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Outstanding Ottery
It was a weekend of 10ks for AVR with a good turnout at the Ottery 10k on Sunday, part of the In-Step Devon series and organised by Honiton Running Club. The fast, flat race started and finished at Ottery St Mary Cricket Club using country lanes around the town. This year five-time Olympian and European champion, Jo Pavey started the runners off and then took part herself before presenting prizes.
First AVR home in 38:23 was Matt Frost in an excellent tenth place. Kerry Board was first AVR female to finish, eighth female, in 45:48, chased all the way by Laura Kerr who smashed her PB to finish in 45:49. Other AVRs who took part were:
Simon Dimmock 40:23 23rd; Eleanor Wood 46:31 63rd; Ron Seward 47:08 72nd; Andy Charrington 49:00 79th; Suzi Blackett 50:16 90th; Jeremy Norcombe 50:25 92nd; Kelly Giles 52:58 110th; Corey Schultze 53:00 112th; Cliff Marriott 55:50 139th; Angela Kerr 56:36 148th; Fiona Seward 62:42 184th; Rachel Hiscock 64:01 191st; Maxine Sweetman 66:20 195th; Denise Burges 79:22 222nd; and Gill Day 79:23 223rd
A total of 227 runners completed the race and big thanks go to Roger Saunders and Howard Bidmead at Honiton RC for a great event including booking the best weather of the weekend!
AVRs before the Ottery 10k
Brilliant Bideford
Conditions were near perfect for the Bideford 10k with a large field of about 800 runners lining up alongside the River Torridge for the fast, flat course that takes in views of the Taw and Torridge estuary between Bideford and Instow returning on the Tarka Trail. Olympian Phil Norman took the win in a fast time of 30:35!
Rich Hardy was 14th overall in a rapid 34:28 scooping the second M40 prize.
The race is always a popular one for the older age categories with a discounted entry and prizes for all ages up to 80! The event attracted an incredible 28 runners over the age of 70 proving that running is not just a sport for the young. AVR’s Diane Newton was over the moon to finish in 1:14:24, after a difficult period of running, improving both her time and place from last year.
All finishers received a fetching pink T-shirt. The race was very well organised by Bideford AAC.
Rich Hardy with his second M40 prize
Seaton parkrun
It was a wet and chilly parkrun on Saturday in Seaton, definitely not Spring weather. First finisher was AVR’s Joel Seward in 17.20 with Terry Emmett coming in second in a PB of 17.48. First female was Deborah Whiston in 20.0 and first on age-grade in 79.4%.
Despite the downpours there were PBs for Dave Hutton in 24.31 and Craig Tiley in 25.39. Janet Cullum celebrated her 100 milestone while Keith Agland reached 200 as one of many pacers from AVR.
Coronation BH 10k Time Trial
On a damp and mizzly morning 36 AVRs kickstarted their bank holiday with a self-timed 10k time trial beginning in Colyford and finishing on the Esplanade. It is the first of the bank holiday time trials for 2023 with coffee at Hideaway replacing the planned picnic and swim! Matt Hewer was first to finish with Deborah Whiston first female.
AVRs before the Coronation 10k Time Trial
Results here.
An extraordinary day out!
Four AVRs tackled the East Devon Round on Saturday with Julia Mallon completing the 104k Full Round, a remarkable achievement given just 33 completed the course which included an elevation of an incredible 9665 ft. Starting at 5.30 am, with a piper to see the runners off from Offwell, the route took runners through forests of bluebells, across to Axminster and then onto Lyme where a tough section of the course followed the coast path over the Undercliffs into Seaton. Julia was supported for some 22 miles by Emma Richardson, Helen Holmes and Suzi Blackett.
After running through the Wetlands to Colyton the course went along the East Devon Way up to Sidford, Gittisham and beyond before returning to Offwell via a final loop north of Honiton. Finishing at 2.30 am the following morning in a phenomenal 21:05.33, Julia describes the event as “a brilliant day out!”.
Stephen Grigg, Dan Clist and James Hawker all completed the Half Round, following the same route as the first half of the Full and still a challenging 50k (35 miles) around 6000 feet of elevation finishing in Blackbury Camp. Stephen was a brilliant fourth finisher in an amazing 6:46.20. Dan and James ran together finishing in 8:59.37 -ultra runners and ultra brilliant.
Big thanks also to go to those providing the all-important feed stations and checkpoints on the route. In Axmouth, AVR managed the checkpoint with Sam Halls, Rob Collier and Rik Tumber working hard all day supplying essentials to the runners passing through.
North Dorset Village Marathon
At the North Dorset Village Marathon Ryan Snell was fifth in a very impressive 2:49.18 taking the first M40 prize. The 26.2m underlating run attracted 167 finishers, and began at Sturminster High School going along country lanes through a series of villages across North Dorset.
Round the Tor
Ian Kinnersley travelled to Glastonbury for the Round the Tor 10k. The course was run on country lanes around the Tor with a great atmosphere boosted by good crowds of spectators throughout the course.
He finished 38th out of 288 runners and 2nd in the MV60 category in 42:22.
1-2-3 at Seaton parkrun
AVR took the first three places at the Seaton parkrun on Saturday with Jack Broom (16.41), Joel Seward (16.46), and Ritchie Durrant (in a PB of 16.50) battling it out all the way. First female finisher was Deborah Whiston in 19.56.
The top six age-grade times were all AVR with Eleanor Wood 92% for 22.31; Ron Seward 80% for 22.34; Deborah Whiston, 79.6%; Carol Austin 78.3% for 24.46; Joel Seward 77.8% and Jack Broom 77%.
Jayne Tumber nabbed another PB in 33.16. There was a great turnout of 244 parkrunners this week.
London Calling
AVRs were out en masse at the TCS London Marathon this year. With good-for-age, charity, club and ballot places an incredible 15 took to the streets of the capital on Sunday while two others ran the challenging 26.2 miles closer to home as a virtual event.
Up in London the first AVR home was Terry Emmett who paced his race perfectly to finish a superb 500th in an excellent 2:38.34, 87th M40.
Duncan Staddon in 2:48.08 and Matt Hewer in 2:58.37 also impressed with their sub-3 hour finishes.
Despite a recent spate of injuries, Rob Collier finished in a brilliant 3:06.22.
Rupert Pady was next AVR home in 3:17.50.
Kerry Board, running her first London marathon in the city rather than virtually, finished in an excellent eight minute marathon PB of 3:37.17, while Karen Eyre completed it in 3:39.01, a London best.
Alan Hornibrook completed his 13th London marathon in 3:54.01, an impressive 81st M65.
Rob Gibson, raising money for Seaton Primary School following his success in the club ballot, finished in 4:08.05.
Club chair, Haydn Boehm and Wayne Tooze ran together raising funds for the charity, Brain Research, finishing in 4:05.04 and 4:05.05.
Angela Kerr, running an incredible 14th London marathon and her 48th in total, finished in 4:37.52 and 57th F65 to comfortably retain her good-for-age place.
Ferenc Kovacs came in in 4:50.41 for his first non-virtual marathon; Tracey Anning-Beckett finished in 5:07.16 while Kathryn Thompson, who has also had to overcome serious injury and illness, finished in 5:48.18.
More than 45,000 runners completed the marathon which was won in a new course record of 2:01.25 by Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya. The women’s race was full of drama with Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands taking the win in 2:18.33 on her marathon debut despite looking to be suffering from a hip injury during the race.
Both Mark Day and Louise Rawlins enjoyed lots of support from fellow AVRs pacing, cheering and a finish line welcome at the end of Seaton Esplanade worthy of The Mall itself. Mark finished in a PB of 4:56.52 while Louise, completed her first ever marathon, having only started running two years ago in a creditable 5:11.24.
In the Mini London Marathon on Saturday Innes FitzGerald successfully defended her title with another dominating performance finishing a full 15 seconds ahead of the second placed runner on the 2.6k course.
Boston Bonanza
Tim Sibley travelled to the USA to take part in one of the Marathon Majors, the famous Boston Marathon which takes place annually on Patriots Day. He completed it in 3:33.09 which was a great time on a tough course made all the more challenging with the wind and rain. Even the GOAT, Kipchoge struggled.
AVRs dominate Seaton parkrun
AVR had a great day at Seaton parkrun this week with Rich Hardy coming in as first finisher just a week after completing the Newport Marathon. His 16:58 also placed him second on age-grade. Luke Reed nabbed second spot in 17:53.
First female was Deborah Whiston in 20.05. Top on age-grade was Eleanor Wood with an amazing 91% for her 22:53 finish.
There were also PBs for Jason Potter in 20:53; Steve Lewis, again a week after running Manchester Marathon, in 24:53; Elaine Chesterman in 33:07 and Liz Curley in 34:18.
On the road, Sam Miller and Tony Smith nabbed their V for the alphabet challenge at Victoria Docks parkrun which was alive with pre-marathon fever. Dave Hutton and Sue Chambers were at Isabel Trail (grabbing their I) while Tim, Amie and James Sibley took part in Fletcher’s Cove parkrun in Washington while in the USA for the Boston Marathon.