The Humdinger Half and Hurtle

The Taunton Humdinger Half Marathon and Hurtle is organised by the Running Forever RC and starts from the Wellspring Leisure Centre, Taunton.

With over 1000 feet of ascent, the Humdinger is one of the toughest Half Marathons in the area, although runners are rewarded with some stunning views of the Quantock Hills and Bristol Channel, depending on the weather.

On this occasion Sidmouth Running Club member Suzi Rocky chose The Hurtle. Run in conjunction, it covers the first three miles of the Humdinger course and then cuts off as the main ascent starts looping back to race HQ. The full route is just less than 5 miles and is gently undulating with no major hills. The Hurtle can still be considered a serious race and is an ideal alternative for those who do not wish to take on the Half. Suzi had one of her finest running moments in the Mighty Green vest finishing in a personal best time of 41:21 knocking 10 minutes off her previous time; being treated by the medical team for a hamstring injury at the end was not!

It is a race against time now to recover in time for the Grizzly in four weeks time. There were 214 finishers in the Humdinger and 106 in the Hurtle.

Exeter Half Marathon

The Exeter half marathon is a great 3 lap traffic free, pancake flat route run along the footpaths and cycle tracks around the River Exe and Exeter Canal. The course provides a fantastic opportunity to see how your Spring Marathon training programme is going or your first step into completing the 13.1 mile distance for the first time.

The race is run over two days, the first day for runners who can run it in under two hours and the remainder the following day. Day two saw Sidmouth Running Club member Emma Salter don her Mighty Green shirt and head for Exeter.

Training for the London Marathon she had every intention to treat this as a long run plod as part of her training programme, but decided on the morning as she was feeling up for it to try and break that elusive sub two hours. This would be her sixth attempt and she missed it by fifty eight seconds, so near yet so far. However showing great club spirit she said that she will not retire from the distance until she breaks the two hours. She was extremely proud of her time of 2:00:57 which was also a personal best.

There were 276 finishers

The Four Trigs 2017

After a very wet and blustery week leading up to the Four Trigs Challenge, we were granted a dry, although windy, window on Sunday for the 17^th running of this very popular but very hard Four Trigs Challenge.

The 101 runners who set off from the Sailing Club all enjoyed themselves, most managing to smile at the end of this challenging task. It was particularly difficult this year, due to all the rain prior to the event and this made the course very muddy, slippery and wet, especially for first timer Milly “Marvel” who set off in road shoes but soon recognized her mistake and a phone call to her husband saw a quick shoe change at Weston car park.

The runners have to visit the trig points at Western Cliff, Buckton Hill, Beacon Hill, and High Peak via a number of control points with many other hills, valley, woods and fields in between. This gruelling 17 mile race has a massive 3,200 feet of elevation gain.

Many runners chose to run around in small groups making it a sociable affair and they all finished in very high spirits talking and laughing as though they’d been for a stroll across the seafront, well most did anyway.

After the race many of the competitors sat in the Port Royal Club re-living the race and enjoying their well deserved Hayman’s pasty, and tea, coffee and cakes.

Over the years this event has made charity donations of over £8,000. This year all proceeds will be going to the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young. The charity raises awareness of the risk of undetected cardiac conditions in young people. Every week in the UK at least 12 apparently ‘fit and healthy’ young people (35 and under) die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition. Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) was founded just over 20 years ago in 1995 and has become a leading national charity, striving to prevent young sudden cardiac death (yscd) through awareness, screening and research. CRY also provides a “bespoke” bereavement support programme for families and partners who have been tragically affected by the sudden death of a young person.

Sidmouth Running Club had eighteen members entered. Two of our newer younger lady members returned excellent times despite one of them getting lost on the training run the week before. However Charlotte Forrer was not going to get caught out again so enlisted the help of her husband Jim to run with and guide her around the course. Friend and running buddie Polly Walton, thought this to be an excellent idea so enlisted the help of her husband Ross to run with her. Well done ladies. Anthony Hall who has had some outstanding runs this year was the only club runner to finish in under three hours.

John and Ellie Keast ran together, (father and daughter) completing the challenge in 3:39:52 another year older John but 16 minutes faster than last year. Nigel Maeer was pleased to finish two places higher than last year. John Keast and Ian Voce have retained their record of having successfully completed all seventeen Trig runs.

Of the 101 who started only 6 retired but the biggest winner on the day was (CRY) with £1,350 being raised.

Results: 11^th place Antony Hall 2:55:50, 14^th Tim Mitchell 3:02:12, 17^th Gary Anning 3:05:02, 18^th Nigel Maeer 3:07:48, Julian Bartlett 3:30:44, Charlotte Forrer 3:36:42, John and Ellie Keast 3:39:52, Rocker Shepard 3:45:40, Polly Walton 3:49:07, Naomi Garrick 3:53:12, Simon Hollyer 3:59, Becky Robson and Jo Earlam 4:22:08, Helen Palmer 4:29:25, Dave Wright 4:29:28 Milly Frankpitt and Terry Bewes 5:05:26.

A huge thank you must go to Marion and Robert Hayman and to all their helpers, marshalls and tea ladies who made the day go so fantastically well. In particular, thanks must go to Stewart Hayman for his continued support providing pasties, Nigel Winchester for the bananas and to all the competitors.

A great day out for our runners and an ideal warm up for the Grizzly and our next Club race JP’s Exe to Axe.

The Fulford Five

The Fulford Five was first run in the mid 1980’s and is a 2 lap, five mile road race around the streets of Exmouth while taking in the sea view along the promenade. The distance of five miles is ideal for first time racers who feel the distance is well within their capabilities. This is highlighted every year by the number of non-club runners who turn up and have a very rewarding experience of their first proper race. This did not apply however to the two Sidmouth Running Club members Jayne Drew and John Doherty who have run this race on a number of occasions.

The running of 17 miles over hills, through woods and across fields covered in mud and wet in the Four Trigs for some reason did not appeal to these two as they prefer to keep their shoes clean on the road.

Jayne was the first Club runner home in 37:16 while John finished in 45:43 just 21 seconds slower than last year but he told me he gave up on the chance of beating that time by running with and encouraging another lady who was struggling. That is the Sidmouth Running Club spirit.

There were 239 finishers.

SW Vets X-Country Championship – Jo’s inventive report.

To be sung to the tune of ten green bottles….

Nine green runners lined up for the race, nine green runners soon with mud upon their face, lap one saw one green runner give her best but too tough a pace, so eight green runners continued in the race.

Eight green runners through the wind and rain, eight green runners on another lap again, one green runner looking fresh and great, yes Rob Edwards crossed the finish line in 30:48.

Seven green runners now spread out a lot, seven green runners, for some the pace was getting hot, one green runner always really keen, Naomi Garrick, took third in age, in 32:15.

Six green runners round and round they went, six green runners some were nearly spent, one green runner low on power-drive, a tired Jo Earlam just squeezed in a sub:35.

Five green runners still ploughing through the mud, five green runners as the rain turned near to flood, one green runner relieved there was no more, Tony Velterop finished in 38:24.

Four green runners were all that did remain, four green runners, some still to go round again, one green runner what a brilliant time, Gail Goldsmith, first in age group in 38:29.

Three green runners still in the mighty vest, three green runners doing of their best, another green runner getting a good score, Sue Cunningham, second in age, in 42:04.

Two green runners side by side they’d stayed, two green runners who were not afraid, they kept the green vest going right until the end, Ruth Burrough and Sarah Powell, happy to finish with a friend.

Times. Rob Edwards 30:48; Naomi Garrick 32:15 third 45/54; Jo Earlam 34:40; Tony Velterop 38:24; Gail Goldsmith 38:29 1^st 65/74; Sue Cunningham 42:04 2nd 65/74; Ruth Burrough 53:54; Sarah Powell 53:54.

Devon Cross Country Schools Championship

Sidmouth College had excellent representation with eight students competing at the Devon cross country schools championship at Stover School. Competing as part of the East Devon team was SIDMOUTH Running Club member Kate Marriot. Kate has risen through the ranks since taking part in the Junior Saturday morning training sessions so successfully run by the club’s Janet Ackford over the years. Kate had made this event coming through the preliminary stages with some amazing runs.

This was to be an extraordinary day for the East Devon team taking 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th places overall in the minor girls race.

Kate, coming third has now achieved her dream of a place in the national event in Norwich in March. Also taking part from the club was Toby Garrick who came 7^th in the inter boys race and he to hopes to qualify for the national event.

Congratulations to you both.

Offa’s Twisted Wye Kanter

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home soon came to an end for Sidmouth Running Club Member Carine Silver after receiving a phone call from her sister. She had two entries for the Offa’s Twisted Wye Kanter one each for her and her son, unfortunately her son had to pull out at the last minute so who better to replace him than your sister.

There are four courses on this self-navigation run, 24, 19, 15 and 12.5 miles. They had entered the 19 mile.

This is a new and exciting winter kanter with a ‘twist’ in the beautiful Wye Valley on the Wales/England border. The event uses established long distance routes such as Offa’s Dyke, Wye Valley Walk and Gloucestershire Way as well as paths to link main routes. The twist is that in order to earn your certificate, clues need to be gathered and solved en route. You have to have the confidence to self-navigate as there are no checkpoints and carry sufficient food and drink for your chosen mileage. Tea and toast is provided at the start in Chepstow.

Carine said it was very, very muddy and hilly and at 19 miles a couple of miles shorter than the Grizzly but it took her 2 hours longer to complete. However on their return to Chepstow there was a substantial hot meal and hospitality laid on for them and the news that they were joint fourth home on this route. Just the news she needed for the long drive home after a very tiring day.