Bank Holiday Weekend races

Friday:

On a perfect evening for racing, the Haldon Forest Flyer 4 ½ mile race was won by Ashley Humphreys in 24:57 and included eight Harriers. Paul Samways was 12th in 27:56, Duncan Parkes was 33rd in 31:07 and Hannah Dupain was 35th in 31:12. Bob Woodall was 53rd in 32:27, with Ray Elston 58th in 33:09 and Nigel Dupain 71st in 34:34. Les Turner was 119th in 40:02 and Kevin Lingard was 144th in 46:33. 161 runners finished the race.

Sunday : Torbay Regatta 10k
Dave Stone really excelled in this year's 10k with a excellent 34:48 (7th overall), with Emma Dupain turning in a 45:56 and her dad Nigel Dupain, completing in 46:40.

Monday:

The Dupains were back in action again the following day at the Lustleigh Show 10k. Hannah was 2nd lady in 45:30 and the other times were Chris 47:00, Nigel 51:27 and Emma 51:40.

South West Vets Championship 5k
How can you manage to find a circular course that is uphill in every kilometer? Apart from around a half-mile of downhill running in the second kilometer, that is what faced competitors at Barton St. David (Somerset) on Bank Holiday Monday. And did it tell in the times on a warm and very humid day!

In the Vet/60s Peter Hamilton (Blackheath) easily outpaced Rog Rowe winning by 57 seconds in 19:10 to Roger's 20:07 (his 2nd slowest 5k of all time)! Peter too was way down on his expected finish time.

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Chris Woodcock (Blackheath & Sidmouth) cantered to an easy win in the Vet/65s in 21:49, whilst Eric Barber (Torbay) also won easily in the Vet/70s with a 24:49 showing.

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There were no entries in the V40, V45, V50s from Devon at all -- a real disappointment.

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(RR)

What happened last week?

Despite the awful weather on Saturday, 9th August, 235 runners turned up the next day for the Michelmores’ sponsored Sidmouth Festival 10k Run and their faith in the weather forecast was justified by near perfect running conditions. The overnight rain had made the multi terrain course a bit slippery but this did not prevent a very fast time of 40.07 by the winner, 22 year old Ashley Humphreys from Torbay.

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Dave Stone, the first Exmouth Harrier, had a superb race and finished in 3rd place just 40 seconds behind the winner. Well done, Dave! Next came Mark Thompson, 32nd in 48:40. Hannah Dupain came 55th in 51:53, with Emma Dupain 80th in 53:57. Ben White was 84th in 54:23. Congratulations to Ray Elston who was 1st V65 and 92nd overall in 55:22. Finally, Kevin Lingard came 150th in 62:27.

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120 runners completed the fifth race in the Yeovilton 5k Road Race Summer Series at the Yeovilton Air Base which took place on Wednesday 13th August and was won by Jon James of Wells City Harriers in 15:40. Exmouth Harrier Roger Rowe had his best result of 2008 so far, completing the 5k in 19:23 (6:14.3 pace) for 1st Vet/60. Jim Brumfield (Egdon Heath Harriers) however is getting quicker too, this time Roger beat him by less than 30 seconds.

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As always, it was a great evening with a large (and fast) field - Roger was 36th overall even at that pace, on a lovely sunny evening after a day of rain. There is just one more race in the series on the 10th September, but there is a small matter of the SW Vets 5k Championship before then on Bank Holiday Monday. Then Roger hopes for even more improvement before the SEAA Veterans Road Relays at the end of September.

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On Saturday, 16th August, two Exmouth Harriers competed in the Tywyn, Mid-Wales Race the Train that takes place alongside, as far as practicable, the route taken by the Talyllyn Railway on its journey to Abergynolwyn and back. In order to do this the course uses a mixture of public roads, lanes, un-metalled roads, tracks, agricultural land, and rough grazing pastures. The terrain varies all the time and was rain sodden in places, so the wise runners wore studs. The route also ascends and descends quite steep terrain and runs on narrow footpaths with little chance of overtaking.

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There were 822 finishers and the race was won by Gareth Raven of Sale Harriers in 1:18:15. Exmouth’s Hugh Marsden finished in 1:33:14, 2nd V45 and 18th overall, beating the train in the process. Dawn Teed came 521st in 2:11:32, 4 minutes quicker than the last time she ran the race. Well done, Hugh and Dawn!

Run Exe Summer 5k Series

7:30pm 7th August - Flower Pot Fields

Just 50 entrants for the second of this new summer series, just 5 of us from the Harriers. The course for the 5k is a double loop up and down the river from the FPF Car park, on tarmac and concrete paths, but with several very tight corners - four of 180 degrees and four of 90 degrees. Unfortunately that knocks the pace back quite a lot. Checking my Garmin watch after the race I noticed that my pace was down to 10 minute miles on two of these bends!

Results:Jim Cole of Tavistock won easily in 15:42 30 seconds ahead of Mike Zlotnik from Exeter Harriers.

Harriers results and placings:

Rog Rowe - 17th in 19:40 - 1st Vet/60
Hannah Dupain - 29th in 20:48 - 3rd Senior Lady
Emma Dupain - 31st in 21:50 - 4th Senior Lady
Benny White - 36th in 22:49 - 11th Senior Man
Jim Wyatt - 38th in 23:08 - 2nd Vet/60

Interesting to see that Jim beat arch-rival Mark Waddicor by over a minute, but having come behind him in the first race a month ago. The track work is paying dividends Jim!

(RR)

Bob Graham Round

How about this for endurance? Exmouth Harrier Jon Croome successfully completed the “Bob Graham Round” of 42 Lakeland peaks in less than 24 hours. This is one of the most demanding challenges in England with an ascent of approximately 28,500ft and a distance of about 74 miles. Congratulations, Jon, on an extremely impressive performance!!

(LT)

Wellington 10

The Wellington Ten gives runners a choice of two distances, 10 miles or 10 k. Both races follow similar routes, starting at the Sports Centre and then following a series of undulations through beautiful Somerset countryside. The two distances join again for the finish through Wellington and back to the Sports Centre.
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The longer event was won by Tom Merson of South West Road Runners in 55:01. Exmouth Harrier John Perratt was also among the field of 257 runners and came 1st V70 and 65th overall in 1:13:20.
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It took Philip Parry of Bristol & West A C 34:17 to win the 10k distance, completed by 244 runners. Mark Thompson was the Exmouth Harrier in this event, coming 30th in 43:01.

(LT)

Totnes 10k

A cloudy but warm Sunday morning saw in excess of 375 runners lining up for the Tones 10k race. Included in that number were a gaggle of a dozen Exmouth Harriers. As a novelty a firework, a rocket, was used to get the event underway.

The course dictates a fast start with runners racing around the perimeter of the cricket pitch toward the tarmac path where the course narrows and negotiates a series of right angled bends with central bollards positioned to catch the unaware. The course then follows the route of the river before entering the wooded area. Here there are many hazardous tree routes across the path and numerous areas of leg sapping mud and deep puddles, before the route ascending a steep hill, which even includes numerous steps. Descents were hampered by slippy stone and concrete surfaces, with still more ascents to follow.

The decision as to the type of footwear was immaterial as those opting for road shoes struggled to find adhesion in the mud, but those opting for off road shoes struggled with the twisting sloppy hard surfaces. Neither types of footwear appeared to give an advantage. The temperature was kind to the competitors and the first entrant home completed the race in a blistering time of 35 minutes and 38 seconds, only 9 seconds off the course record.

Dave Stone lead home the Exmouth Harriers contingent if overall 9th position in a time of 38-48, 3rd MV35, followed closely by Shaun Lock immediately behind in a time of 39-06. In overall 16th place finished Hugh Marsden in a time of 40-06, 1st MV45.

Jamie Pearson in his first outing for the Harriers finished in 20th place in a storming time of 40-12. Next Harrier to cross the finishing line in 38th position was Adam Miller in a time of 42-59, followed by Paul Samways in 46th position in a time of 44-13. Jo Darwood finished in 69th position in a creditable time of 46-19, provisionally the 7th female competitor to complete the race.

Bob Woodall wearing number 89 finished in 89th position in a time of 48-08. Ray Elston finished in position 120, to lead home the MV65 category in a time of 50-48, averaging a speed of 8-10.4 minutes per mile. In 153rd position was John Perratt in a time of 53-12 to take the lead MV70 position. Jim Wyatt, just eight positions behind, completed the race in 54-00 minutes taking the 2nd MV65 position. Last but not least of the Harriers was Dawn Teed in 191st position to complete in a time of 55-43.

All members of the Exmouth Harriers performed well on the day over an extremely difficult course which could be, on this occasion, likened to a cross country course and some members completed the race in both praiseworthy positions and times. In fact Exmouth Harriers carried off the team prize due to the brilliant results of Dave Stone, Shaun Lock and Hugh Marsden. A valiant effort from such a small club

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(RW)