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Paws for Thought!

 

The sun shone, 1800 runners battled the hills, mud, river, bogs and pebbles, and Seaton was buzzing with the throngs of visitors enjoying the spectacular start and finish of the 34^th running of the famous Grizzly.

With no race due to the pandemic last year, the worry of the impending effect of Covid-19 in 2020, high winds in 2019 and the ‘beast from the East’ in 2018, it was high time for some perfect weather conditions, and this is precisely what the weather gods granted on Sunday.

Five-time Olympian and European champion, Jo Pavey got the races underway after a moment’s applause to ‘paws for thought’ and remember all those who had lost their lives since the last Grizzly was held in 2020 and, in particular five-times winner of the Grizzly between 1996 and 2003, South West Road Runner, Mike Feighan who passed away following an accident last year.

 

The Grizzly, organised every year by volunteers from Axe Valley Runners,  began to the deafening sound of hundreds of runners on the pebble beach before they returned along the Esplanade past the cheering crowds.  The runners went off up Castle Hill to the sounds of the drummers and into the picturesque village of Beer.  Then it was up Beer Head and out towards Branscombe where the race divided with the Cub runners returning after negotiating the river at Branscombe Mouth.  The hardy full Grizzlers then headed up into the woods behind the village to tackle the most challenging parts of the course before the long pebble beach of Branscombe was the welcome sign of the return journey to Seaton.  All the way along the course, the runners were cheered on by hundreds of spectators and kept safe by the wonderful marshals from local community groups.

This year’s Cub run was won by Tom Perry of Exeter Harriers in 1:00.49  with Catie O’Donoghue from Bristol and West, first female in 1:11.19.

Second female was AVR’s, Ellie Dominey, in 1:14.48, who also received a prize for first AVR female home with Richard Hardy, 3^rd  overall in 1:09.33 and first male AVR.

First male in the Grizzly was David Green from Rugby & Northampton AC in an impressive 2:18.30 with first female, Molly Browne from Birmingham Running Athletics Triathlon (BRAT) who completed the 20m course in a brilliant 2:42.36.  First AVR male was Matt Clist, 10^th overall in 2:30.03 with Molly Adkin first AVR female, 3:07.34 in 9^th female position overall.   Prizes were presented by Jo Pavey and John Barrington-Rouse, AVR President with each receiving a beautifully handcrafted plate made by local potter, Gilly Humphreys.

Over the years, the Grizzly has raised thousands of pounds for local, national and international charities and good causes with donations of more than £457k.  Huge thanks go to our sponsors East Devon Sports Therapy Centre who again provided post-race massage raising more than £250 for charity and Lyme Bay Winery who generously donated a miniature rum to all finishers.   Special Grizzly beer to help the runners for the last kick to home was offered on Beer Head by David Sadler.  Finally, a huge thank you to the landowners who allow hundreds of runners to traipse across their land, once a year, and to all the support groups whose services behind the scenes are vital to any event of this size going ahead.

Before Sunday’s main event, local junior runners took part in a number of races during Grizfest with 350 children from 4 to 15 running along Seaton’s Esplanade.  And on Saturday evening the famous Grizzly quiz returned to the Gateway with a full house.

Full results are at;  www.axevalleyrunners.org.uk/grizzly