Trains, and Forests and... Lustleigh.

On Saturday 21st August 2010, whilst enjoying the countryside of Wales, Hugh Marsden and Dawn Teed, of the Harriers, took part in the annual Race the Train. This takes place alongside, as far as practicable, the route taken by the Talyllyn Railway on its journey to Abergynolwyn and back, covering some 14 miles. In order to do this all courses use a mixture of public roads, lanes, un-metalled roads, tracks, agricultural land, and rough grazing pastures. The terrain varies all the time and can be very wet & muddy in places. The routes also ascend and descend quite steep terrain and runs on narrow footpaths with little chance of overtaking.

Hugh finished in 30th position in a time of 1 hour, 34 minutes and 58 seconds, both beating the train and taking the third place in the MV50 age category.

Dawn completed the course in 470th position in a valiant time of 2-10-23.

The first athlete to complete the course was Gareth Raven of Sale Harriers in a time of 1-20-22.overall winner. The first female to complete the course was Amanda Wright-Smith of Birchfield Harriers, in overall 47th position, in a time of 1-37-08. In all nearly eight hundred runners completed the exhusting course with the last runner crossing the line some 4 hours, 43 minutes and 6 seconds after starting the run.

On Friday evening 27th August 2010 the Dawlish Coasters hosted the Forest Flyer, a race around five miles of forest tracks, paths and fire tracks of Haldon Forest Park. Amongst the starters were, for the Harriers, Mike Musgrove, Les Turner and Dan Morley. The racing conditions were perfect with pleasantly cool air and a reasonably dry, moderately firm course. Unfortunately at this time there are no results available, but the three Harriers were each pleased with their time in which they completed the course. For the Harriers Mike finished first of the trio followed some way behind by Dan and Les. Unfortunately their overall placings and times are still unknown.

Sunday 28th August 2010 saw the start of the Lustleigh Show 10k race which started at the Lustleigh Show ground and continued around a mixed terrain route, split between road, forest trails and footpaths. About one hundred and fifty runners lined up for the start including, for the Harriers, Jon Croom, Lorraine Croom, Andy Kennedy, John Perratt and Mick Allen. After completing the hilly course in warm and sunny conditions the quintet finished in the order Jon, Andy, Lorraine, John and Mick. Once again their overall placings and times are unknown.

Unfortunately due to the week-end being a Bank Holiday no results are available at this time for the latter two events.

(RW)

Dalwood Fayre 10k

On Wednesday evening 18th August 2010 Mark Thompson, representing the Harriers, competed in the Dalwood Fayre 10k race which was part of the East Devon Community Race Series. The race was multi-terrain and, as the name suggests, was approximately ten kilometres in length along fields, tracks and roads around the village of Dalwood.

The first runner to complete the course was Alex Todd of Axe Valley Runners who finished in a time of 39 minutes and 49 seconds.

Mark finished in 16th position in a time of 45-23.

The first female runner, in overall 13th position, was Caroline Hewitt of Tiverton Harriers in a time of 44-33.

The last runner to cross the finishing line was Marilyn Hughes of Axe Valley Runners in a time of 62-32.

Torbay Regatta 10k

At 7pm on Sunday 22nd August 2010 a host of runners lined up along side the four Harriers, Andrew Johnson, Roger Rowe, John Perratt and Joan Mason, for the start of the Torbay Royal Regatta 10k Race. The race was full with 650 entrants so the start at the Pavilion Theatre Torquay was very crowded. Unfortunately the weather was far from kind. A drizzle was falling for about an hour before the start but with just twenty minutes to go the heavens opened with a monsoon type deluge. So much rain fell that the drainage system was unable to clear the water so some areas of the race line were flooded, much to the enjoyment of the odd water baby.

After tracking Roger Rowe for the whole race, Andrew Johnson surged past in the last 100 metres to pip his old training partner by just 8 seconds. Andrew finished in overall 75th position in a time of 41-21. Roger Rowe finished in 80th position in a time of 41-29. Roger took the first place in the M65/69 age category, over seven minutes ahead of his nearest rival. John Perratt finished in overall 167th position in a time of 46-34 and was the first in the M70+ age category. Like Roger he also was over 7 minutes ahead of his near age rival. Joan finished in overall 333rd position in a time if 53-01, well up the finishing order in her category, but unfortunately outside the first three places.

The first athlete to cross the finishing line was Kairn Stone of the Newham and Essex Beagles in a time of 31-34.

The first female athlete was Jo Meek of Tavistock AC in overall 20th place in a time of 36-55.

The last competitor was Stanley Lloyd who finished in a time of 1 hour, 39 minutes and 49 seconds, taking the 586th place.

In such adverse weather conditions the organisers performed miraculously to record any finishing times and the camaraderie in the changing rooms was amazing where such appalling conditions brings the best out of all the athletes.

(RW & RR)

Yeovilton 5k, Jurassic Coast 10k & the Sticklepath Horseshoe Fell Race

On Wednesday evening 12th August 2010 Roger Rowe, competing in his first 5k race for almost two years, was the sole entrant from the Harriers amongst the 181 finishers in the latest round of the Yeovilton Summer 5k Series. In Roger's own words "the course is flat, fast and frenetic".

The start is close to the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton in Heathcote Road. The runners head off east before taking the left turn toward Podimore. At the top of this lane at the junction with the A30 the course takes another left turn in Podimore village, where the course heads back to Heathcote Road. Again at Heathcote Road the course take another left before passing the start line and finishes in the grounds of the Recreation Ground off Heathcote Road.

The first competitor to cross the finishing line was Ian Habgood of Bournemouth AC in a time of 15 minutes and 16 seconds.

The first female athlete to complete the course was Laura Parker of Wells City Harriers in a time of 16-59. Laura was in overall 10th position.

Roger Rowe finished in 62nd position in a time of 19-44, taking the first place in the MV60 age category.

On Saturday 14th August 2010 just a lone Harrier, namely Andy Kennedy, took part in the Jurassic Coast 10k and was amongst the 252 eventual finishers.

The run commended on the seafront at Lime Kiln Car Park, in Budleigh Salterton, and joined the footpath heading north along the mouth of River Otter. After 3 kilometres the runners crossed the River Otter at Clamour Foot Bridge and joined the rural path heading east until it reached the coast path at Crab ledge where the course turned south. The undulating Coast Path was followed for a further 5 kilometres. Here, where the river joins the sea, the coast path heads north enabling the runners to recross the River Otter at White Bridge. From here the course followed the footpath south retracing the first stage of the run back to Lime Kiln Car Park.

The first runner to complete the course was Joseph Deveau in a time of 35 minutes and 46 seconds.

The first female runner to pass the finishing line, in overall 16th place, was Katrina Rye in a time of 40-17.

For the Harriers, Andy Kennedy, finished in 33rd place in a time 44-30.

At 1.00pm on the same day the Sticklepath Horseshoe Fell Race, which is 9.6 miles in length and includes 1700 feet of ascent, got underway upon Dartmoor around the Taw Valley. The husband and wife duo of Jon and Lorraine Croome represented the Exmouth Harriers along with eighty two other starters.

The runners started and finished in Sticklepath Village, Devon, in a field on the moor (ie. south) side of the old A30 road (main road through the village), close to the foundry and the Devonshire Inn. Apart from the start/finish there were six manned check points which had to be visited enroute, in a designed sequence. In addition to visiting the check points, there were supplementary mandatory route requirements, pertaining to both the safety of the runners and the satisfaction of landowners.

The route took in Belstone Tor, Oke Tor, Steeperton Tor, Hound Tor and Cosdon, culminating in a frantic descent to the finish in Stikclepath village. For their efforts all finishers were awarded a bottle of cider open which to feast whilst recovering.

The first runner to navigate and complete the course was Andy Vallance in a time of 1 hour, 15 minutes and 15 seconds. For the Harriers Jom Croome finished in 12th place in a time of 1-27-26 and lorraine finished 43rd in a time of 1-45-20. The first female competitor to cross the line was Sharon Daw in overall 20th place in a time of 1-31-17.

(RW)

Summer 5k & Sidmouth 10k

On warm balmy evening on Tuesday 3rd August 2010 a trio of Harriers lined up amongst the seventy-four athletes competing in the latest round in the Saucony Summer 5k series, namely, Andy Johnson, Cathy Newman and Jim Wyatt. Both Cathy and Jim had raced just two days earlier in the Totnes 10K where they produced impressive finishing times.

On the night the first athlete to cross the finishing line was Matthew Clarke of the SW Road Runners in a time of 16 minutes and 15 minutes.

The first female athlete to cross the finishing line in overall 11th position was Lucy Commander, also of SWRR in a time of 18-17.

Cathy Newman finished in 17th position in a time of 19-12, taking the first place in the female 45 age category.on the night.

Andy Johnson finished in 23rd position in a time of 19-40 and Jim Wyatt completed the trio in 54th position in a time of 23-59.

The last athlete to complete the course was Louise Crathorne in a time of 32-59.

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On a cooler Sunday 8th August 2010 Sidmouth Running Club hosted the Sidmouth Festival 10k Run with over two hundred runners lined up at the start just above Jacob's Ladder, facing the immediate steep ascent to Peak Hill. At the starting gun the more serious runners sprinted up the hill in an attempt to take the first prize in the one kilometre ascent of the hill to its summit. Beyond the hill lay the relative flat route through Mutters Moor before the course again ascends to Stoney Hill following the footpath and via a dog leg to the summit of Bulverton Hill. Despite the recent long dry period there were muddy stretches and in a couple of places large puddles that needed to be avoided. Along this ascent the great vista of Sidmouth to the east could be experienced. Having reached the top the runners then descended through woods back to Bulverton Bottom and through Graystone Plantations. Finally back at Peak Hill the daunting descent took the runners back to the finishing line at the same place they started some time previous.

The first runner to complete the course was Mateusz Szala of Sidmouth Running Club in a time of 38 minutes and 25 seconds.

The first female runner to complete the course in overall 35th position was Laura Brenton of Southampton RC in a time of 47-26.

The first Harrier to complete the course was Dave Stone in 4th position, taking the second place in the MV40 age category, in a time of 39-35. Although positioning this was one place behind his last years result Dave's time was nearly two minutes faster.

Hugh Marsden finished in 12th position, taking the first prize in the MV50 age category, in a time of 41-39.

Adam Miller finished in 20th position in a time of 43-35. Chris Dupain finished in 37th position in a time of 47-35. Emma Dupain finished in 44th position in a time of 49-20, immediately in ahead of Ben White, in 45th position, who finished in a time of 49-22

Richard Selby finished in 48th position, taking the second place in the MV60 age category, in a time of 49-50.

Terry Oldham finished in 62nd position in a time of 51-12. Andy Kennedy finished in 69th position in a time of 51-43.

Ray Elston finished in 103rd position, taking the first place in the MV70 age category, in a time of 54-38. This time being over two minutes faster than last year.

Lucy Hodgson finished in 115th position in a time of 55-56. Lorraine Gilson finished in 128th position in a time of 57-12. Nigel Dupain finished in 138th position in a time of 58-55. Lee Russell finished in 141st position in a time of 59-39. Les Turner finished in 169th position in a time of 63-29. Nicky Crook finished in 171st position in a time of 64-02.

Mick Allen completed the Exmouth Harrier contingent in 182nd position in a time of 65-56.

The last runner to cross the finishing line was Sean Donner in 204th position in a time of 1 hour, 28 minutes and 28 seconds.

Totnes 10k

On Sunday 1st August 2010 sixteen members of the Harriers lined up with 531 runners competing in the increasingly popular Totnes 10k race and between them won six separate places in the various age categories, as well as the second place in the male team category.

From the novel starting rocket the athletes set off at a blistering pace to complete the half lap around the sports field before negotiating the tight, twisting exit from Borough Park. The slightly undulating route then follows the course of the River Dart with the underfoot conditions varying from tarmac path to compacted grass tufted soil before, close to the half way point of the race, ascending steeply through woodland. This steep ascent is further complicated by the odd muddy puddle and numerous obstacle tree roots. Once the hill has been ascended a fast downhill section of narrow concrete lay ahead where the pace again picks up. The second water station is reached where much need fluid is provided. Further undulating areas are negotiated before the course re-emerges to the bank of the River Dart. The route then returns along the outward leg of the race and re-enters the Borough Park. With the finishing line in sight many athletes manage to draw upon their last reserves to produce a sprint finish to the line.

The first athlete to complete the course, in a record breaking time of 34 minutes and 57 seconds, was James Baker of Chichester Runners & AC.

The first Harrier home was Dave Stone, in overall 10th position, in a time of 37-58 taking the 2nd place in the MV40 age category.

Hugh Marsden finished in 16th position in a time of 40-05, taking the 1st place in the MV50 age category.

Jamie Pearson finished in 19th position in a time of 40-49.

Cathy Newman finished in 37th position in a time of 43-37, taking the 2nd place in the FV45 age category.

Ed Shutt finished in 60th position in a time of 46-14, taking the 3rd place in the MV55 age category.

Andy Kennedy finished in 74th position in a time of 47-13.

Roger Rowe finished in 76th position in a time of 47-22, taking the 1st place in the MV65 age category.

Ben White finished in 85th position in a time of 48-03.

Emma Dupain finished in 98th position in a time of 48-50.

Bob Woodall finished in 106th position in a time of 49-14.

John Perratt finished in 120th position in a time of 49-47, taking the 1st place in the MV70 age category, beating his previous record in the category which he set last year.

Ray Elston finished in 126th position in a time of 50-32, taking the 2nd place in the MV70 age category.

Ted Bloomfield finished in 157th position in a time of 52-28.

Jim Wyatt finished in 175th position in a time of 53-19.

Dawn Teed finished in 180th position in a time of 53-28.

Nigel Dupain completed the Harrier contingent by finishing in 230th position in a time of 55-56.

The first female runner, in overall 17th position, was Nicola Brookland, representing Bristol and West AC, who completed the course in a time of 40-19.

The last runner to complete the course was Linda Myles of the Women's Running Network in a time of 1 hour 53 minutes and 15 seconds.

(RW)

PS I am informed by the race director that the course is actually 6.4 miles...

(RR)