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Matts marvel at Martock!
AVR’s Matt Hewer in eighth and Matt Frost in tenth were among five Matts in the top ten finishers at the Martock 10k on Sunday. The early start meant good conditions for the fast, flat race all on quiet Somerset country roads leading to some good times in this 18th edition of the event.
Matt Hewer came in eighth and second M40 – the winner was also M40 – in an excellent 37:37 despite a slight niggle in the week. In tenth place was Matt Frost in 37:50. Next in for AVR and third M40 was David Cull in 38:17. Ron Seward won the M70 category with an excellent 48:24, 135th overall. Alan Morbey finished in 52:32 in 181st . A total of 455 completed the race. Full results
Giants Head half – and a bit!
On Sunday a group of AVRs travelled to Sydling St Nicholas in Dorset to run the very challenging Giants Head half marathon. It was just over the half distance coming in at 13.6 miles and with more than 1,500 feet of climb it was a tough ask. But the route, ran on country lanes and woodland trails, provided some superb views over the beautiful Dorset countryside. Fourth woman overall, despite struggling with illness, was Kerry Board in 2:02:0 and first F45. Dawn Carrah finished in 2:20:50 to take first F60 with Mandy Harris coming in in 3:08:05, happy to be back running after injury.
Army success
Debbie Whiston ran for the Army at the Inter Services 10km at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham on Wednesday in a time of 40.56, 95th overall and third F35.
Yeovilton 5k summer series
The third event in the Yeovilton 5k series took place on Wednesday starting and finishing at RNAS Yeovilton with 12 AVRs competing and looking for points for the Club Challenge.
The fast, flat course and midweek racing opportunity brings out the speedy runners but there were also age group prizes to be had!
First AVR home was Rich Hardy in 16:54, 15th place and first M40. Ryan Snell was in 21st in 17:23, third M40. Ian Kinnersley was first M60, 67th overall in 20:34; Ron Seward, first M70 in 22:48, 101st and Angela Kerr was first F65 in 27:27, 133rd.
Matt Frost was 25th in 17:41; David Cull 34th in 18:28; Adrian Strawbridge 66th in 20:28; James Ashforth 79th in 21:09; Andy West 83rd in 21:17; Nick Adams, 112th in 23:33, David Cooke, 127th in 26:08; and Fiona Seward was 143rd in 29:21.
The next event takes place on Wednesday 10 July.
Seaton parkrun and beyond
AVR’s Debbie Whiston was first female finisher in 20:33 and Eleanor Wood was first on age-grade with a brilliant 90.3% for 23:29. There were PBs for Rachel Hiscock in 29:20; Helen Boehm in 33:24 and Shirley Goy in 36:33.
But the day belonged to Matt Waters who walked the 5k including the pebbles sections, his longest walk since losing his legs to sepsis in November 2022. A fantastic achievement and true inspiration, Matt was supported on the day by friends and family and the parkrun community.
Further afield, Matt Frost took part in Severn Bridge parkrun, which crosses the Welsh border; Rebecca Eastburn completed beautiful Trelissick in Cornwall; Sarah Shepley and Kevin Feeney ran Reading parkrun; and Carolyn Nation enjoyed the coastal Minehead parkrun.
Crewkerne a cracker for AVR!
AVRs had a very successful Sunday in Crewkerne with individual and team prizes secured. With a 10k and 5k option on offer there was a good turn-out of AVRs for the event with both races starting and finishing in the market town. Mostly on road and definitely undulating the route takes runners out to Clinton St George and back through the pretty village of Merriott to Crewkerne.
The 10k was won by Alex Coombs after a great battle with Wayne Loveridge of Chard Road Runners. First AVR home and third overall was Matt Clist in an impressive 35:19 followed by Matt Hewer in fifth in 39:26 and first M40. With Lee Moran eighth and second M40 in 41:01 and Rupert Pady, 18th and third M50 in 44:00, the AVR men also scooped first team prize.
AVR women were just as successful with Karen Eyre first F45 in 47:10; Eleanor Wood first F55 in 48:38 and Jacqui Stokes, third F35 in 48:54 also taking the first female team award.
The prizes were presented by the Mayor of Crewkerne and representative from the sponsor, Everys. In the 5k, Simon Dimmock was third in 20:09. Full results for both races here
The race is included in this year’s AVR club challenge which is now hotting up as we reach the halfway point of the year.
Seaton parkrun and beyond
Another super sunny Saturday for parkrun saw Simon Dimmock celebrate his 250th event and Sam Tooze achieve her 100 milestone. First female was Debbie Whiston in 20:01 and third on age grade with 80%. Third finisher was Harry McMahon in 17:47. There were PBs for Andy Peters in 28:12, Rachel Hiscock in 29:48, Shirley Goy in 37:26 and Fran Cohen in 46:33.
Further afield Carol Austin chalked up her ninth parkrun country by completing Tampere parkrun in Finland; Lee Brooker ran Dolgellau parkrun in Wales; Sam Miller and Bec Davey did the beautiful Woolacombe Downs parkrun; James Ashforth took part in Richmond parkrun while Jon and Gill Day enjoyed Five Arches in Somerset.
A French Grizzly!
On Saturday, Patrick Devine-Wright ran the Maxi race around the lake in Annecy, France with almost 100k distance and over 5000m of ascent and descent. The going was exceptionally muddy after recent rain , and he described it as a very long mountainous Grizzly at times! He took 14 hours and 25 minutes to complete the course and was 283rd overall out of more than 2000 competitors and third M50.
Seaton parkrun and elsewhere
On another sunny Saturday almost 350 parkrunners enjoyed the pebbles of Seaton parkrun with a visitor from Worcester, Josh Carr just pipping AVR’s Matt Clist, 16:51, Ritchie Durrant, 17:01 and Joel Seward, 17:31, for first finisher spot. Matt Clist also clinching second on age-grade with 84.7%. There were PBs for Matt Frost, 18:18, Ann-Louise Childe, 28:47, Helen Boehm, 33:43 and Shirley Goy 37:49.
Further afield, Carol Austin ran her fifth Haga parkrun prior to working at the Stockholm Diamond League; Pam Goddard took part in Land’s End parkrun; Rob Collier and Sam Halls completed Chichester parkrun; Jon Day and Paul Johns enjoyed the scenic Bolberry Down parkrun near Salcombe while Debbie Whiston was first female finisher at Plym Valley parkrun in 21:04.