Weekend Races...

On Sunday 29th November 2009 Exmouth Harrier, Carlos Payan, took part in the San Sebastian Marathon in Spain. The weather conditions were cold for the location and windy, but ideal for running the very flat fast course. There were a total of 2615 entrants of which 2,394 crossed the finishing line.

The first runner completed the course in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 29 seconds with Carlos Payan finishing in 315th place in a time of 2hr 57min and 29 secs.. The final competitor crossed the finishing line in 4hr 40min and 20secs. There was a good quality of entrants for this event as can be seen from the fact that 450 runners completed the course in under three hours.

Friday 4th December 2009 Exmouth Harriers finished their running year with a festive meal and disco at the Exmouth Rugby Club. A superb meal was provided by JoniBoy Bamsey's own enterprise "jono's catering". Before the jitterbugging commenced the club awards were announced and the female athlete of the year went to Lorraine Gilson and the male athlete of the year went to Jamie Pearson. Paul Champion was rewarded by his years endeavours for the club with the Chairman's trophy. The late night, alcohol and hearty meal were anything but conducive to running so all activities were put on hold for Sunday.

On Sunday a brace of Exmouth Harriers, namely Dave Stone and Adrian Kearns, made the long trek to the south Midlands to take part in the ninth Luton Marathon and Three Stage Relay. Unlike last year when the event was cancelled due to extreme icy conditions which caused a vehicle to block part of the course the weather was more favourable to the runners. After a heavy down pour just hour before the race and much rain preceding this the race started at 11.00am in dry but windy conditions. Leaving the sport centre at Brammingham Wood, the race HQ, the route headed out toward the main A1082 road toward Bedford before turning left through the small village of Streatley and back toward Luton via the village of Lower Sundon. Although the course was mainly flat with slight undulations a strong head wind was experienced after leaving Streatley for about three miles before entering Luton at Sundon Park. Running through the built up areas the competitors were given a respite from the wind as they made their toward the Purley Centre and the completion of the first of three laps of the course.

Bearing in mind the three lap course this meant that the runners were facing nearly one third of the twenty seven plus miles into a strong head wind. Dave Stone made his intentions of a quick race from the start staying within striking distance of the leaders. By the completion of what would have been a half marathon Dave had clocked up an impressive time of 1 hour and 22 minutes which spurred him on. Dave Stone finally completed the race in overall 6th position in a time of 2 hours 44 minutes and 34 seconds. Adrian Kearns followed finishing in 57th position in a time of 3 hours 12 minutes and 52 seconds. Dave has now completed forty marathon races before reaching the grand old age of 40 years in February 2010. A great achievement of which he was particularly pleased as his finishing time was just quicker than his own anticipated time.

At a more leisurely pace and closer to home six members of the Exmouth Harriers competed in the Brooks Westward League Cross Country race staged at the Exeter Race Arena. The exceptionally prolonged rain of late had caused the whole course to be extremely waterlogged with the many twists and turns being deep sticky mud especially for the last race of the day, the senior men's event. Most of the course had seen six earlier events in the afternoon race around some of the course making going very heavy and extremely rutted. The weather on the day was kind to the competitors with little light rain and when the Exmouth Harriers all lined up for the senior men's event at 2.15 pm the skies were cloudless with the sun making temperature spring like but with a brisk wind. The initial start was an uphill run with several ninety degree turns. Before nearing the crest of the hill a long straight downhill section brought the runners back to beyond the start where a tight, near, one hundred and eighty turn around a tree saw the runners racing back along an incline into a head wind back towards the top of the course. Sections of this uphill climb, along the top bank of a local stream, were particularly boggy with soles of running wear sinking deep into the tufted grass so that ankles were covered with deep liquid mud. Two more one hundred and eighty degree turns were negotiated before the runners reached the top of the hill and the descent back toward the starting point.

After three and a half more laps the finish was in sight with the runners having completed nearly nine kilometres around the overall course.

 The race winner was K. Haywood of Bideford AC in an impressive time of 29 minutes and 17 seconds.
 Jamie Pearson lead the Exmouth Harriers contingent home in 34th position in a time of 35 minutes and 12 seconds.
 Bob Woodall followed in 91st position, being in second place in the V60 category, in a time of 42 min 29 sec..
 Andy Kennedy finished in 101st position in a time of 42 min 53 sec..
 Phil [Twinkle] Quick in his first cross country event for several years, finished on the heels of Andy in 102nd position in a time of 42 min 54 sec..
 Lee Russell finished in 116th position in a time of 46 min 15 sec..
 John Perratt finished 120th position in a time of 48 min 30 seconds.
 The final runner to complete the race, in 130th position in a time of 61 min 24 sec. was M. Lee from Erme Valley Harriers.

(RW)