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Three hills, ten miles and a lot of fun

The Dalwood Three Hills race returned this year with hills, river crossings and a lot of mud for the 203 runners to enjoy.  Organised by Honiton Running Club the 10 mile race attracted a good turnout of AVRs looking for some Grizzly practice.
AVR’s Matt Clist was the male winner finishing in 72.38, also first M45.  AVR also secured the men’s team prize after dominating the leaderboard with Tim Lenton, third and first M50 in 75:14;  fourth and second senior male was Max Richardson in 75:42 and Matt Hewer fifth and second M45in 77:26.
Ninth female and first F65 was Eleanor Wood in 1:42.12; Simon McLennan was first M55 in 1:27.08 and Ian Kinnersley was first M60 in 1:40.40.
There was also a shorter 5k option available, the Dalwood Dash, which attracted 16 runners including James and Ann-Louise Childe who finished 12th and 13th respectively.
World record and a PB at Barcelona
While Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo set a new world record at the Barcelona half marathon on Sunday finishing in an incredible 56:42, AVR’s Simon Dimmock was delighted to run a PB finishing in an impressive 1:21.06.
Seaton parkrun and beyond
Despite the misty, cold and damp conditions, there were 221 participants on Saturday at Seaton parkrun. Debbie Whiston was first female finishing in 20:58 which also placed her second on age-grade with 77%.  Karen Eyre pipped her for first on age-grade with 80.1% for her 22:00.  Joel Seward was second finisher in 18:24.
Out on the road Carol Austin went back to her old stomping ground of Cannon Hill parkrun for her 81st event there; Jon Day and Paul Johns took part in Moors Valley parkrun while Adrian Strawbridge and Lee Brooker ran the fast, flat Exmouth parkrun.  Ron and Fiona Seward enjoyed Groe parkrun in Wales while Pam Goddard took part in Edenbrook parkrun in Fleet.

AVRs celebrate half marathon PBs

Three AVRs travelled to Farnborough for the Winter Half Marathon organised by 2:09 Events on Sunday.  The event was an England Masters qualifier so attracted a very competitive field with victory for Adam Clark in 1:03.46 and Ellie Monks 1:15.55.

In very cold conditions Rich Hardy had a great race to finish with a shiny new HM PB of 1:14.31 and seventh M40-49.  Rob Collier also had a good run to finish in 1:24.05 and 22nd M50-59.

Angela Kerr, returning from a hip injury, finished in 2:10.09 and 26th F60-69.

Closer to home three AVRs took part in the Exeter half-marathon on a flat course around the riverside, Countess Weir and Matford Marshes.  Organised by the Exeter City Community Trust, races took place on both Saturday and Sunday with a five-mile option also available on Sunday.

Mark Sprags ran on Saturday securing an excellent PB of 1:44.26 in 150th place while Vicki Wraight was very pleased with her time of 2:06.17 in 292nd after a spell of injury and illness curtailed her training.

In Sunday’s half Adele Girdwood finished in 1:57.39, just shy of her PB but an excellent first F60 in 213th.

Matt Frost used the five-mile race as a spot of speed training within a 20-mile training run and secured second spot with 29:57.

Freezing Four Trigs

It was a bright sunny day but bitterly cold for the Four Trigs on Sunday which takes in four viewing points across the East Devon countryside around Sidmouth.  There was a good turnout of AVRs for the race which is around 27k with some 3999 feet of elevation.  It is self-navigated with trig points at Weston cliff, Buckton Hill, Beacon Hill and High Peak.  Nine AVRs took part in the challenging event enjoying the sunshine despite the tough terrain.

Results to follow.

Seaton parkrun and beyond

It was a chilly one on Saturday with a wicked northerly wind so a huge thank you to those who volunteered.  Congratulations to Tony Smith who has joined the selective 250 volunteer club.

First female finisher was Debbie Whiston, who really felt the cold after two weeks in Cyprus, in 20:20 which also put her first on age-grade with 79.6%.  Joel Seward was third male in 17:50 even having again run 11 miles from home to the start line then another eight after parkrun!  Ron Seward was second on age-grade with 79.5% for his 23:26.  There was a PB for Matt Chenery in 26:28.

Further afield Craig Tiley took part in Lydiard parkrun near Swindon; Bethany Laycock ran Porthcawl parkrun; Emma Ellynn enjoyed Heartlands parkrun in Cornwall; Paul Johns ticked off a ‘B’ with Brynaman parkrun in Wales; Sidney Heaslip completed Central parkrun, Plymouth while Anthony and Adrianne Mullins enjoyed Aberfields parkrun also in Wales.

There was a quartet of AVRs  at Killerton parkrun with Kerry Board, Jess Board, Rupert Pady and Karen Eyre all getting some good Grizzly practice in!  Finally Tracy Chapman took part in St Mary’s parkrun in Bridport.

And finally

Last Tuesday in Ostrava, Czech, Innes Fitzgerald smashed the European U20 indoor record for 3000m finishing fourth in a loaded field in 8:40.05.  Her indoor season is really hotting up with the UK Championships and European Athletics Indoor Championships to come.

Grizzly Recce Run

AVR held its annual Grizzly and Cub recce run on Sunday where runners can get a taste of what is to come.  This event, for Axe Valley Runners members only, is possible due to the generosity of the farmers and landowners whose land is used for the Grizzly event.  The official route should not be used any other time of the year for running.  The practice run also allows those in the club who are organising the event or helping on the day to get the “Grizzly” experience!

Conditions were good and, although muddy underfoot, perhaps not as muddy as expected.  That said there is still a month to go until the big day and the route is challenging and should not be under estimated.

Big thanks go to Andy West and Steve Haines, the Grizzly Race Directors for organising Sunday’s practice runs and to the Run Leaders who helped make it an enjoyable day.

Seaton parkrun and beyond

There was an AVR 1-2-3 at Seaton on Saturday with Joel Seward just pipping Rich Hardy to the first finisher spot in 17:16.  Amazingly Joel had run from Axminster to Seaton as a ‘warm-up’ and then ran back to Axminster after parkrun.  Congratulations also to Joel who last week received news of his Championship spot at the London Marathon in April so this training regime is clearly paying off. Third finisher on Saturday was Terry Emmett in 17:57.

AVR also dominated the age-grade podium with Eleanor Wood top with 89% for her 23:38;  Rich Hardy second with 79% for his 17:17 and Ron Seward third on age-grade with 78% for 23:43.

There was a PB for Lily Sibley in 35:29.  Thanks should go to East Devon District Council’s Street Scene team for clearing the West Walk of the deluge of pebbles after Storms Eowyn and Herminia as well as Seaton parkrun core team for clearing near the start and finish ramp.  Without this the event would not have been safe to go ahead.

Out on the road Debbie Whiston took part in the ‘closed facility’ Happy Valley parkrun in Cyprus where she was first female in 19:43 while Rebecca Eastburn ran the Poppintree parkrun in Dublin.  Tony Smith and Sam Miller enjoyed the picturesque Watermead Country Park in Leicestershire.  Closer to home, Carol Austin ran the fast, flat Five Arches along the Dorset and Somerset Cycleway while Paul Johns took part in Minehead parkrun and Jon Day did Shepton Mallet parkrun.   Kerry Board and daughter, Jess enjoyed Killerton parkrun’s mud and hills while Carolyn Nation completed Exeter Riverside parkrun.