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Windy Weymouth

After Saturday’s thunderstorms there were a number a puddles to negotiate during the Weymouth 10. The course consisted of an outward run along the promenade followed by two toughs loops around the hills of Bowleaze.  Runners then retraced their steps along the seafront, albeit into a tortuous headwind

Ron Seward finished 62nd in 1:23:40 coming away with the MV70 trophy.

In his first event as an AVR, Darrell Farley, finished in 1:26.33 (72nd).  A total of 154 runners took part in the event, organised by Egdon Harriers.

Turkey triumph

Ragnhild Richards ran the Kas half marathon in Turkey, a stunning and hilly road race around the marina and out on the peninsula.  She was pleased with her time, 2:16.30 which was a 16 second improvement on three years ago and secured her first F60+, although she confesses she was the only F60+!

Celebrations at parkrun

 Bob Carter celebrated his 50th parkrun at Seaton on Saturday along with his 50thvolunteering stint.  Niall McNeice completed his 100th parkrun after being struck with an injury a few months ago while on 99.  On Saturday he ran with wife, Natalie, who is also on the comeback trail after a couple of serious leg injuries.

Steve Lewis nabbed a PB in 25:37 while first finisher was AVR’s Richard Hardy in 17:09.

Tough conditions for the off roaders

Richard Hale was one of 30 finishers in the 7-mile Ponty Plod race in South Wales, a multi terrain race with the usual steep hills, wet, muddy and stony tracks and gullies to navigate. He finished 12th  overall taking first 1st MV70 spot in 1:20:35.

Even further north, James Green tackled the Buttermere Shepherds Meet, a 5k ‘out/up and back’ with 2000ft of climb that summits Robinson from Gatesgarth farm at the head of the Buttermere valley. The weather was torrential and blustery.

Here he describes the experience: “The 20-minute flog to the summit was straight forward enough. There was a short jog at the start and a painfully slow jog for the final 150 yds to the summit but the rest was rarely more than a hike with intermittent clasping at bracken with my hands to maintain the momentum. I started nearer the back in a field of about 80 runners. Once into the proper climbing I grew in confidence to finally arrive in fifth spot at the top. With the preservation of my limbs for next week’s OMM in mind, a ‘conservative approach’ to the descent saw me drop back to 13th. I can most definitely recommend the thrill of an event like this. The descent was bonkers, even at my conservative pace and left me with a crooked grin despite falling several times in the gorse. I’ll be back for another one!”  Best of luck in the big one next week James.

Beautiful Bath inspires AVR quartet

Four AVRs travelled to Bath for the much-postponed half-marathon and were rewarded with some beautiful autumn sunshine setting off the stunning Bath architecture.  A very well organised race started in Queen Square with a three-mile loop followed by two x five mile loops finishing with a wicked 100m uphill.  Apart from that finale it was a fast, flat course and ideal for spectators with the looped format.

More than 6700 runners completed the 13.1 mile race with Matt Frost finishing an excellent 208th.  Just two weeks after completing the London marathon Matt wasn’t sure how his legs would be.  He also took a tumble in the first mile but managed to get into a rhythm to finish in 1:24.01, his second fastest half marathon.

Second AVR home was Tom Parsons in 1:48.30, in a superb PB.  After a hampered build-up with a hamstring injury, Carol Austin was pleased with her 1:50.00, sixth F60.  Ron Seward was 48th M65 with a time of 1:53.36.

Southsea success

Simon Dimmock was delighted with his sub-1:10 and an excellent 605th at the Great South Run, a popular 10-mile race along the seafront from Southsea to Portsmouth.  His 1:09.41 was just 15 seconds off his time last year despite a build-up hampered by knee problems.

Shaun Vinnicombe’s target was to finish which he did in 2:13.21.

A massive 20,000 runners completed the race which was won by Ben Connor in 47.19 with his partner Lily Partridge, on the comeback trail after a major foot operation, winning the women’s race in 54.29.

AVR dominate Seaton parkrun

At Saturday’s parkrun in good conditions despite a heavy shower as the event started, AVR’s Joel Seward was second finisher in 17:22 with Richard Hardy, despite an Atlantic flight this week, in third in 17:28.  Kerry Board was second female finisher in 22:14 with Eleanor Wood, a week after celebrating her 50th parkrun, coming in third woman in 22:44 with another outstanding age-grade of 90.54%.  Congratulations to Maxine Sweetman who ran her 150thparkrun.

Cardiff cross success for Innes

Local athlete Innes Fitzgerald continued her incredible 2022 with victory in the combined U17/U20 Cardiff Cross Challenge on Saturday.

Bumper turnout for first Winter 5k

On a beautiful still October evening in unseasonably warm temperatures 34 AVRs took part in the first of the timed 5k winter series.

Congrats to all who took part.

Results in the table below

RunnerOCTOBER 22NOVEMBER 22DECEMBER 22JANUARY 23FEBRUARY 23MARCH 23
Joel Seward 16:5217:0718:0118:4017:06
Duncan Staddon
17:06
Ritchie Durrant 17:2817:0216:5116:5517:06
Luke Reed 17:2917:4017:2317:46
Rob Collier 19:0320:4922:1721:11
Matt Frost 19:4018:4218:0119:25
Matt Hewer 20:2820:49
Matt Orsman 20:2918:2217:5219:01
Adrian Strawbridge
21:0122:5421:1522:11
Lee Moran 21:0220:4820:35
Andy West 21:4821:5725:1122:52
Tony Smith 22:04
Tim Sibley 22:0822:3328:3128:0523:30
Eleanor Wood 22:3522:5922:2822:4622:4223:15
Chris Polley 22:3821:4421:4923:18
Alan Hornibrook 23:1423:1322:1922:27
Lee Stubbs 23:48
Daryl Farley 23:5423:5723:09
James Hawker 24:1423:0923:0022:15
Jeremy Slade 24:2724:43
James Ashforth 24:5824:32
Ian Apps 25:16
Dave Hutton 25:3525:4424:5524:4624:50
Steve Lewis 25:40
Kevin Feeney 26:1827:17
Katharine Moran 27:4230:0128:1427:37
Sue Tubbs 28:15
Sam Tooze 28:17
Emma Richardson
28:19
Sam Miller 29:20
David Cooke 30:0325:0129:31
Sue Chambers 31:0430:0529:0929:1229:46
Sam Summers 35:1539:3335:1834:42
Helen Boehm 38:3839:3338:3938:4438:52
Keith Agland27:3627:4928:22
Terry Emmett16:58
Chris Rathbone19:21
Jason Potter21:3421:2421:21
Paul Johns22:37
21:3922:5822:38
Sally Raynes27:0527:4527:00
Alan Morbey26:2425:1325:0625:09
Pam Goddard32:44
Richard Hardy17:3117:2718:39
Jack Broom16:30
Rik Tumber18:0918:42
Haydn Boehm20:5921:0820:2121:06
Simon Dimmock21:2020:2819:5020:15
Colin Hammett24:46
Heather Simmons28:2027:08
Amie Sibley29:1530:45
Dave Cull20:34
Mark Spraggs22:3222:20
Sue Hayes22:42
Wayne Tooze23:2022:31
Suzi Blackett24:1524:2124:15
Vicki Wraight27:4726:32
Paula Cooke29:05
Claire Warner29:07
James Green18:0717:10
Ian Kinnersley21:19
Angela Kerr29:10
Emma Ellyn30:40