How about a picture of a train?

A great photo of a 'Southern region' express taken near Feniton Station -- Sidmouth Junction as was -- before the demise of steam. As a boy brought up with both Western and Southern Region locos, I was always mesmerised by the valve gear of the latter. They seemed most exotic to me somehow.

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In the photo, the line on the left running out of the picture is the branch to Ottery St. Mary, and thence via Tipton St. Johns (sic) to Budleigh and Exmouth. Still a great run!

BMAF Road Relays - Sutton Park

Lots to say about this year's BMAF Road relays with Ray, Mick and John winning the first national relay title ever to grace the club -- 1st V70 team --John bringing the side home well clear of 2nd place Bingley Harriers, and incidentally running the fastest leg of the day.

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And all this after Ray (and Roger) were tripped on the start line and completed the first legs covered in blood. Ray finished looking as if he had gone 3 rounds with Phil Crook!

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The gruesome details:

Awaiting the start Roger and Ray were deep in conversation, not realising that within a second of the 'off' both would be lying on the road in various undignified positions spouting blood. For Roger that was left shoulder, hip, knee and elbow (plus a 'spout' from the right thumb). But Ray came off far worse... his arms were caught too, so he hit the tarmac with forehead, nose and chin. And for both the usual (in these cases) 'gravel rash'. Both were up in a second or two, and both set off to chase the disappearing field.

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Ray says that he did not really know where he was until the beginning of the first hill, about 400 metres from the start. But streaming blood and, no doubt, causing much concern to those watching, he gamefully continued.

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By the end of his first leg, Ray had caught the two V70 teams in front -- Sutton Coldfield (last year's winners) and Bingley Harriers.

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Leg 1:

Rich Cashmore - Sutton Coldfield (21:43)

George Perkins - Bingley Harriers (21:59) and

Ray Elston - Exmouth Harriers (22:01)

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Ray handed over to new 'first claim' member (from Sidmouth Harriers) Mick Allen, who like both the V60 & V70 'squads' have been working on the track at Exmouth over the past month or so. With the 2nd-leg Sutton Coldfield athlete dropping well off the pace, by the time the first two came into sight at the Keepers Pool (three-quarter of a mile to go at that point), Mick was on the shoulder of the Bingley athlete. A position that he more-or-less maintained to the handover.

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Leg 2:

John Smithhurst - Bingley Harriers (22:54)

Mick Allen - Exmouth Harriers (22:58)

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Therefore handing over to John Parratt with a 6-second deficit to Fred Gibbs of Bingley. Now, the topic of conversation that morning was how John would fare against Fred if they came into direct opposition? Fred's best 3k time in 2008 was 11:52 against John's 12:25, and Fred's 5k time of 20:09 against John's 22:19? This was going to be a race worth seeing.

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In the event John quickly moved alongside Fred going up the hill, and pulled away rapidly as it seems Fred was having a problem with a leg injury. Pity for the watchers, but by the Keepers Pool, John passed with Fred not even in sight -- bringing the team home in 1st place with a leg of 20:43. A BMAF medal for the team, and the indivual 'gold' for John -- I think the V60 watchers and Mary and Mandy were more excited than Ray, Mick and John! A momentous occasion for the club too -- our very first national relay title.

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Our V60 team of Les, Jim and Roger were, as expected well down the field, but they really enjoyed supporting their more illustrious club-mates.

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As always, a very exciting event. Now, for 2010, could we not run to entering three teams? To add a V50 team to our V60 and V70 effort would be amazing. And how about a V35, V45 or V55 ladies team(s).

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Oh! I nearly forgot. Derek Donaghy ran a quick leg -- 17:22 (a V50 of course).

[John bringing the victorious V70 side home]

[V60 and V70 Lads pose - the former basking in the glory of the latter]

Sandy Bay Beach Race - enter now!

[The cliffs half-way from Sandy Bay to Orcombe Point]

Sunday, 7th June, will see the first ever running of Our New Beach Race which will replace the former Manor Hotel 10K Road Race, last run in June, 2007. The start and finish will be, thanks to the kind permission of Haven Holidays, at Haven Holidays’ Devon Cliffs Holiday Park (Sandy Bay) Exmouth, on the beach. The run will be to the far end of the beach in Exmouth, below the Beach Hotel, turn and return to Sandy Bay. The approximate distance is 9K (5 ½ miles) and runners may choose their own route, as long as they stay on the beach, and turn at the marshal at the end of Exmouth Beach. All finishers will receive a unique memento, but there will be no prizes or category awards.

Please note that there will be no drinks station, so runners who will need a drink, during or after the race, should bring their own. Or better still, the excellent café just above the beach will be open for food and drink.

Entry costs only £5 (http://www.exmouth-harriers.co.uk/). For further information, contact race director Bob Keast at robert@keast.org .

Ivybridge 10k

"On Saturday evening 9th May 2009 four Harriers donned their club shirts and joined the other 672 finishers of the Ivybridge 10k race.
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Those members competing were:-
1] Andy Johnson,
2] Bob Woodall,
3] Lee Russell, &
4] Jim Wyatt.

The evening was bright and sunny and the temperature not excessive so ideal racing conditions. The near capacity entrant of 700 runners lined up noisily at the start in the railway car park ready to launch themselves down the incline to exit the car park before turning a sharp left onto the carriageway. Unfortunately many runners selected an incorrect position at the start,inconsistent with their ultimate finishing times. Much pushing and shoving was necessary at the start to get through the throng.

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Once on the open road space allowed the competitors to settle into their stride. Just two kilometres into the race along a relatively flat straight stretch the course turned left under the railway bridge to ascend a steep climb for about a further 2 kilometres before descending to the much needed and appreciated drinks station. At this location, of the four Harriers entrants, Andy Johnson was well ahead of the quartet with Bob Woodall and Lee Russell jostling for the front place at the second and third positions with Jim Wyatt bringing up the rear. Lee unfortunately lost ground struggling to cope with drinking from the bottle which allowed Bob to stretch out his lead.

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After the drink station the course once again emerged onto the main road to head back toward the finish. With about one and one half kilometres to go the course turned left onto the country lanes again with a slight decline before the finishing incline to the rugby club.Andy Johnson finished in an impressive 57th position in a time of 40 minutes 34seconds. Andy felt disappointed with his own performance although his finishing time was impressive.

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The second Harrier home in 152nd position was Bob Woodall in a time of 44minutes and 24 seconds, just 9 seconds slower than last year which could be directly attributed to the poor start.

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Lee Russell finished the third Harrier in 157th place in a time of 44minutes and 39 seconds just 5 positions behind Bob. A good strong performance by Lee.Jim Wyatt completed the entry for the Harriers in 319th position in a time of 50minutes and 26seconds. Jim still looked as if there were many miles left in his legs as he crossed the finishing line.

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The first runner home completed the course in a blistering 32minutes and 44seconds with the last competitor finishing in 90minutes and 7seconds."

(BW)

Great West Run

It was fitting that the 25th anniversary of the Great West Run Half Marathon should turn out to be such a thrilling race. Kairn Stone, the defending champion, of Newham and Essex Beagles, just succeeded in retaining his title with a time of 1:09:03, but only by the narrowest of margins, a mere two seconds. The man he beat, Tom Merson of South West Road Runners, had pushed him so hard all the way round that the two men were only separated by the sprint finish over the final 200 metres. And both had beaten the course record by over a minute!

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2254 runners completed the event including nine Exmouth Harriers. Still only seventeen years of age, Jamie Pearson produced another brilliant performance to finish in 1:15:18, 1st U20 and 6th overall. Well done, Jamie!

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Adam Miller was 36th in 1:25:11, with Andy Kennedy 3rd V50 and 183rd overall in 1:35:28, and Duncan Parkes 199th in 1:36:04. Next came Harriers first lady, Hannah Dupain, 257th in 1:38:20, followed by the rest of the family, Chris 337th in 1:40:01, Emma 342nd in 1:40:13 and Nigel 814th in 1:50:28. Denise Kennedy was 2010th in 2:22:51.

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A new event, the Great West 5K Race, also took place last Sunday morning. The winner was Matthew Clark of South West Road Runners in 16:38 and the field of 147 included two Exmouth Harriers. Andy Johnson was 2nd V45 and 14th overall in 19:43 and Les Turner was 1st V65 and 33rd overall in 25:51.

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Various photos from the Great West Run... with Tom and Kairn disputing the lead until the final straight on the track, when Kairn managed to pip Tom by 2 seconds (!) 1:09:05 to 1:09:07. Pretty good times on a windy day.

(fin)