The Ashfords Great West Run

First run in 1985 the Great West Run was originally run as a marathon but in recent years has been run as a very popular half marathon. The route is not one for a Personal Best as it is quite hilly. It takes an exciting 13.1 mile route through the heart of Exeter. This half marathon has it all; the energy of a city centre road race, combined with the beautiful country lanes of St Andrews Road and on towards Stoke Woods and stunning views across Exeter, this indicating the height you reach.

The race starts in the High Street to Okehampton Road, through Exwick to Cowly Hill, up Stoke Road, along Cowly Bridge Road and through the University, Old Tiverton Road, out and back along Pinhoe Road, along Blackboy Road to the finish in the High Street.

SIDMOUTH Running Club was well represented with 11 runners and one family friend, Annie Lee, taking part. First home for the Club runners but not wearing the Mighty Green as he was running in a charity vest in a storming time of 1:25:47 taking 50^th place overall was Antony Hall.

The winning time was 1:10:10 and there were 2134 finishers. Other Club times: Graham Stout 1:41:48, Jenny Da Silva 1:45:24, Alan Colwill 1:50:00, Graham (Rocker) Sheppard 1:58:04, Becky Robson 2:02:41, Jo Earlam 2:03:40, Paul Wright 2:11:06, Emma Salter 2:21:08, Sasha Colwill 2:32:56, Rebecca Colwill 2:45:31.

Although disappointed that they did not break the 2 hour mark both Becky and Jo were happy with their times as they were pretty near the times they recorded for the much easier Bristol half they ran three weeks ago.

The story of the race belongs to Emma Salter and these are her words.

“This was the 7^th half marathon that I have run and the 3^rd year in a row that I have run Exeter. Last year I finished in 2:01:00 and was gutted to miss the sub 2 hour time. This year with other more pressing commitments like recently getting married I have not been training so knew that a sub 2 hours was not on. I had the option of dropping my pace to around 10 minute miles coming in around 2:20:00 or as my husband James suggested go at the sub 2 hour pace to find my break point then try and push through it. I have just signed up for my first marathon next April and this would be a good lesson. I held that pace for 6 miles but by mile 8 I knew I was in trouble. With the knowledge that at 9.5 miles you are passing the finish line on the other side of the road and with the last 3.6 miles out and back along Pinhoe Road up and down those little hills I had resigned myself to call it quits and be happy I’d managed 9.5 miles. I pulled in, stopped the Garmin and crossed the road. I was sick, lungs burning, pins and needles in my hands and feet. My legs were aching like mad and I started to cry. I had taken the easy option and gave up. But then something made me man up and pull myself together, I crossed back over the road and started my Garmin again. The pain in my legs and chest got worse and those last miles were a nightmare but James said I crossed the finish line doing a Jonnie Brownlee in 2:21:08.

It is stupid and dangerous to run a half marathon with no training and I would certainly not recommend it to anyone especially if you are new to running. For me though it was a good feeling to know that I had the mental strength to pull myself through when my body was telling me it had had enough. However I will not be doing that again and will have a full and thorough training plan for the Marathon.”

The Cabbage Patch 10

The Cabbage Patch 10 is a highly professional race. It is a race organised by runners for runners and is almost as old as the London Marathon! It is one of the flattest, most scenic ten mile races in the country aimed at runners of all standards on roads and towpaths. Starting in King Street, Twickenham, the route crosses the Thames at Kingston Bridge and Richmond Bridge, runs along the Riverside to finish on the drive in front of the York House Civic Building in Twickenham. This is the 34^th year that the race has been run.

The Cabbage Patch 10 was founded in 1982 by Frank Dupree, ex landlord of the Cabbage Patch Pub and Malcolm Ellis, founding member of The Stragglers Running Club. For you mathematicians out there it was not run last year because of the Rugby World Cup. Over the years this race as raised around £100,000 for charity.

The Cabbage Patch is actually named after the nickname of Twickenham Rugby Stadium. Before the stadium was constructed, the site was used to grow cabbages and hence the giving of cabbages as prizes to the top runners. Previous winners and high placed finishers include Olympian Mo Farah, Scott Overall and Mara Yamauchi. Richard Nerurkar set an all-time British Record on the course in 1993 – a stunning 46:02. Also in the race that day was Rob Edwards our WebEd who finished around 20 minutes later. He said “that was a good time for me back then, it was a perfect course for a PB and in those days the changing was in the pub, very convenient.” This year’s winning time was 48:16.

The race Director this year was Caitlin Limmer a great longstanding friend of SIDMOUTH Running Clubs Justin and Claire Ashby who previous lived in Twickenham and this was the reason they were on the start line in the Mighty Green on Sunday morning, unfortunately there was no cabbage for their dinner this time.

Justin who is running extremely well at the moment, recording a PB of 35:30 for a 10K only a few weeks ago, finished 34^th in a time of 58:41 which also won him his age group category. Claire also ran a very steady race after very little training finishing comfortably inside the top half of the field in 1:24:37. The popularity of this race can be seen by the number of finishers, 1452.

And a final word from Caitlin “The race will continue to be what it has always been; a race of legends, both for the Olympic athlete and the common runner.” Truly a race for all.

Bristol and Windsor Half Marathons

Four SIDMOUTH Running Club ladies – Jane Hemsworth, Becky Robson, Helen Palmer and Jo Earlam – travelled up to Bristol for the half marathon, making a girls’ away trip of it with an overnight stay in a rather smart Marriott Hotel.

The hotel lift was the source of amusement on the morning of the run, as three of them mistakenly alighted on the 4^th floor when heading to the start, prompting a bemused guest to inquire: “Have you finished already?!”. A fit of giggles later and error quickly corrected they all lined up at the start with the thousands of others competing in this popular closed-roads city event.

They all started off running together until about the four mile point, where Helen slightly dropped behind – having completed a hilly 100km cycle ride just two weeks earlier this wasn’t surprising. Jane, Becky and Jo remained close together for the whole route, Jane leading the charge and finding the energy to high-five dozens of spectating children, right up until the final run-in to the finish line. An extra competitive spurt clinched her first spot of the Mighty Green runners, in a time of 2:02:50 an excellent 16^th place of 73 in her age group. Becky and Jo crossed the line together five seconds later.

All three were in the first 4,000 of more than 7,000 finishers.

Helen, having stopped in a toilet queue finished in a commendable 2:16:27 but with runners crossing the line at more than one hundred a minute that put her around 1,400 places down the field, such is the scale of this event. It was very well-organised, a great showcase of the city, brilliant spectator support, good course for a PB – possible repeat trip next year, with perhaps more of the Mighty Greens?

Meanwhile up in Windsor, Lynda and Kaylee Hawkins were running the Windsor half marathon that takes place close to Windsor Castle in Windsor Great Park. With only 6,000 places this is soon sold out and over-subscribed.

The course is two laps, one of approximately 4 miles, the other about 7.5 miles with the remainder made up by the 1.5 mile Long Walk at the start and end of the run. The course is best described as undulating. It has many flat stretches, but there are some hilly sections to make the race a bit more interesting. The final 1.5 miles Long Walk is particularly impressive. The spectacular sight of Windsor Castle in the distance beyond the finish line is quite outstanding and not something many will forget quickly. Kaylee came home in 1:54:00 while Lynda matched the Bristol ladies finishing in 2:02:00.

Taunton 10K

With the SIDMOUTH Running Club ladies enjoying themselves in Bristol and Windsor half marathons, Justin Ashby was dispatched slightly less far up the M5 to take on the Taunton 10k. Starting at the Blackbrook Leisure Centre, the route is mostly flat, taking runners past Kings College across the M5 into the country lanes of Stoke St Mary before circling back over the M5 and into Taunton again. As 10k’s go, it is a scenic one that is very well supported too.

Those who run with Justin will know that he has been trying to break 36 minutes for the distance – since 2012! He has come close on a number of occasions recording 36:00 twice, 36:01 and a host of other close shaves in the intervening years. Now, finally, after 2 months of dedicated 10k training, he can tick off that goal, having finished 3^rd overall in a time of 35:30. Not just breaking it but smashing it. Says Justin: “There have been some near misses along the way, some tactical blunders and some comical mishaps too, but the wait has been worth it. Besides, I promised JP I would do it”.