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Masterful from AVR’s M45s
At Mallory Park Racing Circuit on Saturday, AVR’s M45 team came a very impressive fifth place in the British Masters Open Road Relay Championships with Matt Clist, Matt Hewer, Ryan Snell and Duncan Staddon running a 3 mile leg each. A total of 26 teams took part with just Mansfield Harriers, Leeds City AC, Salford Harriers AC and Peterborough & Nene AC ahead of AVR.
Matt Clist ran the fourth fastest leg overall in just 16.00. This is a great effort from the team and for our club as there were some big names individuals and clubs taking part.
Run Exe Relays
On Friday evening AVR fielded seven relay teams in this year’s Run Exe Relays, organized by City Runs, taking place along the River Exe starting from Exwick playing fields. Some 83 teams participated from across the south west.
AVR’s men’s M40 team of Aaron Rawlins, Lee Moran, Haydn Boehm and Rich Hardy took first place in 1:01:06 with Rich Hardy pipping Matt Frost, the final runner of the M18-39 team right on the line. Both the M60 and F60 teams were second in category.
There were also some notable individual performances for AVR from Rich Hardy fastest M40 13:25; Andy West fastest M65 16:42; Jeremy Norcombe 2nd M65 17:53; Ron Seward fastest M70 17:27; Kevin Feeney 3rd M70 20:35; Carol Austin 3rd F60 19:31; Ann Coston 2nd F55 19:42 and Melanie Bolden 3rd F55 20:12.
Full results here.
Wet in Manchester – for a change!
Angela Kerr and Adele Girdwood travelled to Manchester at the weekend to run in A J Bell Great Manchester Run Half Marathon. This fast, flattish race starts and finishes in Manchester city centre and goes past both football stadiums on a weekend which also saw both United and City celebrating in one way or another. The weather was stereotypical Manchester with rain although the heaviest came after half marathon.
Angela was running for England Masters after qualifying last year and finished in 2:01:51 and was ninth F65. Carol Austin, who had also qualified for the Masters, had to withdraw due to injury.
Adele finished in 1:56:13 and was 11th F60. Around 30,000 took part including the shorter 10k option.
Great West Run Half marathon
This undulating race took place on Sunday and followed closed roads through Exeter city centre and adjacent countryside. Six AVRs took part. Matt Hewer finished 29th and 3rd M45 in a very impressive 1:21:20 and now awaits to see if this will be sufficient for an England call-up! Patrick Rosello finished in1:37:03; James Hawker in 1:45:30; Ian Apps in 2:03:06; Dan Clist in 2:08:48; and Kathryn Thompson 2:46:42.
Egdon Easy 10k
Darrell Farley and Ron Seward went over to Weymouth for the Egdon Easy 10k on Saturday evening. The flat course was made up of a short loop, followed by two longer loops around Lodmore reservoir on a mixture of tarmac and gravel paths. Darrell finished in 47:30 and 98th place, a brilliant time given he had completed Seaton parkrun earlier in the day. Ron rocked up in 48:03 and 105th position, snaffling the M70 trophy, despite wondering whether Friday night’s relays were really the best preparation!
328 completed the run, with Robert Wood of Basingstoke finishing first in 33:20.
Victorious at the Taunton Trail Half
On Sunday in warm and muggy weather, four AVRs ran the Taunton trail half marathon which is a very scenic route along the canal and River Tone. The route was mainly gravel footpath with an off road section at mile nine. Kerry Board was first female, 16th overall in 1:41:12, Dawn Carrah first vet 60 in 1:58:54, Cory Schultze 1:59:08, and Rachel Hiscock 2:21:14. Alison Hayward completed the 10k in 1:08:36.
Bank Holiday Time Trial
Finally a sunny bank holiday for this club-organised event with 47 AVRs completing the time trial 10k and three completing 5k. AVR also welcomed a visitor from Sweden who ran the 10k. The run took place in good conditions and finished on a very sunny seafront. Matt Clist was first finisher in 35:12, 2nd Rich Hardy and 3rd David Cull. First female was Debbie Whiston in 41:00, 2nd Jacqui Stokes and 3rd Eleanor Wood. These results will go into the big data mix towards the Club’s annual champs.
Full results here.
Seaton parkrun and elsewhere
Another sunny Saturday saw more than 300 take part in Seaton parkrun including many tourists. First finisher this week was Joel Seward in 17:10 and Harry McMahon was third in 17:57. First female home was Debbie Whiston in 20:28 and she was third on age grade 78.34%. First on age grade was Eleanor Wood in 23:35, 89.96%. Shirley Goy enjoyed yet another PB in 37:57.
Bec Davey completed Bushy Park parkrun to complete the “Where it all started” challenge. Tony Smith & Sam Miller ran Krakow parkrun plus their daughter, Molly, who finished first and smashed the female course record in 17:10!
All ablaze in Beer
It was hot and sunny for Sunday’s Beer Blazer organised locally by Beer Primary School with a huge turnout of AVRs running and, also, supporting the event providing timers, marshals and back-markers.
The multi-terrain event starts and finishes near the school in the village then heads out over Beer Head to Branscombe and beyond. Coming back along the coast path it is a challenging race, with 5 and 10 mile options available.
In the 10-mile event it was a win for Wayne Loveridge of Chard Road Runners – who on Saturday had celebrated his 200th parkrun by finishing first at Seaton parkrun. Clearly even the post parkrun beach drink hadn’t affected him as he romped home in 1:15.33 just ahead of AVR’s Matt Clist in second, and first M45, in 1:16.33.
Third female, and first F65, was Eleanor Wood in a brilliant 1:46.16.
Tim Lenton was fifth, and first M50, in 1:23.05. Simon Mcclellan had a good run to finish 21st, and first M55 in 1:43.49. Ian Kinnesley took first M60 in 1:51.28 with Andy West first M65 in 1:57.22 and Ron Seward first M70 in 2:03.06. A total of 114 completed the 10-mile race.
Ninety runners chose the 5-mile version including a number of AVRs.
Full results of both events are here.
Great Runs moves to Bristol
Following the Birmingham events the Great Run was in Bristol on Sunday for the half marathon and 10k. The conditions were perfect, if a little hot for those taking the longer race option.
The races start in Bristol city centre before following the River Avon out through Clifton to Sneyd Park and Stoke Bishop returning the same way for a loop around the city to the finish. The course is flat and fast although with a good few turns especially near the end. In the half marathon, Ritchie Durrant was 81st finishing in 1:24.29.
Jacqui Stokes was delighted to finally crack the two hour barrier and did so in style finishing in 1:49.20, 1870th. Sue Hayes, running with her son, finished in 1:47.21, 9th F50 and 1637th and Mark Day, who took part with his son, was 5889th in 2:16.58.
Angela Kerr took part in the 10k race finishing in an excellent sixth F65 in 55:00 and 1893rd.
More than 15000 took part in both events with the Great Run machine rolling on up to Manchester for next Sunday’s Great Manchester half and 10k.
Jurassic Coast 100k
Once again, Julia Mallon took on an incredible challenge and nailed it! On Saturday she took part in the Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge completing the continuous 100k in an incredible 17 hours: 52 secs. The event started in Castle Corfe and finished in Bridport. The first half took in Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove, so a lot of hills but stunning views to compensate for the effort. Then as the route went through Weymouth and onwards towards Bridport, it became flatter but unfortunately Julia was suffering by then from cramps and sickness but she battled on to complete the race.
Seaton parkrun
It was another sunny morning for parkrun in Seaton with 224 finishers. First female and first on age grade was Debbie Whiston in 20.24, 79%. Luke Reed was second finisher in 18.21 and there were PBs for Shirley Goy in 38.59 and Fran Cohen in 47.19.
There was a good turnout from AVR’s latest Couch to 5k group who are on week eight of the course and already taking part in parkrun thanks in no small part to the support and encouragement of Cliff Marriott and his team of helpers. Five of them secured PBs too!
Louise Rawlins celebrated her 100th volunteer stint at Seaton – an amazing achievement as she only started volunteering two years ago.
Out on the road, Adrianne and Anthony Marsden took part in Bolberry Down parkrun while Mark Spraggs enjoyed Penryn Campus in Cornwall. John Whittaker attended Bushy Park parkrun achieving the “where it all started” challenge; Emma Ellynn ran Ally Pally parkrun which has tremendous views of the capital; Carolyn Nation did Minehead parkrun. Bec and Simon Davey took part in Quakers Walk in Devizes securing their Q while James Ashforth did Hereford before a wedding in the city. Sam Miller enjoyed Malahide parkrun in the grounds of Malahide Castle and Gardens in Dublin.
Scorchio at Ottery
Summer finally arrived in Devon this weekend for the Ottery 10k, organised brilliantly by Honiton Running Club. The road race, run on country lanes surrounding Ottery, starting and finishing at Ottery St Mary Cricket Club attracted a big turn-out of Axe Valley Runners with the race featuring in the Club Championship this year. This year’s race was started by Olympian and former European Champion, Jo Pavey, who then took part herself in the event before awarding the prizes later.
Taking third spot was AVR’s Matt Clist in an impressive 35:38, also top M40. Matt Hewer was next AVR in 38:55, fourth M40.
Rupert Pady was first M50 in 43:21 and there was a PB for Adrian Strawbridge in 43.16.
On the female side, Eleanor Wood was first F55 in 48:11.
Almost 300 completed the race, which also features in the InStep Devon series. Full results will be posted here.
Yeovilton summer series
Eleven AVRs took part in the second of this series of six 5k events held from April to September on the second Wednesday of the month. Fast, flat and definitely a PB course, the races start and finish at RNAS Yeovilton attracting a high quality field.
First AVR home was Joel Seward in 16:56, tenth place in a competitive field. Third M40 was Ryan Snell in 17:18 while Angela Kerr was first F65 in 26:41.
Full results
The next event is Wednesday 12 June.
Exeter Marathon
The blistering hot conditions were not conducive to marathon running but David Cull and Lee Moran both took part and, in fact, ended up running 26.7 miles due to a mix-up at the start. The route took runners around the Exeter riverside, canals and country park. Finishing fifth overall and first M40 David Cull completed it in 3:06.44, just two months after running Barcelona marathon. After a solid first 16 miles the heat took its toll and slowed him a little but he was happy to overtake a couple of runners in the last mile. Lee Moran finished 13th in a very solid 3:20.30, third M45, achieving his target of not needing a ‘loo stop’!
Seaton parkrun
It was a gorgeous sunny day in Seaton for the 240 parkrunners, volunteers and spectators at parkrun. First finishers were both AVR with Harry McMahon, first male, in 18:08 and Debbie Whiston, first female, in 20:34. These two were also first and second on age-grade with Debbie first on 78% then Harry on 74%.
Shaun Vinnicombe celebrated his 100 milestone and Shirley Goy her 50th parkrun. There was a shiny PB for Helen Boehm in 35:26.
Away from home, Matt Frost completed Minehead parkrun and Andy West took part in Aylesbury parkrun.