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Points make Prizes

There was a big turnout for the August Bank Holiday 10k time trial as it was the last opportunity to improve scores in this event for the new AVR Annual Challenge where runners tackle a series of events throughout the year.

The sun shone as 44 AVRs started the 10k at Colyford Post Office running through the Seaton Wetlands down onto the Esplanade, avoiding the temptation of the Bank Holiday market, to the Hideaway, the halfway mark.  Then it was back along the Esplanade and up the Axmouth Straight alongside the River Axe before turning before the church to retrace the route back to the Hideaway.  First home was Matt Clist in an impressive 34:22; first female was Debbie Whiston in 41:58; Lindsey Freathy knocked 90 seconds off her May time, Mark Day knocked off a huge five minutes to finish in 54:38 while Janet Cullum and Alison Gould improved by three minutes each  in 62:02 and 62:04 respectively.  Full results here.

Lustleigh 10k

Eleanor Wood and Julia Teague enjoyed a 10k as part of the Bank Holiday Lustleigh Village Show.  It was a tough hilly route with Eleanor, returning from injury, finishing in an excellent 54:52 and Julia in 64:17.

Seaton parkrun

 

There was another big turnout with 268 finishers.  Debbie Whiston was second female in 19:43, third on age-grade in 80%.  Zoe Trewick and Georgie Ryan celebrated PBs in 27:36 and 30:41, respectively.

Summer trips meant more parkrun tourism with Wayne and Sam Tooze running Prospect Park parkrun before letting their hair down at the Reading Festival while Emma Ellynn enjoyed beautiful Trelissick parkrun in Cornwall.  Seven AVRs popped over to Killerton for a hilly off-road parkrun.  All AVR parkrun results are here.

Ron races the train

Ron Seward travelled to Tywyn in West Wales to race the train.  The event started at 2:05 pm as the Fat Controller blew his whistle. The steam train made its way up the gently sloping straight track to Abergynolwyn before making its return.

Meanwhile the runners were tackling fields, hills, tracks, streams and bogs made particularly challenging after Storm Betty. The outward part of the run was definitely easier than the return and the train was often tantalisingly in view. However, for the final part of the run the train’s route was considerably shorter than that of the runners.  Nonetheless, 47 of the 500 starters outperformed the steam engine which completed its route in 1hr 48 minutes. Having taken a couple of tumbles and completely immersing himself in the bog, Ron completed the 23 km course in a (replacement bus service) time of 2:19:56 in 234th and third M70, being pipped to second by just two-hundredths of a second.

Seaton and parkrun tourism

 It was a bright, windy Saturday in Seaton with a very big turn-out for parkrun. Plenty of tourists joined the regulars with more than 300 finishers.  Second female was Debbie Whiston in 20:29, also second on age-grade in 77%.  Rich Hardy was fourth finisher in 19:20. Kathryn Thompson secured nice new PB in 32:10, respectively.

Tourism award for the furthest travelled this week goes to Chris Polley who did a hot and humid East Park parkrun in Singapore in an impressive 21:59. Tony Smith and Sam Miller did Glengariff parkrun in Ireland securing their G meaning they are just one-away from the full parkrun alphabet.  Meanwhile Carol Austin did Jersey Farm parkrun to nab her J leaving her also just one letter left.  Bec Davey also got her G at Great Yarmouth parkrun.

Yeovilton 5k

Four AVRs took part in the fourth of the Yeovilton 5k  summer series on Wednesday evening.  Matt Frost was first AVR in 22ndplace in an impressive 18:09 with David Cull securing a PB for his 18:54. Adrian Strawbridge was 53rdfinishing in 20:17, 12th M40, with James Ashforth, 72nd in 22:40.  There were 114 finishers on the night.  There are two more events in the series: Wed 6th and Wed 13th September with entry details here:

Triple celebration at Seaton parkrun

Aileen Heal celebrated her 150th parkrun, her 100th volunteer stint at Seaton, and four years cancer-free at Saturday’s parkrun.  She was joined by friends from the Tu-Tu tribe and was also tail-walker.  Run Director for the day, Susi Sadler presented Aileen with her 100 volunteer hat before the event got underway.

In the event itself Ritchie Durrant led for most of the course but was pipped on the pebbles by tourist, Kieran O’Hara who finished in17:32 with Ritchie just behind in 17:35.  Debbie Whiston was second female in 20:30 and Ron Seward was second on age-grade with 78% for his 22:59.