Sadlers Saunders Surprise!
Susi and David Sadler took on the Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon over the weekend. It’s not a marathon but a two-day self navigation event with overnight camping. Runners have to carry all their camping, wet weather and emergency gear as well as food for the full weekend.
The route is a secret until the morning of each day and then participants navigate with map and compass (no gps on watches or phones allowed!) between set points (but no set route) with an electronic control at each checkpoint.
The scenic route around Wansfell Pike, east of Ambleside, included trails and paths and everything in between them with mountainsides, rivers, ghylls and bogs to cross. Lots of bogs it turns out! But after a warning of winter conditions from the organisers the weather turned out to be dry and sunny providing incredible views across the Eastern fells of the Lake District.
David and Susi completed all 11.8 miles with 3600 feet of ascent on Saturday and more than 10 miles with around 2000 feet of elevation on Sunday to finish 69th overall and 34th mixed couple in their first attempt at this challenge.
Quantock Beast
Karen Eyre had a very successful, if tough, visit to Somerset for the Quantock Beast on Sunday. Starting in the beautiful setting of The National Trust’s Fyne Court estate the race is just under 10k with more than 250m elevation gain. Runners enjoyed the stunning Quantock Hills scenery from the route which included woodland trails, fields, track and country lanes. Karen was an excellent fifth female, 20th overall and taking the first F50 prize finishing in 53:21. There were 76 finishers.
Run Exe 5k
Four AVRs travelled over to Exmouth on Wednesday for the latest in the Run Exe 5k summer series run on fast, flat roads.
In a race that saw the first 18 finishers in sub-17, Matt Frost was first AVR home in 37th position in 17:52. Ian Kinnersley was fourth M60 in 21:57, 107th overall with Eleanor Wood third F65 in 23:17. Unfortunately Ron Seward turned his ankle so was unable to finish. The race forms part of the InStep Devon series with the next event taking place on Tuesday 6th August.
Seaton parkrun and beyond
At Seaton parkrun on Saturday Debbie Whiston celebrated her 300th parkrun by finishing first female in 20.22. Second to finish was Ritchie Durrant in 16:53 with Eleanor Wood top on age grade with an impressive 90.4% for her 23:27. David Cooke reached 200 parkrun events and Helen Boehm and Shirley Goy achieved PBs of 32:44 and 35:52 respectively.
Out on the road, Sam Halls and Rob Collier took part in Mura di Lucca parkrun in Italy picking up their first country flag and an M for Sam’s name challenge. Tim and Amie Sibley completed Fell Foot parkrun in Cumbria; Jon Day did Plym Valley parkrun; Iain Westworth ran Penryn Campus in Cornwall while Pam Goddard and Cliff Marriott took part in Westmill parkrun in Ware. Rik Tumber and James Ashforth completed the tough but beautiful Parke and Alan Sealey ran Itchen Valley parkrun.
