Hemswoth gaining first MG across the line, first Vet Lady 60 across the line with a time of 4h:57m:41s and 76 overall. Jo Earlam crossed the line one second later and got the 77th place overall and then in 78th, was Dave Wright who now has two marathons successfully completed with a timing of 4h:58m:54s .
There was a half marathon in which Kirsteen Welch took 1st female in a very fast a typical Kirsteen speedy time of 1h:27m:56. She came in 8th overall. 
Also David Skinner took part in the 10k Dartmoor Vale Sibelco race and squeezed a good time of 1h:07m:43s to come in 149th.
Sunday Runners
Sunday Runners. Julia ran 6 miles the rest 8.5 miles. Richard Summerhayes missed the photo then we missed him somewhere along the route.
Trellech Beacon
Trellech Beacon Dash
John & Cathy Keast represented the MGs in South Wales by taking part in the Trellech Beacon Dash. A 10k cross country race organised by The Spirit Of Monmouth Running Club. The route is mostly along forest paths and forrest fire breaks in the Wye Valley, Much of the first 2 miles were uphill to a trig point giving fantastic views. Cathy came in at 1h:06m:53 in 161st place to find John had finished getting changed have arrived in 51m:39s in 85th position.
Taunton Parkrun
David Skinner at the Longrun Meadow Parkrun, Taunton. That’s the L sorted for David’s project to complete the A-Z of Parkruns.
Great We(s)t Run
The Great West Wet Run Of 2018
A great turn out of the Mighty Green Sidmouth Running Club members for The Great West Run. In very wet weather on Sunday the 14th of October, 14 MG’s turned up to do battle with the elements.They all did themselves proud and achieved some fantastic results, there were some new PB’s and some first half marathon finishes. The Great West Run half marathon started from the Exeter Arena, taking the competitors on a tour of the city with masses of spectator support all the way along, to a stadium finish.
The first Sidmouth runner and 8th MV50 was Richard Summerhayes, completing this half marathon in a fantastic time of 1h:27m:45s with an overall position of 88th. A personal best for George Burgess removing a whole minute from a previous attempt giving him a time of 1h:27:55s and a 91st past the post position. This half marathon was Greg Ward’s first. He did very well and is very happy with his result. He achieved a 492nd place in a fast time of 1h:45m:23s, meaning that a sub four hour full marathon is possible. Go Greg go. Chris Day-Kerry managed a PB time of 1h:52m:22s, enjoying the support and encouragement from the spectators along the route coming in 752nd. Sarah Clapham was not much further behind Chris and running very well with a time of 1h:53m:31s and a place of 809th. Sam Ingram followed shortly after in 968th place in 1h:54m:59s and a 978th past the post for Rocker Shepard in a fast time of 1h:58m10s.
Paul Wright decided to give himself a massive handicap by wearing a bin bag! Why Paul, why would you do that to yourself? Thank goodness he took it off after two miles. Imagine how much better he would have d… oh actually, Paul did extremely well with a finishing time of 1h:58m:32s and a place of 1054th. Kerry Salter made it around in 2h:06m:29s and got a 1341st position and Jodie Hawkins who had put in four months of training for this event, got a time of 2h:13m:29s coming in 1594th place, a remarkable effort having just recovered from an injury which had threatened this race.
Fresh from the Atlantic Coast Challenge (three marathons in three days), Jo Earlam must have felt like she was taking a casual walk in the park. Her good time would suggest otherwise with a cool 2h:16m:46s. Jo ran the route with a first half marathoner Amelia Frankpitt, who ran the route in 2h:17m:10 and came in 1670th place. Amelia thanks all in the club who have encouraged her and coach Jo Earlam especially, for writing a training plan. Christie Ward has been training very hard throughout the Summer and on one occasion dragged a reluctant Paul Wright out up onto Peak Hill. This was Christie’s second half marathon and she managed to better her previous attempt by fifteen minutes, to a fantastic 2h:15m:53s. With a push for the finish line she got into 1689th place. John Sharples really enjoyed the event and helped motivate running partner Christie Ward (daughter) to keep going. His reward, satisfaction of a 2h:15m:55s finishing time, a 1692nd placing and a nice glass of Rioja.
Antony Hall had to go back to the finish line so officially his chip time and placing don’t do him justice at 2h:20m:18, a place of 1743rd and at the back end of the SRC runners! His Strava times were a more believable at 1h:34m:41s and a nifty pace of 7:12 minute miles.
Swimathon
Mighty Green Swimathon
Team leader Tony Velterop, led Claire and Justin Ashby, Becky and Ian Robson, Charles Edward Keen, Bert Dykema and John Ball in the bid for the Mighty Green Team to beat the previous years total of lengths swum.
With no extensive training programme for the team members and with very little swimming done all summer, the team of eight got on with the task at hand.
They were hopeful of beating the previous running club record of just over 130 lengths in the allocated hour of swimming. They had a brief team talk at the start, primarily consisting of each of them trying to remember the number which had been allocated to each in the team – 1 to 8… Also, despite all the bravado and heroic talk of swimming in Mighty Green mankinis and bikinis, it was agreed that being realistic was much more functional, indeed more sensible and very fortunate for the spectators and all others involved!
The whole team worked very hard and the Mighty Green spirit was not quashed, despite the fact that they were all flagging somewhat by the end. The team felt it was all worth the effort especially when they learnt that they had reached 149 lengths and gained a new Running Club record. Also the MG’s had third place overall amongst the 25 teams that took part.
Back to running again this week!