The South Georgia Half Marathon

On Sunday morning of 21st February 2010 Hugh Marsden, a senior member of the Exmouth Harriers, was lined up on the start line awaiting the distress flare to explode to start the South Georgia Half Marathon. South Georgia is a small island about 800 miles north of the Antartic Circle and a similar distance east of the Falkland Islands. Hugh is a vetran athlete with 40 years of competitive running but he could never be prepared for what was about to come. Perhaps if he had taken note of the map he would have realised that with about 1.500 feet of ascent over 13 miles, the race was not going to be your average half marathon/fun run.

The race got underway with the usual chit chat associated with the first rush of endorphins. The runners floated along the track to Grytviken but this feeling quickly subsided as the runners ascended the track towards the church and headed towards dreaded football pitch. This is the area of the top bog which masqueraded as the whaling station's "all weather" football pitch. Here a rickety wooden bridge with a tricky 45 degree camber to the left had to be negotiate. The track up to Gull Lake acted as the human separator and it became a two horse race. This soon became a two mule scramble as the two leaders negotiated the scree slope that took them up to the top of Brown Mountain. For those readers who don't know, Brown Mountain is the feature to the south of the base that even the SAS had refused to climb during the recapture of South Georgia from the Argentines.

Unfortunately Hugh took full advantage of the race marshall's infinite generosity at the summit checkpoint and made the mistake of taking that mouthful of South Georgia's finest sparkling mineral water. For that split second of refreshment Hugh was the lone runner, having lost sight of his rival and was faced with a lifeless moonscape of shrapnel sharp scree. The race instruction sheet (that had been so helpfully placed placed on the breakfast table) advised runners to keep right and follow the ridge down. Not being a continental fell runner, Hugh decided to keep to the left and maintain height. That was his first mistake. After about a minute his rival suddenly reappeared below at a 2 o'clock angle some 500 metres ahead and was charging like a hovercraft over the razor sharp scree. This lead was to get even greater as Hugh passed another check point at the lower end of the mountain. The marshall had carefully positioned articles of clothing in key positions to guide competitors off the mountain and down the steep slope. He stood there, almost naked directing runners with the style and efficiency of a sub antarctic traffic warden. During last year's race this position was not marshalled and one unfortunate "non local" runner opted to take the wrong decent and was not seen until 4 hours later. He being an ex military man, he must have appreciated his impromptu battlefield tour of the Operation Paraquat landing site.

Once again Hugh followed his "helpful" breakfast briefing notes and scanned the lower slopes for the remains of the heavily camouflaged Argentine helicopter about a one and a half kilometres in the distance. Eventually he decided it was far safer to look at where gravity was taking him (whilst tobogganing down the slope on his backside) and worry about the helicopter later. Once down, he was on familiar ground and managed to reel in his rival's lead on the way back to the station. Hugh even managed to stay upright on a particularly slippery part of the coast that had caught him out on training runs. Other competitors were not quite as fortunate. The decent into the whaling station was more like a scene in a James Bond movie. A bit like the one where Roger Moore had to escape from the crocodile farm. In place of the crocodiles the South Georgia runners had to dice with death against their very own fur seals (intent on biting ankles off,) enormous elephant seals, swimming pool sized seal wallows, invaisive bitercress, detritus left over from the whaling station and unexploded ordinance.

The second part of the race took the runners along the well commuted trail to Maiviken Hut via the Bore Valley. Yet again Hugh was on familiar ground and managed to close down the gap on his rival all the way to the hut turn round point where another marshall was strategically positioned. Unfortunately the marshall appeared to have "lost the plot" and failed to send the race leader down to Maiviken beach as instructed. On the decent back down the Bore Valley the leader once again appeared to hover over the ground at breakneck speed crossing the finishing line in 1 hr 37 minutes and had comfortably taken 8 minutes of last years unofficial (shortened) record time.

Hugh managed to pull back a few seconds on the track back to base and was delighted to have survived the ordeal in a time of 1hr 39. Hugh took the second place in the race.

A great day was had by all on one of those rare and special South Georgia summer days.

(Our Special Correspondent)

Last weekend's exploits

On Saturday 13th February 2010 Axe Valley Runners hosted the "Nightrun". a mini Grizzly race run at night, a near eight mile course, was raced over country roads and rugged open countryside. The route was mainly off-road with hills, mud and even beach thrown in. The race started at 6.30 pm at the Barrel of Beer Public House in Beer and headed out toward Branscombe where after rounding the village eventually returned to the starting point. Four members of Exmouth Harriers, namely, Mike musgrove, Adam Miller, Jon Croome and Lorraine Croome, took up the challenge and raced the course.

The first runner to reach the finishing line was James Jackson of Dartmmoor Runners in a time of 57 minutes and 53 seconds. Mike Musgrove finished in 8th place in a time 63-22 followed immediately behind in 9th place by Adam Miller in a time of 66-05. Half of the husband and wife due, Jon Croome, finished in 13th place in a time of 67-48 and Lorraine Croome finished in 28th place in a time of 77 minutes. The final runner to complete the course in 98th place in a time of two hours fifteen minutes and three seconds was Nick Edwards of Wells City Harriers.

Meanwhile on Valentines Day, Sunday 14th February 2010, ninety-eight men in the Senior and above categories lined up for the penultimate round in the Brooks Westward Cross Country League at Parke in Bovey Tracey. Included in the line up for the Exmouth Harriers were John Parrett and Bob Woodall.

The course was tough, being three loops covering a total distance of 9.3 kilometres. From the start after an initial circuit of over 500 metres around the flat marsh grass covered field the runners were lead into the first of the three long ascents overlooking the river Bovey. This incline rises over one hundred and fifty metres before at a sharp right angled bend the course descended to the footpath at the side of the river back to the starting loop. Once back at the level area two more loops confront the runners. The weather conditions were ideal on the day with no wind and cool temperatures. Unlike last years event where snow and heavy mud greeted the runners around the whole course, this year the ground underfoot was extremely dry with only three areas of boggy conditions.

From the starting gun John Parrett led the pair of Exmouth Harriers but before the completion of the opening loop Bob Woodall had passed his colleague. Not for long though as once the pair reached the first incline John Parrett showed his leg strength and mounted the ascent, ever increasing his lead over his team mate. For the remainder of the three laps John Parrett continued to open the gap between the pair. At end of the race John Parrett finished in 83rd position in a time of 50 minutes and 14 seconds and Bob Woodall followed behind in 92nd position in a time of 52-10.

The winner of the race, K. Toher of Newquay and Par AC finished in a time of 32-21 and the last runner, M. Lee of Erme Valley Harriers finished in 98th place in time of 65-45.

Exwick Fields, late 1960s

To someone brought up on Western (GWR) Region engines, there has always been something exotic about Southern Region trains (I think it's the amazing valve gear). Here is one such... wonder the reason for the chalked numbers on the boiler(?)... pulling mixed carriages along Exwick fields heading away from Exeter St. Davids Station towards Dawlish. Any guesses as to the class Ray?

Fulford '5'

At 11 o'clock on a cold grey morning on Sunday 7th February 2010 two hundred and sixty runners lined up for the start of the Fulford 5 Road Race. This race is five miles in distance around the town centre of Exmouth, hosted by the towns own running club, the Exmouth Harriers and sponsored by Fulfords Estate agents.

The start of the race was in The Royal Avenue out side the dive centre. The course then went followed along Imperial Road before turning left into Victoria Way to Mamhead and along the Esplanade. At Carlton Hill a left turn saw the course ascend to the roundabout where a sharp left turn took it into Rolle Road and along the decline back towards the shopping centre. Once around the Strand and back into Imperial Road to Victoria Way saw the completion of the first loop of the circuit, some two miles into the race. The route followed the same course but on the second loop instead of turning left into Carlton Hill the circuit continued into Queen's Drive and, after a quick glimpse of the new life boat station, the course took a left turn into Maer Road. Along another, longer, ascent and the course turned left into Douglas Avenue and again into Rolle Road before descending into the town centre for the final time. Around the Strand, along Imperial Way and a right turn into The Royal Avenue saw the finishing post beyond the entrance of the lorry park.

From the sound of the start local runner Tom Merson, sporting the colours of Bristol and West Running club, led the field at a blistering pace, despite recently recovering from a bout of "swine flu". At the end of the first loop Tom Merson was several metres ahead of the field and continued to increase this lead for the duration of the race. A relentless pace set by Tom Merson saw him cross the finishing line in first place in a time of 25 minutes and 11 seconds, some 29 seconds ahead of the second athlete home, and still faster than his last years time.

For the Exmouth Harriers the first member to complete the race was Jamie Pearson who finished in a time of 27-23 in overall 6th position. Just three places behind, in 9th position was Dave Stone who finished in a time of 27-49.

Andy Johnson finished in 36th position in a time of 32-14, again, just three places ahead of fellow member, K. Nicholas, who finished in 39th position in a time of 32-39.

John Perratt finished in overall 73rd position in a time of 35-22, taking the award for the first place in the V70 category. Immediately behind him in overall 74th place was Ray Elston who finished in a time of 35-30, taking the second place in the same category.

Roger Rowe, making his comeback after suffering from a serious injury causing him to suspend his running for 6 months, finished in overall 88th position in a time 36-15 which saw him taking the award for the second place in the V60 category.

Jim Wyatt finished in 124th position in a time of 38-30, taking the third place in the V65 category.

Lyn Curtis, the first female member of the Exmouth Harriers, finished in 139th position in a time of 39-10. This time gave her the third place in the FV40 category.

Dave Eveleigh finished in 174th position in a time of 43-22.

Ian McDonald finished in 198th position in a time of 45-42.

Trevor Cope final member of the Exmouth Harriers to complete the course in overall 247th position in a time of 53-53.

The final athlete to finish the race was Harry Moore, wearing the colours of Axe Valley Runners, another spritely runner in the V70 category, in a time of 64-40.

(RW)

Laat week's races...

At 09.30 hours on Sunday 31st January seventy six runners lined up for the start of the Great West Run Warm-up Race Series. The first in the series was 5k in distance over a flat traffic free course around the River Exe and the flood relief system. Andy Johnson was the sole Exmouth Harrier participating.

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Kairn Stone of Newham and Essex Beagles finished in first place in a time of 15 minutes and 21 seconds. Andy Johnson, representing Exmouth Harriers, finished in 14th place in a time of 20-13, taking the 2nd V45 award.

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On Monday 01-01-2010 the fourth round of the Puma Ironbridge Winter 3k series commenced at the athletics track in Exeter. A total of 84 runners, including for Exmouth Harriers, Andy Johnson, John Parrett, Lee Russell, Jim Wyatt and Les Turner, competed in four heats. The overall winner and in the A race was Jack Bancroft representing Wells City who completed the seven and one half laps of the arena in a time of 8 minutes and 48 seconds.
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In the B race Andy Johnson finished in 15th place in a time of 11-37.

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In the D race John Perratt finished in 3rd place in a time of 12-49 immediately ahead of Lee Russell who finished in 4th place in a time of 12-52. Jim Wyatt finished in 17th place in a time of 14-29.

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In the E race Les Turner finished in 6th place in a time of 15-18.

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(RW)