Tavy, Chudleigh, Saltash & Haytor

Over the course of the end of last week members of the Harriers competed in no less than 4 races, either as individuals or as part of a relay team. Of particular note were the performances of Jamie Pearson, Adam Miller and Hugh Marsden who were members of the Exmouth Harrier relay team who took third place in the Tavistock Town relays. Jamie and Adam then, the following evening, as individuals took the overall 6th place and 15th place respectively in the Chudleigh Carnival 6 Mile Road Race in an impressive times of 33 minutes and 14 seconds and 34-57. Hugh raced three days later and completed in the Haytor Hellor finishing 8th in an impressive time of 44-59.

On Thursday 15th July 2010 on an evening which saw gale force winds and torrential rain the Tavistock Town Relays were held. Only just as the weather conditions were so atrocious that the organisers were considering abandoning the event. However, battling through, 31 teams of four athletes each of whom completed a 1.1 mile lap participated. The first team to complete the event was from Tavistock AC in a time of 20 minutes and 45 seconds.

The Exmouth Harrier team finished in 3rd place in a time of 22-16. Dave Stone completed the first leg in a time of 5-25, and handed over to Hugh Marsden who completed the leg in 5-45. Adam Miller completed the third leg in a time of 5-37 and Jamie completed the team and their race in a time of 5-29.

The first all female team completed the event in overall 15th place in a time of 27-27.

In the evening of Friday 16th July 2010 four members of the Harriers participated in the Chudleigh Carnival 6 Mile Road Race. The race started at the Bishop Lacy public house before heading out of town around the lanes of Chudleigh before retuning to public house for the finish. This is an extremely hilly course. The first athlete to complete the course was Lee Turner of the Torbay AC in a time of 31-14.

For the Exmouth Harriers contingent Jamie Pearson finished first in overall 6th position in a time 33-14. Mike Musgrove finished in overall 8th position in a time of 33-48. Adam Miller finished in overall 15th position in a time of 34-57. Katie Cromer completed the Harrier quartet finishing in 83rd position in a time of 46-10.

The first female athlete was Joe Meek of the Tavistock AC who finished in 12th position in a time of 34-30. The last competitor was Michelle Emmerson in a time of 74-29.

On Saturday 18th July 2010 just the single athlete from the Harriers competed in the Saltash Magnificent 7. The 7 mile race follows a tough, well marshalled and accurate course through country lanes with good views over the Tamar Estuary. In the words of the organiser, "the course is not easy by any means but you will enjoy it".

The first athlete to complete the course was Peter Ellis of Hayle Runners in a time of 39-42. Andy Kennedy for Exmouth Harriers finished in 84th position in a time of 51-19.

The first female athlete was Emma Stallard in overall 10th position in a time of 44-04.

Finally on Sunday 18th July 2010 four Harriers competed in the Haytor Hellor. This popular, well established, moorland race starts below Haytor Rock and follows a hilly circular route before returning once again to Haytor Rock with a fast downhill finale to the finish opposite the middle car park at Haytor. The approx. 6 mile course is challenging with several steep ascents and descents and is generally run across rugged, open moorland, apart from two sections through woodland; firstly below Hound Tor and secondly below Haytor which includes a stream crossing.

The first athlete to complete the course was James Baker of Chichester Runners AC in a time of 40-09. In 8th position, the first Harrier, was Hugh Marsden in a time of 44-59. Hugh took the first place in the MV50 age category. Jim Wyatt finished in 125th position in a time of 62-21, taking the third place in the MV60 age category.

Dawn Teed finished in 155th position in a time of 65-15. Kevin Lingard completed the Exmouth quartet in 165th position in a time of 66-63.

The first female athlete was Lucy Commander in overall 20th position in a time of 47-11.

Charmouth Challenge & Exe 5k Series & Otter Valley Rail & River Run

On Saturday, 3rd July, seven Harriers were among the 232 runners who completed the gruelling Charmouth Challenge, the most southerly fell race in England. The 8 mile course goes through some of the finest coastal scenery in the South West and includes an ascent of Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast of England at 191m.

The race was won by Stuart Leaney in 52 minutes and 12 seconds. Hugh Marsden ran superbly to lead the Harriers home as 2nd V50 and 7th overall in 58:26. Mike Musgrove also had a great race to come 1st V40 and 8th overall in 59:08, followed by Adam Miller in 16th place in 1:01:30. Terry Oldham was 77th in 1:13:17, with Andy Kennedy 91st in 1:15:18.

The 1st lady to finish was Lin Lascelles of Maiden Newton Runners, 28th overall in 1:04:59. The Exmouth ladies were Dawn Teed, 178th overall in 1:29:11, followed immediately by Lorraine Gilson, 179th in 1:29:12. The last runner home was Chris Howell in 2:49:08.

Three Harriers competed in Round 2 of The Run Exe Summer 5K Series at Flowerpots, Exwick, on Tuesday 6th July, on a very pleasant evening with a light west wind and good support for the event. The winner was Exmouth runner Tom Merson, running superbly for Bristol & West A C, in a time of 15 minutes and 27 seconds, over a minute faster than the runner-up.

Andy Johnson was the first Harrier to finish, 2nd M45 and 24th overall in 19:41. Jim Wyatt had an excellent race for 1st M65 and 52nd overall in 23:22 and Dave Eveleigh was 53rd in 23:37.

Jo Meek of Tavistock A C was the 1st lady home in 13th place overall in 18:34. The last of the 68 runners to finish was Elizabeth Pugh in 33:09.

The Otter Valley Rail & River Run took place on Saturday, 10th July. This approximately 10K multi terrain race is mostly off-road on tracks, footpaths and fields. The scenic, undulating route starts at Tipton St John Playing Field and heads towards the hamlets of Venn Ottery and Fluxton, and back into Tipton. It then follows the old railway line between Tipton St John and Harpford, returning via the banks of the winding River Otter to finish back on the playing field.

The race was won by John McFarlane of Thames Hare & Hounds in 37:07 and the 1st lady to finish was Eleanor Wood of Axe Valley Runners in 45:09. The 1st of the two Harriers to complete the race was Andy Kennedy, 18th in 45:49. John Perratt was 1st M70 and 41st overall in 50:18. Finally, Harry Moore of Axe Valley Runners was the last to finish, 113th overall in 1:39:13.

(LT)

Beat the Bus... and Erme Valley Relays

Hi Everyone,

While Bob is away sunning himself in Turkey, I've drawn the short straw for producing the press reports.

On Wednesday 30th June, Sidmouth Running Club held a new event, the Beat the Bus Race, which starts at Otterton Green and runs through two fields, crossing a road before ascending the hills to High Peak and down towards Sidmouth, before returning to the Green in Otterton.

95 runners completed the race and 58 of them succeeded in beating the bus. The winner was Graham Hill of Sidmouth Running Club in a time of 39:43. Four Exmouth Harriers competed in the race and the first to finish was Pete McKeown in 8th place in 42:39. Next came Jon Croome, 10th in 43:02, followed by Lorraine Croome, 35th in 50:36. John Perratt was 46th in 54:22, so all four beat the Stagecoach No. 157 bus that took 57:06. The first lady to finish was Angel Felix in 43:44 and the last runner home was Peggy Snell in 1:51:30.

This year, Exmouth Harriers fielded five out of the total of 67 teams who took part in the 4 x 2 ½ miles Erme Valley Road Relays at Ivybridge on Friday, 2nd July. The men’s race was won by Torbay A C ‘A’ in a total time of 52:40 and Torbay also won the ladies event in a team time of 65:01, making it a great night for the club. The Torbay anchor man, Lee Turner, also recorded the fastest leg of the evening with 12:44, making it even better.

The fastest lady was Jo Meek (14:14) in the Tavistock mixed team and the first pub/village was Ugborough with a team time of 69:07.

Exmouth Harriers men’s V40 team (57:34) of Dave Stone (13:19), Hugh Marsden (14:17), Mark Thompson (15:28) and Mike Musgrove (14:30) received the award for the 2nd men’s team. They finished ahead of the Exmouth men’s team (60:09) of Ben White (17:11), Adam Miller (14:09), Chris Dupain (15:04) and Dave Stone (13:45), who were 5th in the category.

Exmouth’s men’s V50 team (67:46) of Terry Oldham (16:51), Richard Selby (16:41), Hugh Marsden (15:11) and John Perratt (19:03) were 4th.

The amazing reign of the Exmouth men’s V60 team finally came to an end, but only just! Having won on all the previous 7 occasions since the category was introduced in 2003, they failed to make it eight out of eight, when they were finally beaten by the excellent but much younger team from South West Road Runners (69:29). The Exmouth supervets’ ages now range from 65 to 73 (average 69!!) and their time was 71:46 (Jim Wyatt 19:04, John Perratt 18:06, Ray Elston 17:53 and Roger Rowe 16:43). If, however, the impending 60th birthday of Richard Selby had been just 3 weeks earlier, his time would have contributed to a V60 team time of 69:23 that would have beaten the victorious South West Road Runners time by 6 seconds!! Just 3 weeks on a total of 276 years!

Last but not least, on to the Exmouth ladies team who were 5th in the category in 74:22 (Emma Dupain 16:52, Lorraine Gilson 19:16, Dawn Teed 19:25 and Katie Comer 18:49).

The last team to finish was the Instinctive Sports men’s V60 team in 94:05.

Best wishes,

Les