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Weymouth wanderings
It was an early start for the six AVRs who popped over the border to Dorset to take part in the Weymouth Half Marathon on Sunday with an 8am race start. The 13.1 mile course took the runners through the heart of Weymouth with stunning views of the Jurassic coastline on the mostly flat course.
Eleanor Wood, Ron Seward and Diana Burn came away with age category victory trophies for their excellent runs. Eleanor was first F65, 177th overall, in 1:41.00 while Ron won first M70 for his 1:45.07, 254th finisher. Diana was second F65 finishing in 2:13.08.
First AVR home and in a brilliant personal best was Tim Sibley in 1:32.28, 87th overall and fourth M50, setting him up nicely for his forthcoming Boston marathon.
Adele Girdwood finished in 1:52.55 with Cath Brenton coming home in 2:20.09 in her first ever half-marathon.
The eighth edition of the race took place in glorious spring sunshine although windy on the seafront with more than 1200 runners completing the course.
Sunny Seaton parkrun
It was back to the normal course for parkrun in Seaton on Saturday and the lovely sunny morning drew 207 parkrunners. Second female finisher was Ellie Dominey in 21:02 while third male was James Green in 18:07, who was also third on age grade with 76%.
In the excellent conditions, Ben Tucker celebrated his 50th parkrun with a PB of 20.38. Katharine Moran also nabbed a PB for her 26.49.
Further afield Rupert Pudy visited Exmouth finishing in a speedy 20:50 (73%) with Karen Eyre also enjoying the fast flat course finishing in 22:04 (76%). Meanwhile David and Susi Sadler enjoyed the muddy, hilly and very scenic Haldon Forest parkrun.
All the AVR parkrun results can be found here
Canter by the canal
Liz Slade got a late cancellation to enter this half-marathon which weaves its way along the picturesque Grand Western Canal towpath from Tiverton Basin to Sampford Peverell where runners turn and retrace their steps. Liz finished in 83rd place in 2:32.18 with 115 runners completing the 13.1m race.
Granite grind
Angela Kerr joined more than 100 others on the Granite Way cycle path in Exeter City Community Trust’s annual 20-mile race which is perfectly timed for Spring marathons. There are lovely views of Dartmoor to enjoy as you grind out the miles. Angela ran it as a training run for London marathon finishing in 101st, 3:37.31. A ten-mile option was also on offer.
Dragon slayed
Eleanor Wood enjoyed the Slay the Dragon trail 10k in Hinton St George, Somerset even with its multiple hills. She certainly slayed the dragon nabbing second female in a brilliant 49.46.
Storm leads to new route at Seaton parkrun
Huge thanks go to AVR’s Tony Smith, Sam Miller, Carolyn Nation, Lesley Adams, Jeremy Slade and Carol Austin who helped clear part of the Esplanade of an overnight deluge of pebbles to ensure parkrun could go ahead. West Walk remained closed so an amended route was used on Saturday morning. The route had three tight turns but fewer pebbles than usual and on a windy day it wasn’t a morning for a PB.
First finisher was Matt Hewer in 19:16. AVR also scooped first age-grade with Ron Seward’s 75.98% for his 23.48.
Saturday was parkrun’s annual celebration for International Women’s Day encouraging more women and girls to stay fit and healthy which, of course, parkrun is brilliant for – be it running, walking or, indeed, volunteering.
A few AVRs took the chance for some tourism including Dave Hutton and Sue Chambers nabbing their “Q” for the alphabet challenge at Queen Elizabeth parkrun; Tony Smith and Sam Miller enjoying the famous curly-wurly at Somerdale Pavilion parkrun; Ellie Dominey, who was first female finisher, Rupert Pady and Karen Eyre on the fast course of Exmouth parkrun; and Matt Frost, breaking his journey north, to run Wollaton Hall parkrun in Nottinghamshire.
Fighting the claw – another mega Grizzly success
The weather Gods were kind and it was a cloudy, still day providing perfect running conditions for the 2000+ runners who took on the challenge of the Grizzly and Cub races on Sunday. Biggest congratulations must go to new Race Directors, Andy West and Steve Haines for a brilliant first event under their guidance.
The race was started by five-time Olympian, Jo Pavey, with the runners heading straight onto the first of two gruelling stretches of pebble running. After that it was off up Castle Hill and onto Beer and, then, Branscombe and beyond and, for the Grizzly runners 20 miles of hills, bogs, river and more pebbles. The Cub runners may be let off the bogs but it is still a tough 9-mile race.
All through the runners are supported by a huge team of volunteers from AVR and many other local community groups and charities; which is what makes the Grizzly such a special event for Seaton and East Devon.
First home in the Cub was Ritchie Durrant of Pure Endurance in an excellent 1:02.52. Tenth finisher and first female was Olivia Carthew in 1:11.19. First male 40 and first AVR was Lee Moran in 1:11.13 with first female AVR and 12th female overall, Laura Kerr in 1:27.20. All the winners were awarded with a bottle of prosecco from Lyme Bay Wines, and a beautiful handcrafted plate made Gilly Humphreys. Guy Sweetman from event sponsor, East Devon Sports Therapy Centre and John Barrington-Rowell, President of AVR, made the presentations.
In the full event Sam Kelly of Exmouth Harriers improved on last year’s runner-up to take the win in a brilliant 2:14.25. Molly Smith, once of this parish but now with Norfolk Gazelles took the first female spot in a superb 2:43.28 running her first ever Grizzly. It was great to see four-time World Ironman Champion, Chrissie Wellington take on the Grizzly and finish an outstanding fourth female.
Matt Clist, in ninth sport following a sprint finish, was first AVR home in 2:29.02 while Emilie Brock scooped the first female AVR prize in 3:11.29.
During the race a memory tree is always provided on Branscombe beach for runners to pause and remember friends lost since the last event. This year it took on special significance following the recent sudden death of Phil Bayliss, a founder member of both AVR and the Grizzly and long-term Grizzly committee member. AVRs wore green ribbons in his memory reflecting his deep commitment to the environment and his legacy of encouraging the Grizzly to become a sustainable event as far as possible.
Big thanks must also go to Tescos, Leisure East Devon, East Devon Sports Therapy, Living Options and Seaton firefighters for all their support at the finish line.
On Saturday, hundreds of children had enjoyed some short Grizzly races of their own ably supported by lots of AVR members.
Full results to the Grizzly and Cub are here.
Supersize Seaton parkrun
It was the second biggest attendance ever at Seaton for the pre-Grizzly parkrun on Saturday. An incredible 392 ran, jogged and walked the pebbles and Esplanade, many using it as a leg-turner for the big one on Sunday. A huge number of Grizzly Tees were on show amongst the parkrunners.
Huge thanks to Honiton Running Club who took most of the volunteer roles in a take-over day and their latest Couch to 5K “graduates” completed their first parkrun so congratulations to all of them.
Craig Tiley and Roberta Wadsworth both nabbed PBs while AVR also provided most of the pacers who, as usual, did an incredible job especially with the big number of participants so thanks to Tim Sibley, Keith Agland, Vicki Wraight, Rob Collier, Cliff Marriott, Katharine Moran and Haydn Boehm.
Over at Cranbrook Country parkrun, Ellie Dominey was first finisher in 20:16.
All AVR parkrun results can be found here.