Devon Schools CC

Posted on 24th January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

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.

Blackdown Beast

Posted on 23rd January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

The Blackdown Beast

Saturday morning saw 11 Sidmouth Running Club members attending the pre-run briefing at the Highfield Club, Dunkeswell ready for the start of the very popular Blackdown Beast.

This year set a record with 180 lining up at the start. This is a 17 plus mile self-navigation social run with 1600 feet of elevation gain over the beautiful Blackdown Hills. We were promised plenty of mud, bog and hills in the pre-race information and there were plenty of each, but on the day with the temperature at minus 3, ice and frozen ground proved more of a problem.

The run is split into 4 legs, the first about 7 miles takes you through fields, lanes, woods, farmyards and a proper bog to Smeatharpe Village Hall where the W.I. ladies had hot pasties and mulled cider waiting.

The next leg of about 3 miles and the easiest takes you to the Sidmouth Arms at Upottery where more liquid refreshment is available. You have the opportunity of finishing here and taking a bus back to the start and Milly Marvel Frankpitt feeling the effects of the freezing conditions took this option.

Leg 3 is only about 3.5miles but very tough. After a road run to Rawridge you then make your way across two frozen fields before starting a mile plus climb up to and through the Buddhist Monastery woodland with its lake, to the top of the ridge where you are rewarded with a fantastic 180 degree panoramic view before dropping down into Luppit.

Arriving at the unique Luppit Inn which is one of the smallest Inns in the country you are greeted by Gladys the Landlady who will tell you “I am nearly 95 you know”, a great character, also her granddaughter.

The final leg takes you through a series of boggy fields and a few more hills to finish you off. Arriving back at the Club, cold, tired, and muddy we all agreed to return next year.

As I said at the start this is a social run with no numbers or times so you have plenty of time to enjoy the views and hospitality on the way round.

Sitting around waiting for the start Don Cawthera told us he would be jogging around with us at the back but taking off his track suit bottoms he revealed a pair of shorts in minus 3 conditions! and we soon realised that this might not be the case. We lost sight of him by the end of the road and he ended up having an excellent run; his membership of the rusty runners is now under review.

The rusty runners Helen Palmer, Cathy Keast, Monica Read and Terry Bewes along with first timer Sue Collman had their usual relaxed run at the back but as the temperature dropped further on the last leg were all pleased to finish.

The West Hill mafia of Carine Silver, Dave Wright and Simon Hoyller accompanied by Julian Bartlett the ghost runner (he usually misses the start) and during the run you turn around and there he is, set off at their usual brisk pace but the alcohol after the third pub took its toll and they got lost.

Thanks to Cathy for the Delia energy bars she makes so well for the team. A superbly organised event by Honiton Running Club and over a £1,000 raised for charity. We shall be back in the Blackdown Hills in July to run the Beauty.

Offa’s Twisted Wye

Posted on 23rd January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

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.

Marathon Strawberry

Posted on 20th January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

Naomi in her Strawberry costume in which she hopes to break the World Record time of 4.13 in the London Marathon. Holding the proof with her two certificates, Naomi has previously held the world record for running the marathon in a wedding dress in a time of 3:41, as well as the world record for running the marathon dressed as a doctor, in a time of 3:54.

4 Trigs Training

Posted on 16th January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

Sidmouth Running Club

Sunday saw the last of the Four Trigs training sessions before the big day on February 5^th. Fifteen Sidmouth Running Club members and two dogs set off from the car park at Knowle to run the Beacon Hill Trig down and through Harpford woods, up Back Lane across Muttersmoor to the cliff and onward to the Trig at the top of High Peak, retracing their steps to the top of Peak Hill then back through the woods, across the golf course and back to the start.

Nine and a half miles in total with over 1500 feet of elevation gain. All three of the training runs have been in ideal conditions with no rain, conditions we hope for on the day.

On Saturday the Mighty Green will be at the Blackdown Beast starting from Dunkerswell.

Sunday 29^th January is the coach to Colyton and run or walk back the East Devon Way, a 12 or 15 mile option. Spaces are still available, contact Terry.

Beginner’s Course

Posted on 11th January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

SIDMOUTH Running Club Beginners Course

What can only be described as an amazing induction into the Mighty Green army took place last week when we were overwhelmed by the numbers signing up to the beginners course. We had anticipated around 15 people but ended up with 34 signing up on the night with several more saying they couldn’t make the first week but would be there on the second. There was a wide range of age groups too, ranging from teenagers to a gentleman in his seventies.

The new recruits have taken their first and hardest step by turning up to start an eight week programme to not only improve their fitness and health but have some fun and enjoyment on the journey.

The bar has been set high for them by last year’s beginners who by July got to the top of High Peak and in December completed their first 10K competing in the Reindeer Run. But I can see they are all up for the challenge and our leaders are there to help and encourage them all the way.

First Chance 10k

Posted on 10th January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

The First Chance 10K

Last Sunday saw Justin Ashby one of the leading runners in SIDMOUTH running club head off to Exeter to compete in the First Chance 10K. The race organised by the South West Road Runners is very popular with 10K runners and sells out months before the start. This year there were 510 finishers. The reason it is so popular is that it is run over a two lap, pancake flat, traffic free course over tarmac cycle ways and roads in the Riverside Valley Park so it is an excellent way to achieve a personal best time over that distance.

Back in September 2016 competing in the Taunton 10K Justin, after a full 2 months of dedicated training finally broke 36 minutes for this distance, a time he had been trying to break since 2012 in a time of 35:30.

True to form this race produced not only a stunning new PB for him but also set him another challenge. Finishing in a time of 35:03 coming 8^th overall and first in the M45-49 category he now has to get under 35 minutes. This can only be good news for the club members who have signed up for his 8 week 10k training course which will start in March.

SouthWest CC

Posted on 10th January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

SW Club & County CC Championship

On Sunday afternoon 1 senior and 2 junior SIDMOUTH running club members headed to the South West Club & County Cross Country Championships at Exeter Racecourse. The various courses all involved several laps of a largely flat course but with a punishing uphill finish. The weather was fine and the going was soft under foot.

First out of the blocks was Kate Marriott. Once again the very competitive Kate had an excellent race and was pleased with her 23^rd position overall and even more pleased with her 4^th in Devon placing as this earned her a Silver medal as part of the Devon U15 girls’ team.

Toby Garrick the other half of this dynamic duo had another excellent run and finished 19^th overall and he too was placed 4^th Devon runner in a team that took the U17 boys Silver medal.

Naomi Garrick gave a very spirited performance to finish 48^th in the senior women’s event and deserved a medal, even if she didn’t get one!

Somerley 10k

Posted on 3rd January 2017 by sidmouthsrc

The Somerley 10K

First out of the blocks in 2017 was Tim Clay who headed off to Ringwood to compete with several hundred others in the 15^th anniversary running of the Somerley 10K. This trail run is in the grounds of the stunning Somerley estate and the fine weather showed it off in all its glory. Tim was well pleased with his time of 51:10 after all the festivities of the previous week.