One of Exmouth Harriers all-time greats, Cathy Newman, won the South West Veterans A C Grand Prix award for ladies for 2008, based on the average age graded performance for her four best performances over the year. Her average of 90.24% is something "The rest of us can only dream of", said World Masters Athletics Championships medallist John Perratt.
Last January, Exmouth Harriers bright young hope, Jamie Pearson, then 17 years old, ran superbly to win the gold medal in the Senior Boys' event at the Devon Schools' Cross Country Championships held in Plymouth.
Also in January, John Perratt was at the megaphone to start the South West Veterans A C Cross Country Championships at Sidmouth and presented the awards to the successful athletes after the event. In between, he decided to win the V70 category! In coming 2nd V65 after an excellent performance, his friend and archrival, fellow Harrier Ray Elston, enjoyed the rare priviledge of beating John - it's not very often that John gets beaten by anyone over the age of 65, not even by someone as outstanding as Ray!
Hugh Marsden won the Falkland Islands Half Marathon for a very impressive fifth consecutive year in February. A month later he came second in the Island's full marathon, but in a new personal best time.
March saw Exmouth based athlete Tom Merson, a good friend of Exmouth Harriers who often trains with us but runs in the colours of South West Road Runners and, more recently, Bristol and West A C, win the fifth and final round of the Ironbridge Runner 3K Series at Exeter Arena, and with it the overall series of five races. The Harriers overall series winners were V60 Roger Rowe, V65 Ray Elston and, of course, V70 John Perratt. Jim Wyatt was 2nd V65.
This month also saw the conclusion of another winter series, the Brooks Westward Cross Country League, with the final event at Redruth. After coming 2nd at the last two rounds at Bideford and Bovey Tracey, U17 Jamie Pearson finally beat both the overall series winner, Tom Gill of Tavistock A C, and the series runner-up, J Waldie of Cornwall A C, for a thoroughly well-deserved 3rd place over the series. Ray Elston did not take part at Redruth, but had already completed the required 5 out of 6 races for 3rd V60 over the series.
Tom Merson came 2nd at the 25th Great West Run Half Marathon at Exeter in May, a mere two seconds behind defending champion Kairn Stone of Newham and Essex Beagles. Jamie Pearson, still only 17, produced another brilliant performance to come 1st U20 and 6th overall. Andy Kennedy was 3rd V50.
May also included a momentous event for Exmouth Harriers at this year's BMAF Road Relays, with Ray Elston, Mick Allen and John Perratt winning the first national relay title ever to grace the club. They won the V70 event, despite Ray being tripped at the start and completing the 1st leg covered in blood! John also won the individual gold for the fastest V70 leg of the day!
The first running of Exmouth Harriers' new event, the 5 1/2 mile Beach Race, took place in June. Although the race only attracted 30 entries, all who ran it said it was a great race so the club are keen to run it again next year, hopefully with a much bigger field. The winner, Jamie Pearson, ran away from the other competitors. This race also saw the dawning of the career of another bright young prospect, Duncan Taylor (son of Adrian) who finished in 3rd place at the tender age of 14! Surely another name to watch out for in the future.
In June, Jamie Pearson came 2nd U20 at the hilly Bampton 10K. Hugh Marsden was 2nd V50 and Roger Rowe came 1st V60.
Dave Stone was 2nd M35 at the Torbay Half Marathon, also in June. Jamie Pearson was 1st U20, with Hugh Marsden 2nd V50.
Two Harriers won all five events they took part in at the South West Veterans' A C Track & Field Championships at Exeter Arena. John Perratt's M70 golds came in the 800m, 1500m and 5,000m. Andy Kennedy achieved his M50 golds in the 10,000m and the 2,000m steeplechase.
Hannah Bown was the 1st lady in the Killerton Kanter 10K Cross Country Race.
On to July and the 4 x 2 1/2 miles Erme Valley Road Relays at Ivybridge. Exmouth's M60 team (average age 66) of Roger Rowe, Ray Elston, Les Turner and Jim Wyatt won their category for the fifth consecutive year, i.e. on every occasion since its introduction! The M40 team comprising Pete McKeown, Jon Croome, Andy Johnson and Hugh Marsden came third in their category. Roger Rowe, who ran the fastest leg for the M60 team, has not raced again since this event due to a combination of an ongoing foot injury and a serious overload of building and decorating work at his home. He is, however, still capable of winning almost any V60 race in the South West region and we hope to see him again gracing the Harriers' colours in the near future, especially at the national relays.
Hugh Marsden was 1st V50 at the hilly Charmouth Challenge 8 miles multi-terrain course.
In August, the ladies team of Hannah Bown, Emma Dupain, Dawn Teed and Lorraine Gilson won their category at the Totnes 10K off-road race. Dave Stone, Hugh Marsden, Carlos Payan, Adam Miller, Paul Samways and Pete McKeown came 2nd in the men's team event. Hugh Marsden won the individual award for 1st V50, John Perratt was 1st V70 with a new course record and Ray Elston came 2nd V70.
Dave Stone was 3rd at the Sidmouth Festival 10K Run, with Ray Elston 1st V70 and Jim Wyatt 2nd V60.
Lorraine Gilson was 1st FV 50 at the Tywyn Mid-Wales Race the Train 14-mile multi-terrain event first held 25 years ago. Although not winning an award, Hugh Marsden was one of the select band of runners who succeeded in beating the train.
Jamie Pearson was 1st U21 at the challenging Jurassic Coast 10K multi-terrain event at Budleigh Salterton.
Carlos Payan was 2nd M30-34 at the Torbay Regatta 10K and John Perratt was 1st M65.
In September, Tom Merson won the Devon County A A 10,000m Track Race at Exeter Arena by the huge margin of nearly 4 minutes and Dave Stone came 2nd. John Perratt was 1st M70 and Andy Johnson was 2nd M45.
A superb performance saw Dave Stone win the 7 1/2 miles multi-terrain Ivybridge Beacon Challenge.
The first round of the 2009/10 Ironbridge Runner Puma Winter 3K Series took place in October and was won by Tom Merson. Dave Eveleigh, who has been battling a lengthy illness, made a fantastic effort to produce a time over 2 minutes quicker than his time last season.
Dave Stone took 3rd place in the Eden Project Marathon.
Exmouth Harriers did well at the first South Molton Struggle, a 12K multi-terrain course. Bob Woodall was 1st V60, Ray Elston 1st V70 and Jim Wyatt 3rd V65. Bob, a retired policeofficer, has now won several awards since "breaking into" the V60 category!
John Perratt was 1st South West V70 at the Ten Mile Road Race Championships of the British Masters Athletics Federation in conjunction with the South West Vets A C Championships at the Isle of Portland. Les Turner was 2nd S.W. V65.
Hugh Marsden was 3rd V50 at the first round of this season's Brooks Westward League Cross Country series at Central Park, Plymouth.
Exmouth Harriers produced some great team and individual performances at the Parrett Trail Relays. The men's team of Hugh Marsden, Adam Miller, Mike Musgrove, Joel Morter, Dave Stone and Jamie Pearson were runners-up to Yeovil in a much faster race than last year. Hugh and Jamie both won their stages, Jamie with a new course record for the leg. The mixed team comprising Andy Johnson, Lorraine Gilson, Steph French, Jon Croome, Terry Oldham and Pete McKeown won their category with Jon Croome and Pete McKeown both winning their stages. The Exmouth ladies team of Emma Dupain, Lucy Hodgson, Lorraine Croome, Jenny Timms, Hannah Bown and Camilla Matheson had to settle for 2nd place behind the formidable South West Road Runners team. Emma Dupain won her leg.
Dave Stone came 2nd in the Dartmoor Vale Marathon at Newton Abbot which also incorporates the Devon County Marathon Championships. However, since he was the first Devon runner to finish he became the Devon Men's Marathon Champion for 2009.
Jon Croome, Pete McKeown, Jim Pyne, Lorraine Croome, Paul Champion and Bob Keast completed the OMM (Original Mountain Marathon), the originator of the 2-day mountain marathon type event that first took place over 40 years ago. A fine achievement by all of them, it was particularly special for Bob Keast, only a year after his hip replacement operation.
By coming 6th at the Luton Marathon, his 7th marathon in the last 12 months, Dave Stone has now accomplished his target of completing 40 marathons before reaching his 40th birthday in February, 2010 - a great achievement!
The saddest moment of the Exmouth Harriers' year came at the end of June, when Sue Wilkin suffered a horrific injury and broke her ankle very badly at the Endurance Life Classic Quarter Coastal Ultra Series in Cornwall. She had to be air-lifted to hospital by the Air Ambulance and was told that she would never be able to run again. She is, however, far too stubborn to accept this advice, so has been working very hard to speed up her recovery as much as possible - and prove the medical experts wrong. So far things are going well, but she must avoid the temptation to push too hard and suffer a setback. All the club wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery and the achievement of her goal of running again, as soon as possible.
On Sunday 20th December 2009 six intrepid Exmouth Harriers, namely, Dave Stone, Ray Elston, Andy Kennedy, Phil Quick, Andy Johnson and Pete McKeown were amongst nearly 200 runners who braved the icy conditions to warm up for the start of the Wellington Monument Race 2009. With only a few minutes to the off, in temperatures as low as minus 3 degrees Celsius, the race was cancelled due to the extremely icy road conditions. The race organisers, in consultation with the Police, decided that there was too much ice on the roads to enable the race to start in anywhere near save conditions. There were grave concerns for both runners falling and collisions likely with motor traffic using the same route. Some runners were understandably disappointed but several runners had already taken tumbles just negotiating their way from the race Headquarters in the local school to the start line in the centre of the village. The organisers took the only safe option in the circumstances. Better wait for next years race than nurse a possible sever injury over the festive period.
And finally a reminder to those ladies who would like to participate in a "WOMENS ONLY" running night in the new year. Lorraine Gilson is holding the initial session on Wednesday 13th January 2010 at 6.15pm at the Exmouth Rugby Club, Imperial Road, Exmouth, EX8 1DG, for a 6.30pm start. Any lady wanting to give it a try please contact Lorraine on the mobile phone number 07977544611. If you do not try running you can not say you do not like it, so give it a try. This will be a gentle introduction into running with an aim for improvement, not an elite squad. More details will be forthcoming so watch out for the flyers and contact details to be displayed around the town.
Anyone else who fancies running come along on a Tuesday or Thursday at 6.45 pm for a 7.00 pm start. Check out the Exmouth Harriers web-site "exmouth-harriers,co,uk".
Annual resume prepared by Les Turner.
Last January, Exmouth Harriers bright young hope, Jamie Pearson, then 17 years old, ran superbly to win the gold medal in the Senior Boys' event at the Devon Schools' Cross Country Championships held in Plymouth.
Also in January, John Perratt was at the megaphone to start the South West Veterans A C Cross Country Championships at Sidmouth and presented the awards to the successful athletes after the event. In between, he decided to win the V70 category! In coming 2nd V65 after an excellent performance, his friend and archrival, fellow Harrier Ray Elston, enjoyed the rare priviledge of beating John - it's not very often that John gets beaten by anyone over the age of 65, not even by someone as outstanding as Ray!
Hugh Marsden won the Falkland Islands Half Marathon for a very impressive fifth consecutive year in February. A month later he came second in the Island's full marathon, but in a new personal best time.
March saw Exmouth based athlete Tom Merson, a good friend of Exmouth Harriers who often trains with us but runs in the colours of South West Road Runners and, more recently, Bristol and West A C, win the fifth and final round of the Ironbridge Runner 3K Series at Exeter Arena, and with it the overall series of five races. The Harriers overall series winners were V60 Roger Rowe, V65 Ray Elston and, of course, V70 John Perratt. Jim Wyatt was 2nd V65.
This month also saw the conclusion of another winter series, the Brooks Westward Cross Country League, with the final event at Redruth. After coming 2nd at the last two rounds at Bideford and Bovey Tracey, U17 Jamie Pearson finally beat both the overall series winner, Tom Gill of Tavistock A C, and the series runner-up, J Waldie of Cornwall A C, for a thoroughly well-deserved 3rd place over the series. Ray Elston did not take part at Redruth, but had already completed the required 5 out of 6 races for 3rd V60 over the series.
Tom Merson came 2nd at the 25th Great West Run Half Marathon at Exeter in May, a mere two seconds behind defending champion Kairn Stone of Newham and Essex Beagles. Jamie Pearson, still only 17, produced another brilliant performance to come 1st U20 and 6th overall. Andy Kennedy was 3rd V50.
May also included a momentous event for Exmouth Harriers at this year's BMAF Road Relays, with Ray Elston, Mick Allen and John Perratt winning the first national relay title ever to grace the club. They won the V70 event, despite Ray being tripped at the start and completing the 1st leg covered in blood! John also won the individual gold for the fastest V70 leg of the day!
The first running of Exmouth Harriers' new event, the 5 1/2 mile Beach Race, took place in June. Although the race only attracted 30 entries, all who ran it said it was a great race so the club are keen to run it again next year, hopefully with a much bigger field. The winner, Jamie Pearson, ran away from the other competitors. This race also saw the dawning of the career of another bright young prospect, Duncan Taylor (son of Adrian) who finished in 3rd place at the tender age of 14! Surely another name to watch out for in the future.
In June, Jamie Pearson came 2nd U20 at the hilly Bampton 10K. Hugh Marsden was 2nd V50 and Roger Rowe came 1st V60.
Dave Stone was 2nd M35 at the Torbay Half Marathon, also in June. Jamie Pearson was 1st U20, with Hugh Marsden 2nd V50.
Two Harriers won all five events they took part in at the South West Veterans' A C Track & Field Championships at Exeter Arena. John Perratt's M70 golds came in the 800m, 1500m and 5,000m. Andy Kennedy achieved his M50 golds in the 10,000m and the 2,000m steeplechase.
Hannah Bown was the 1st lady in the Killerton Kanter 10K Cross Country Race.
On to July and the 4 x 2 1/2 miles Erme Valley Road Relays at Ivybridge. Exmouth's M60 team (average age 66) of Roger Rowe, Ray Elston, Les Turner and Jim Wyatt won their category for the fifth consecutive year, i.e. on every occasion since its introduction! The M40 team comprising Pete McKeown, Jon Croome, Andy Johnson and Hugh Marsden came third in their category. Roger Rowe, who ran the fastest leg for the M60 team, has not raced again since this event due to a combination of an ongoing foot injury and a serious overload of building and decorating work at his home. He is, however, still capable of winning almost any V60 race in the South West region and we hope to see him again gracing the Harriers' colours in the near future, especially at the national relays.
Hugh Marsden was 1st V50 at the hilly Charmouth Challenge 8 miles multi-terrain course.
In August, the ladies team of Hannah Bown, Emma Dupain, Dawn Teed and Lorraine Gilson won their category at the Totnes 10K off-road race. Dave Stone, Hugh Marsden, Carlos Payan, Adam Miller, Paul Samways and Pete McKeown came 2nd in the men's team event. Hugh Marsden won the individual award for 1st V50, John Perratt was 1st V70 with a new course record and Ray Elston came 2nd V70.
Dave Stone was 3rd at the Sidmouth Festival 10K Run, with Ray Elston 1st V70 and Jim Wyatt 2nd V60.
Lorraine Gilson was 1st FV 50 at the Tywyn Mid-Wales Race the Train 14-mile multi-terrain event first held 25 years ago. Although not winning an award, Hugh Marsden was one of the select band of runners who succeeded in beating the train.
Jamie Pearson was 1st U21 at the challenging Jurassic Coast 10K multi-terrain event at Budleigh Salterton.
Carlos Payan was 2nd M30-34 at the Torbay Regatta 10K and John Perratt was 1st M65.
In September, Tom Merson won the Devon County A A 10,000m Track Race at Exeter Arena by the huge margin of nearly 4 minutes and Dave Stone came 2nd. John Perratt was 1st M70 and Andy Johnson was 2nd M45.
A superb performance saw Dave Stone win the 7 1/2 miles multi-terrain Ivybridge Beacon Challenge.
The first round of the 2009/10 Ironbridge Runner Puma Winter 3K Series took place in October and was won by Tom Merson. Dave Eveleigh, who has been battling a lengthy illness, made a fantastic effort to produce a time over 2 minutes quicker than his time last season.
Dave Stone took 3rd place in the Eden Project Marathon.
Exmouth Harriers did well at the first South Molton Struggle, a 12K multi-terrain course. Bob Woodall was 1st V60, Ray Elston 1st V70 and Jim Wyatt 3rd V65. Bob, a retired policeofficer, has now won several awards since "breaking into" the V60 category!
John Perratt was 1st South West V70 at the Ten Mile Road Race Championships of the British Masters Athletics Federation in conjunction with the South West Vets A C Championships at the Isle of Portland. Les Turner was 2nd S.W. V65.
Hugh Marsden was 3rd V50 at the first round of this season's Brooks Westward League Cross Country series at Central Park, Plymouth.
Exmouth Harriers produced some great team and individual performances at the Parrett Trail Relays. The men's team of Hugh Marsden, Adam Miller, Mike Musgrove, Joel Morter, Dave Stone and Jamie Pearson were runners-up to Yeovil in a much faster race than last year. Hugh and Jamie both won their stages, Jamie with a new course record for the leg. The mixed team comprising Andy Johnson, Lorraine Gilson, Steph French, Jon Croome, Terry Oldham and Pete McKeown won their category with Jon Croome and Pete McKeown both winning their stages. The Exmouth ladies team of Emma Dupain, Lucy Hodgson, Lorraine Croome, Jenny Timms, Hannah Bown and Camilla Matheson had to settle for 2nd place behind the formidable South West Road Runners team. Emma Dupain won her leg.
Dave Stone came 2nd in the Dartmoor Vale Marathon at Newton Abbot which also incorporates the Devon County Marathon Championships. However, since he was the first Devon runner to finish he became the Devon Men's Marathon Champion for 2009.
Jon Croome, Pete McKeown, Jim Pyne, Lorraine Croome, Paul Champion and Bob Keast completed the OMM (Original Mountain Marathon), the originator of the 2-day mountain marathon type event that first took place over 40 years ago. A fine achievement by all of them, it was particularly special for Bob Keast, only a year after his hip replacement operation.
By coming 6th at the Luton Marathon, his 7th marathon in the last 12 months, Dave Stone has now accomplished his target of completing 40 marathons before reaching his 40th birthday in February, 2010 - a great achievement!
The saddest moment of the Exmouth Harriers' year came at the end of June, when Sue Wilkin suffered a horrific injury and broke her ankle very badly at the Endurance Life Classic Quarter Coastal Ultra Series in Cornwall. She had to be air-lifted to hospital by the Air Ambulance and was told that she would never be able to run again. She is, however, far too stubborn to accept this advice, so has been working very hard to speed up her recovery as much as possible - and prove the medical experts wrong. So far things are going well, but she must avoid the temptation to push too hard and suffer a setback. All the club wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery and the achievement of her goal of running again, as soon as possible.
On Sunday 20th December 2009 six intrepid Exmouth Harriers, namely, Dave Stone, Ray Elston, Andy Kennedy, Phil Quick, Andy Johnson and Pete McKeown were amongst nearly 200 runners who braved the icy conditions to warm up for the start of the Wellington Monument Race 2009. With only a few minutes to the off, in temperatures as low as minus 3 degrees Celsius, the race was cancelled due to the extremely icy road conditions. The race organisers, in consultation with the Police, decided that there was too much ice on the roads to enable the race to start in anywhere near save conditions. There were grave concerns for both runners falling and collisions likely with motor traffic using the same route. Some runners were understandably disappointed but several runners had already taken tumbles just negotiating their way from the race Headquarters in the local school to the start line in the centre of the village. The organisers took the only safe option in the circumstances. Better wait for next years race than nurse a possible sever injury over the festive period.
And finally a reminder to those ladies who would like to participate in a "WOMENS ONLY" running night in the new year. Lorraine Gilson is holding the initial session on Wednesday 13th January 2010 at 6.15pm at the Exmouth Rugby Club, Imperial Road, Exmouth, EX8 1DG, for a 6.30pm start. Any lady wanting to give it a try please contact Lorraine on the mobile phone number 07977544611. If you do not try running you can not say you do not like it, so give it a try. This will be a gentle introduction into running with an aim for improvement, not an elite squad. More details will be forthcoming so watch out for the flyers and contact details to be displayed around the town.
Anyone else who fancies running come along on a Tuesday or Thursday at 6.45 pm for a 7.00 pm start. Check out the Exmouth Harriers web-site "exmouth-harriers,co,uk".
Annual resume prepared by Les Turner.
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Have a wonderful Christmas everyone...
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