You're a runner if...

... you keep shoes and running clothes in your car so that if you're ever on a trip and drive by a place thinking "it'd be great to run here..." you can get out and go for a run
... you sleep in your running shorts because they're more comfortable than pyjamas, not to mention you don't need to change for your morning training session
... you can correctly pronounce names like "Hicham El Guerrouj" "Kennesia Bekele" and "Haile Gebresilassie"
... you've found yourself running around an airport departure hall thinking, "if I can just get in three more miles, I'll meet my mileage target this week"
... you wear sandals despite having the ugliest feet in the world, along with several black toe nails
... you get upset and impatient when results from the race you ran aren't posted on-line by the time you get home
... you find a magnifying glass to see your name in the paper.
... you have chafing in strange places.

... you spend more on training clothes than working clothes.

.

(tbc)

You're a runner if...

... you get hit by a car and you don't bother to get the number plate of the person who hit you because you still have 6 miles left to go
... your cabin-luggage is a spike bag
... You say things like "long and hard" to your female friends and it is not a sexual innuendo
... you are used to the sound of a gun
... you make hundreds of left turns each week
... you and your clubmates have meaningless debates about training, running, and coaching, especially when you're drinking (or running)
... you have running shoes in varying degrees of decomposition: used, well-worn, spent but still good, and useless "but-I-still-wear-them-because-they-still-feel-good"
.

(tbc)

Tavistock & Haytor & Saltash

A team of four Harriers braved the atrocious weather last Thursday and travelled to West Devon to take part in the 4 x 1.1 mile Tavistock Town Relays.

27 teams competed in the event that was won by Tamar Trotters with a total time of 21:17, but only after Exmouth had pushed them all the way to finish in second place, just 29 seconds behind the victors, in 21:46.

Exmouth’s team comprised Dave Stone (5:17), Carlos Payan (5:44), Hugh Marsden (5:40) and anchor Jamie Pearson (5:05). Jamie’s superb time was the 2nd fastest individual leg, a mere 4 seconds slower than the 5:01 recorded by the Tamar Trotters anchor, Mike Wilsmore.

Last Sunday, seven Harriers were among the field of 146 runners who completed a 6-mile cross country race, the Haytor Heller, near Bovey Tracey on Dartmoor.

The race was won by James Baker of Chichester Runners & A C in 40:53 and the first Harrier to finish was Hugh Marsden, 2nd V50 and 9th overall in 47:02.

Paul Samways came 13th in 47:43, with Adam Miller 25th in 50:37. Carlos Payan was 27th in 50:56 and Pete McKeown came 29th in 51:57. Duncan Parkes was 36th in 53:08, with Dawn Teed 94th in 64:51.

The Magnificent 7 (mile) Road Race at Saltash, Cornwall, was won by Dave Buzza of Cornwall AC in 39:14. Les Turner was 245th in 65:23 and there were 364 finishers.

(LT)

You're a runner if...

...Ibuprofen is your recreational drug of choice

...you think in terms of metres not yards

...you can look at a grass field and guess its circumference almost exactly

...you have 10% body fat yet you don't live in Somalia

...you consider a 15 mile run a good cure for a hangover

... if you are a man, you eat all the junk food that there is and still weigh 140 pounds

... you don’t care when you hug a sweaty girl in a public place

... you have recorded a marathon over your wedding video

(tbc)

Erme Valley Relay Photos - 1st Leg

Run Exe Summer 5k series

Round 2 of the Run Exe Summer 5K Series, at Exwick, was won by James Bellward of South West Road Runners in 16:24.

Three Exmouth Harriers, Carlos Alonso, Andy Johnson and Dave Eveleigh were among the 64 runners who completed the event.

Carlos was 11th in 17:59, Andy was 18th in 19:10 and Dave was 56th in 25:32.

(LT)

You're a runner if...

...you can use "easy" and 10 in the same sentence
...your shoes have more miles on them than your car does
...you go to a golf course to run
...you schedule dates around your training
...you've been to a golf course in every city but not to play golf
...you find yourself saying, "it's not really a hill..."
...you're running and you don't know why
...more than half the people you know don't know what XC is

(tbc)

Charmouth? It's a Picnic...

Harrier Mark Thompson contested the “Picnic” Marathon (a very inappropriate name for what is considered to be the toughest marathon in Britain) at Box Hill, Surrey. The event has a height gain / loss of 6,000 feet, entirely on rough tracks, with superb views over the North Downs, the Mole Gap, Denbies Vineyard and Dorking.

The race was won by Andy Rankin of Muddy Mucky Munkeys in 3:39:54 and Mark ran superbly to come 10th in 4:19:57 out of the field of 111 runners.

.

The Charmouth Challenge is held on a hilly multi-terrain course of around eight miles through coastal scenery, including an ascent of the Golden Cap, the highest point on the South Coast.

257 runners completed the event that was won by Tom Bush of Altringham A C in 54:49, including two Harriers. Hugh Marsden had an excellent race to come 1st V50 and 9th overall in 57:04 and Andy Kennedy was 140th in 78:19.

.

(LT)

Erme Valley Relays - 3rd July

Just as last year, Exmouth Harriers fielded no less than seven teams in the increasingly popular 4 x 2 ½ miles Erme Valley Road Relays at Ivybridge. So popular, in fact, that last year’s total of 73 teams increased by no less than 18 teams to this year’s staggering total of 91. Will next year’s small local event top the hundred mark?

The winning team was South West Road Runners in a total time of 51:36. Their anchorman, Exmouth runner Tom Merson, recorded the fastest individual leg of 12:08 compared with his fastest leg time last year of 12:21. Well done, Tom!

Exmouth Harriers produced some excellent individual performances and their M60 team (average age 66) won their category in 75:29 for the fifth consecutive year -- i.e. on every occasion since its introduction. The team comprised Roger Rowe (17:14), Ray Elston (18:32), Les Turner (20:19) and Jim Wyatt (19:24).

The Exmouth men’s “A” team (55:31) of Dave Stone (13:12), Adam Cornish (14:42), Carlos Alonso (14:34) and Jamie Pearson (13:03) were fifth. The M40 team, Pete McKeown (14:48), Jon Croome (14:32), Andy Johnson (15:10) and Hugh Marsden (14:58) came third in the category in 59:28.

The men’s “B” team, Chris Dupain (16:18), Nigel Dupain (18:30), Adam Miller (14:32) and Dave Stone (13:28) totalled 62:48.

Exmouth’s M50 team (67:00) of Bob Woodall (17:04), Hugh Marsden (14:31), Phil Bater (18:02) and Steve Merry (17:23) were fourth. The ladies “A” team comprised Hannah Dupain (16:42), Emma Dupain (17:16), Lissie Lingard (18:20) and Lucy Hodgson (18:07) and came sixth in 70:25.

The ladies “B” team (74:25) of Lorraine Croome (18:01), Nicky Crook (20:12), Dawn Teed (18:27) and Hannah Dupain (17:45) were eleventh.

.

Results can be found here:

http://www.tamartrotters.co.uk/race_results/2009/erme_valley-relays_03-07-09.htm

(LT)

SW Vets Championships & Killerton Kanter

Two Harriers contested the South West Veterans’ A C Track & Field Championships at Exeter Arena and their outstanding performances achieved perfect results – they won all the five events they took part in!! Hardy perennial John Perratt struck M70 gold with 3:02.4 in the 800m, 6:14.0 for the 1500m and 22:03.7 in the 5,000m. The youngster, Andy Kennedy, achieved his M50 gold medals with 42:07.4 in the 10,000m and 9:54.1 in the 2,000m steeplechase. Congratulations, John and Andy!

140 runners completed the Killerton Kanter 10K Cross Country Race last Saturday, including six Exmouth Harriers. One of them, Hannah Dupain, was the 1st lady in 46:50. Well done, Hannah!

The race was won by Lee Turner in 36:49 and the first Harrier to finish was Adam Miller, 15th in 42:29. Right behind him came Paul Samways, 16th in 42:41, then Adrian Kearns, 22nd in 44:59. Nigel Dupain was 67th in 54:19 and Dawn Teed came 73rd in 55:23.

.

(LT)

Torbay Half Marathon

[Tom Merson]

.

The Torbay Half Marathon, held last Sunday, was completed by 1,348 runners and the winner was Toby Lambert of Winchester and District AC in 1:08:11.

.

After being tripped, Tom Merson of South West Road Runners recovered to finish 1st M20 and 3rd overall in 1:10:09. The first home of the five Harriers was Dave Stone, 2nd M35 and 6th overall in 1:16:18.

.

Jamie Pearson was 1st U20 and 10th overall in 1:18:18, with Hugh Marsden 2nd V50 and 18th overall in 1:21:10. Adam Miller came 29th in 1:24:00 and Dawn Teed was 463rd in 1:49:08. Congratulations to the Harriers on some more super performances.

.

(LT)

Running is Subversive

It began, my husband likes to recall, with a quiet epiphany one work-day morning. Entombed in a Circle line carriage in yet another hold-up, he decided he could bear it no longer. “I’m not going to sit trapped underground any more when I could run to work in half the time,” he announced one evening. “I’ll buy a pair of running shoes and save myself a fortune on fares.” A week later, the shoes arrived, a brightly coloured pair with tiny flashes and matching laces; nothing to hint at the obsession to come.

Come it did, around six months later, in the form of bespoke Japanese running shoes – several pairs of which clogged up our hall, transforming my husband’s mild interest into a full-blown love affair; he calls 'them “My Beauties”.

Around the same time, new habits developed, evidence that this was about so much more than just running. The spooky appearance of rubbery latex figure-hugging wear, nestling in the laundry basket. Specialist catalogues selling ''bib shorts’’, ''gilets’’ and Lycra shorts. The endless route planning, poring over maps and note-taking before a ''big’’ trip. Then there are the physical absences each weekend morning; the alarm clock set at an obscenely early hour for a ''quick two-hour run” around Richmond Park. The frenzied training for bigger events – like the London Marathon.

Not to mention the mushrooming pile of ''memoirs’’ by his bedside like ‘Put Me Back In My Shoes’, ‘One More Kilometre And We’re In The Showers’ and Jeff Galloway’s “Running until you’re 100”. So what, from a female perspective, is it about? I guess the clues are in the buzzwords on their covers – ''willpower’’, ''inspiration’’, ''endurance’’, ''pain’’. Running isn’t inherently macho but it does have an element of suffering and purgatorial challenge that appeals to a certain male psyche. It is about escape – freedom from family; seizing time to be solitary, beyond responsibility. Not an easy concept to embrace when you’re the Running widow left to look after small children.

I’ve grown to accept that my husband, although not an extreme case (he hasn’t shaved his legs yet) is touched with Running-Obsession Syndrome, a sorry affliction identified by Matt Seaton, author of The Escape Artist, which charts his love of Running. “I got the bug in my twenties but it can strike at any time. I suspect there is a mid-life crisis element. It is also romantic; getting in touch with that first taste of independence from your parents when you were a kid.”

Seaton agrees, even though an increasing number of women enjoy Running, that it can create friction in a relationship. “My partner can resent my devotion and focus,” says Seaton. “Even though I try to keep a lid on it, it definitely grates with her.” Adjusting to a partner’s sudden new-found love can also be more difficult than accommodating it from the start of a relationship. “I’ve got a friend who’s a born-again runner in middle-age,” he says. “And I get the feeling his partner can hardly bear to look at me because she blames me.”

Seaton says one way forward is Running as a couple. “My husband definitely wants to get me more involved,” shudders one friend whose husband has six pairs of running shoes. “I nearly screamed when he asked if I’d like to have a quiet jog with him. He’s got a stationary frame now with a Running video game so he can train in the garage – alone.” Another Running widow complains that her husband gets up earlier and earlier to go to work: “He takes a detour through Kent before he gets to the City.” They live in Balham.

Not that these are habits you can attempt to alter, especially with the moral high ground on their side. Running is the fastest-growing ‘mode of transport’ in cities. Running is green, civilised and healthy.

So I don’t carp about my dear husband’s passion, the time it takes from other family activities, or the money, not to mention the unsightly appearance of him dressed oddly each weekend morning.

Instead, I have gamely tried to join him. In an attempt to bridge the great divide, I gingerly agreed to run to work with him during the recent Tube strike. He waited patiently while I puffed and wheezed across Hyde Park, and we ran together to Oxford Circus. I sensed it was a triumph for him; another converted soul. I even agreed on a trip to Richmond. Just don’t mention the London Marathon.

After Emma Cook (Originally published in the Daily Telegraph – 17-Jun-09)

Bampton 10k - Devon AA 10k Championships

[Nice picture of Hugh and Jamie warming down after the event]

The annual pilgrimage to Bampton, the market town just up the Exe from Tiverton, took place on the late afternoon of the 13th June. The 10-kilometer road race is, it seems, always held on a lovely evening -- how the organisers manage this year-after-year is a mystery to all competitors. But, yet again, the evening was warm and balmy.

The problem with this is, of course, the fact the a hilly 10k race through the lanes north of Bampton is going to be a struggle for even the fittest -- the heat and humidity being always present. Wonder what it would be like to run it on a cold day.

Six Harriers made the trip and produced some excellent results. The first to finish, Jamie Pearson, was 2nd U20 and 3rd overall in 35:55, less than a minute behind the winner, Pete Monaghan of Torbay AAC (34:59). Hugh Marsden was 2nd V50 and 9th overall in 37:43, with Andy Johnson 26th in 41:12.

Roger Rowe, not at his best, was still good enough to be 1st V60 and 62nd overall in 44:48 and Lee Russell was 82nd in 46:22. Dawn Teed was 124th in 49:47, out of the field of 235 runners.

1348 runners completed the Torbay Half Marathon, held last Sunday, and the winner was Toby Lambert of Winchester and District AC in 1:08:11. Exmouth runner Tom Merson of South West Road Runners was 1st M20 and 3rd overall in 1:10:09 and the first home of the five Exmouth Harriers was Dave Stone, 2nd M35 and 6th overall in 1:16:18. Jamie Pearson was 1st U20 and 10th overall in 1:18:18, with Hugh Marsden 2nd V50 and 18th overall in 1:21:10.

Adam Miller came 29th in 1:24:00 and Dawn Teed was 463rd in 1:49:08. Congratulations to the Harriers on some more super performances.

(LT)

Sandy Bay/Exmouth Beach Race

[Duncan T]

[Hugh M]

[Hannah D]

[Nigel D]

[Andy K & Roger R in Exmouth]

Results on the Harriers Website - http://www.exmouth-harriers.co.uk/beach_race/rptResult.html - Only 30 entries, but a great race. Those who were worried about the beach need not have done so... good surface most of the way and a lovely sunny, clear and cool day. Jamie Pearson ran away from the field to finish in 33:17 with Hugh Marsden second in 34:44.

Chris Dupain led Andy and Roger for around half of the race, but the latter got away rather by choosing a better line through the soft stuff on the way back. Roger finished 5th in 38:26, with Andy just a second behind. Chris finishing in 39:23.

.

Other Harrier Positions:

Hannah Dupain 2nd Lady (to Karen Cook from SWRR) in 41:51

Nigel Dupain - 42:44

Denise Kennedy - 53:07

.

Special congratulations to Duncan Taylor (son of Adrian) only 14, yet he finished in 3rd place in 37:48.

(RR)

Budleigh Salterton...

Budleigh Salterton as, if you were born later than the 1950s, you would never had seen it before. The station was closed in 1967(?) and later Norman's Supermarket moved into the site. In the 1990s they too moved on, and it is now a modern housing development.

Bideford & Plymouth

510 runners completed the Bideford 10K Race which was won by Steve Gallienne of Bideford AAC in 32:24. Exmouth Harrier Andy Kennedy was 73rd in 41:30, an excellent time.

The winner of the Plymouth Half Marathon was Jean Ndayisenga of Birchfield in 1:05:31. The large field of 3,889 runners included just one Exmouth Harrier, Dawn Teed, who ran well to come 1,047th in 1:51:45.

(LT)

How about a picture of a train?

A great photo of a 'Southern region' express taken near Feniton Station -- Sidmouth Junction as was -- before the demise of steam. As a boy brought up with both Western and Southern Region locos, I was always mesmerised by the valve gear of the latter. They seemed most exotic to me somehow.

.

In the photo, the line on the left running out of the picture is the branch to Ottery St. Mary, and thence via Tipton St. Johns (sic) to Budleigh and Exmouth. Still a great run!

BMAF Road Relays - Sutton Park

Lots to say about this year's BMAF Road relays with Ray, Mick and John winning the first national relay title ever to grace the club -- 1st V70 team --John bringing the side home well clear of 2nd place Bingley Harriers, and incidentally running the fastest leg of the day.

.

And all this after Ray (and Roger) were tripped on the start line and completed the first legs covered in blood. Ray finished looking as if he had gone 3 rounds with Phil Crook!

.

The gruesome details:

Awaiting the start Roger and Ray were deep in conversation, not realising that within a second of the 'off' both would be lying on the road in various undignified positions spouting blood. For Roger that was left shoulder, hip, knee and elbow (plus a 'spout' from the right thumb). But Ray came off far worse... his arms were caught too, so he hit the tarmac with forehead, nose and chin. And for both the usual (in these cases) 'gravel rash'. Both were up in a second or two, and both set off to chase the disappearing field.

.

Ray says that he did not really know where he was until the beginning of the first hill, about 400 metres from the start. But streaming blood and, no doubt, causing much concern to those watching, he gamefully continued.

.

By the end of his first leg, Ray had caught the two V70 teams in front -- Sutton Coldfield (last year's winners) and Bingley Harriers.

.

Leg 1:

Rich Cashmore - Sutton Coldfield (21:43)

George Perkins - Bingley Harriers (21:59) and

Ray Elston - Exmouth Harriers (22:01)

.

Ray handed over to new 'first claim' member (from Sidmouth Harriers) Mick Allen, who like both the V60 & V70 'squads' have been working on the track at Exmouth over the past month or so. With the 2nd-leg Sutton Coldfield athlete dropping well off the pace, by the time the first two came into sight at the Keepers Pool (three-quarter of a mile to go at that point), Mick was on the shoulder of the Bingley athlete. A position that he more-or-less maintained to the handover.

.

Leg 2:

John Smithhurst - Bingley Harriers (22:54)

Mick Allen - Exmouth Harriers (22:58)

.

Therefore handing over to John Parratt with a 6-second deficit to Fred Gibbs of Bingley. Now, the topic of conversation that morning was how John would fare against Fred if they came into direct opposition? Fred's best 3k time in 2008 was 11:52 against John's 12:25, and Fred's 5k time of 20:09 against John's 22:19? This was going to be a race worth seeing.

.

In the event John quickly moved alongside Fred going up the hill, and pulled away rapidly as it seems Fred was having a problem with a leg injury. Pity for the watchers, but by the Keepers Pool, John passed with Fred not even in sight -- bringing the team home in 1st place with a leg of 20:43. A BMAF medal for the team, and the indivual 'gold' for John -- I think the V60 watchers and Mary and Mandy were more excited than Ray, Mick and John! A momentous occasion for the club too -- our very first national relay title.

.

Our V60 team of Les, Jim and Roger were, as expected well down the field, but they really enjoyed supporting their more illustrious club-mates.

.

As always, a very exciting event. Now, for 2010, could we not run to entering three teams? To add a V50 team to our V60 and V70 effort would be amazing. And how about a V35, V45 or V55 ladies team(s).

.

Oh! I nearly forgot. Derek Donaghy ran a quick leg -- 17:22 (a V50 of course).

[John bringing the victorious V70 side home]

[V60 and V70 Lads pose - the former basking in the glory of the latter]

Sandy Bay Beach Race - enter now!

[The cliffs half-way from Sandy Bay to Orcombe Point]

Sunday, 7th June, will see the first ever running of Our New Beach Race which will replace the former Manor Hotel 10K Road Race, last run in June, 2007. The start and finish will be, thanks to the kind permission of Haven Holidays, at Haven Holidays’ Devon Cliffs Holiday Park (Sandy Bay) Exmouth, on the beach. The run will be to the far end of the beach in Exmouth, below the Beach Hotel, turn and return to Sandy Bay. The approximate distance is 9K (5 ½ miles) and runners may choose their own route, as long as they stay on the beach, and turn at the marshal at the end of Exmouth Beach. All finishers will receive a unique memento, but there will be no prizes or category awards.

Please note that there will be no drinks station, so runners who will need a drink, during or after the race, should bring their own. Or better still, the excellent café just above the beach will be open for food and drink.

Entry costs only £5 (http://www.exmouth-harriers.co.uk/). For further information, contact race director Bob Keast at robert@keast.org .

Ivybridge 10k

"On Saturday evening 9th May 2009 four Harriers donned their club shirts and joined the other 672 finishers of the Ivybridge 10k race.
.
Those members competing were:-
1] Andy Johnson,
2] Bob Woodall,
3] Lee Russell, &
4] Jim Wyatt.

The evening was bright and sunny and the temperature not excessive so ideal racing conditions. The near capacity entrant of 700 runners lined up noisily at the start in the railway car park ready to launch themselves down the incline to exit the car park before turning a sharp left onto the carriageway. Unfortunately many runners selected an incorrect position at the start,inconsistent with their ultimate finishing times. Much pushing and shoving was necessary at the start to get through the throng.

.

Once on the open road space allowed the competitors to settle into their stride. Just two kilometres into the race along a relatively flat straight stretch the course turned left under the railway bridge to ascend a steep climb for about a further 2 kilometres before descending to the much needed and appreciated drinks station. At this location, of the four Harriers entrants, Andy Johnson was well ahead of the quartet with Bob Woodall and Lee Russell jostling for the front place at the second and third positions with Jim Wyatt bringing up the rear. Lee unfortunately lost ground struggling to cope with drinking from the bottle which allowed Bob to stretch out his lead.

.

After the drink station the course once again emerged onto the main road to head back toward the finish. With about one and one half kilometres to go the course turned left onto the country lanes again with a slight decline before the finishing incline to the rugby club.Andy Johnson finished in an impressive 57th position in a time of 40 minutes 34seconds. Andy felt disappointed with his own performance although his finishing time was impressive.

.
The second Harrier home in 152nd position was Bob Woodall in a time of 44minutes and 24 seconds, just 9 seconds slower than last year which could be directly attributed to the poor start.

.

Lee Russell finished the third Harrier in 157th place in a time of 44minutes and 39 seconds just 5 positions behind Bob. A good strong performance by Lee.Jim Wyatt completed the entry for the Harriers in 319th position in a time of 50minutes and 26seconds. Jim still looked as if there were many miles left in his legs as he crossed the finishing line.

.

The first runner home completed the course in a blistering 32minutes and 44seconds with the last competitor finishing in 90minutes and 7seconds."

(BW)