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Local Derby at parkrun
Seaton parkrun on Saturday saw the first ever Axe Valley Runners versus Honiton Running Club Challenge with AVR taking the crown in the run while Honiton won the “Bake Off”.
The run results were based on age-grade scores as calculated by parkrun. With 18 runners results counting from each club on the day, AVR scored a magnificent 1342 points, helped by Eleanor Wood, leading with 89.8% and Matt Clist, second finisher on the day, with 82.3%.
A tremendous 62 AVRs took part as well as some 20 or so who volunteered. Full results are here:
In the “Great AVR v Honiton Bake-Off” challenge four magnificent cakes were entered from each club with members of The Hideaway café, the neutral judges. All the cakes were praised for their professional standard with Honiton’s Halloween cake the overall winner.
A special mention to Kathryn Thompson for her cake in AVR colours, the parkrun logo and, of course, the Seaton pebbles.
A big thank you to all the Seaton parkrun core team, to the Hideaway for their time and patience, to Lee Moran for crunching the numbers, to Robert Nisbet for photos and, most of all to Bob Carter for the idea and organisation. A battle set to continue and become a regular parkrun fixture.
In other parkrun news, Carol Austin completed the alphabet challenge by claiming her V at Valentines parkrun in Ilford.
Susi Sadler was in Holland for work so visited Kralingse Bos parkrun in Rotterdam while Rob Collier and Sam Summres ran the unique Severn Bridge parkrun that straddles both England and Wales. Paul Johns and Jon Day popped up to Street parkrun in Somerset while Cliff Marriott and Pam Goddard were in Kent so took part in Walmer and Deal Seafront parkrun.
Abingdon adventure
Ian Kinnersley ran the Abingdon marathon in Oxfordshire on Sunday. The weather was ideal for running with no wind, sunshine and mid-teens temperatures. The course was a flat two-lap event around the town and surrounding villages mainly on road hence it is targeted by many to produce personal bests and “Good for Age” times. Ian ran his fastest marathon in an impressive 3:32:10, beating his previous best from Portsmouth in 2013 by a huge 21-minutes finishing 342nd from nearly 2000 runners and ninth MV60.
ColyTEN – a roaring success
The winners were definitely the organisers at the inaugural ColyTEN on Sunday, a 10-mile trail race put on by Axe Valley Runners in conjunction with Colyton Football Club and Colyton Youth Football. It was a crisp sunny Autumn day, making perfect running conditions for the near 300 runners taking part. The race had sold out a few days before which was testament to the hard work of the team from AVR preparing and promoting the event.
The race started and finished at Colyton Football Club taking in the beautiful River Coly valley and some steep inclines in and around MorganHayes woods. Special mentions must go to Rob Collier, Karen Eyre and Sam Halls for all their organisation, route planning and corordination as well as all the volunteers that made the event possible. AVR hope it will become an annual event.
In first place on the day was Samuel Kelly from Exmouth Harriers in 1:01.22. Second was AVR’s Matt Clist in 1:05.48, also first M40. First female was Kirsteen Welsh in 1:10.45 with Debbie Whiston second in 1:17.25, also first F40 followed by Emilie Brock, 1:20.16, second F40.
Prizes of hampers were donated by Ganesha Wholefoods of Axminster who also made a donation to Devon Air Ambulance.
Other category winners for AVR were: Sue Hayes, first F45 in 1:27.33; Eleanor Wood, first F65 in 1:31.55; Andy West, first M65 in 1:33.20 and Dawn Carrah, first F60 in 1:43.38.
Full results are here:
Sun shone in Southsea
Five AVRs headed over to Hampshire to take part in this year’s AJ Bell Great South Run, a ten-mile fast and flat course around the Portsmouth and Southsea peninsula taking in the historic docks including HMS Victory, Southsea Castle and glorious sea views. Conditions were race perfect after a chilly start to the day.
First AVR home was Matt Frost in 215th in 1:00.49 with Simon Dimmock in 1:11.00, 977th.
Next was Carol Austin in 1:17.47 (2088th), fourth F60 with Laura Kerr just behind in 2465th in 1:19.21 and Angela Kerr in 5592nd in 1:30.29, 13th F65.
More than 20,000 took part in the race, which also saw Jake Smith’s return to racing after injury. He came in eighth place in 48:30, delighted with his time after more than a year out of action.
Bath Half
It was perfect weather also in Bath for the half-marathon which attracted a very fast field among the 9000 runners. First AVR home in an impressive 73rd place was Jack Broom in 1:14:59 followed not far behind by Duncan Staddon in 1:16:27 which was an excellent seventh MV45.
Ron Seward finished in 1891st in 1:47:51, a brilliant sixth MV70. He described the finish this year as having “excluded the north face of the Eiger, but instead had a more gentle but very tortuous climb for over one km. Just what’s needed at the end of a half marathon!”. Julia Conway completed the AVR contingent finishing in 2:05.35.
Outstanding Ultras
On Saturday Louise Rawlins and Kathryn Thompson completed the 50k Race to the Sea which takes runners from Moors Valley Country Park to Bournemouth seafront following the Castleman Trailway through forest trails then the glorious coastal path into Bournemouth. With more than 400 taking part on the flat and scenic route, Louise finished in 294th in 6:24.55 while Kathryn was 402nd in 7:39.07.
Further afield Ragnhild Richards took part in the Cappadocia Ultra trail 63km for the second time. It is an amazing race with 2000m+ ascent and very technical terrain. She was delighted to knock off 28 minutes on her time from two years ago to finish in 11 hrs 17, third in the 60+ age group.
Seaton parkrun
With so many AVRs racing on Sunday many took to supporting parkrun through volunteering this Saturday. Second female finisher was Karen Eyre in 22:34 who took some time off from her mammoth ColyTEN organising duties. Second male finisher was Luke Reed in 17:41 with Simon Dimmock third finisher in 20:51.
On the tourist trail, Cliff Marriott and Pam Goddard completed Clapham Common parkrun while Tony Smith and Sam Miller completed their Scandi tour with Lovisten parkrun in Bergen, a spectacular course high above the beautiful city.
Ten stars for AVR at the Templer 10
AVR scooped ten prizes at the Templer 10, the last event in AVR’s new annual challenge meaning a good turnout as runners tried to secure points from the multi-terrain race organised by Teignbridge Trotters.
The race started and finished at Stover School, Newton Abbott with competitors running through the picturesque Stover Country Park and the fields of Teigngrace enjoying the unseasonably warm weather.
First home to take the crown was AVR’s Joel Seward in 1.00.11 with Duncan Staddon taking second place in 1:01.43, also first M45. With Rich Hardy in fourth in 1:03.37, first M40 and Tim Lenton in sixth, 1:04.53, first M50 it was not surprising that the AVR men also took first prize in the Male team category. Other male prize winners for AVR were Rupert Pady, 20th in 1:12.06, second M50 and Ron Seward, 79th and first M70 in 1:26.52.
On the female side, Eleanor Wood was 11th female in 1:20.22 and first F65; Kerry Board, struggling with a bad cold, 13th female in 1:21.10; Karen Eyre, 16th female and second F50 in 1:23.39 and Adele Girdwood, 44th female and third F55 in 1:38.03. These four taking the second prize for female team.
Other AVR finishers were Lee Moran, 1:10.51; Ian Kinnersley, 1:19.21; Haydn Boehm, 1:19.52; Darrell Farley, 1:32.00; and Katharine Moran, 1:44.31. Almost 200 completed the race which is also part of the In-Step Devon.
England take the win in Chester
Angela Kerr completed the Chester marathon running as part of the England Masters team in her fourth appearance in the England vest finishing seventh F65 in 4:42.05. More than 3000 completed the marathon with the England Masters beating Wales Masters as part of the event.
Balmy Bournemouth
Jacqui Stokes ran the Bournemouth half marathon, part of the Run Bournemouth Running Festival. In very hot conditions she was thrilled to run a PB of 2:00:41 finishing 1037th
At the same festival Cliff Marriott took part in both the 5k on Saturday evening and the 10k on Sunday morning taking in both Boscombe and Bournemouth piers. Cliff also squeezed in Bournemouth parkrun and somehow managed a visit to the pub in between! In the 10k he was 424th, in 56.15 while in the 5k he was 162nd in 27.18.
A Right Royal PB
David Cull ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon which takes in four of the eight Royal parks in the capital; Hyde Park, Green Park, St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens.
It was a beautiful sunny day for the near 16000 runners but fortunately not too warm early on with great support on the streets and in the parks. David was very pleased to finish in 1:24:11, 139th place taking a huge three and half minute off his PB.
Pacers day at Seaton parkrun
It was quiet day for AVR at Seaton parkrun although the sun shone and 250+ parkrunners including many visitors enjoyed the event. AVR did provide most of the pacers helping a good few to PBs so big thanks to Keith Agland, Haydn Boehm, Lindsey Freathy, Simon Freathy, Tim Sibley and Vicki Wraight. Well done to Dave Hutton who secured a PB in 23.46.
Tony Smith and Sam Miller continued their Scandi tour with a visit to Tokoinranta parkrun in Helsinki.
Kevin Feeney completed Flatts Lane parkrun on Teeside which, despite its name, is definitely not flat! Jon Day visited Weymouth parkrun.
Due to the ColyTEN next weekend a reminder that there is no Stopline Way Junior parkrun on Sunday 15th October.