Sidmouth Running Club ( Archive News )

24 Sept. 2008 . . . One of the advantages of running is that there is something for everyone. Last weekend we were all over the place. Musbury Castle was the first stop where Mark Keast led the troops home. At least he would have done if Georgia Hanson and Kate Welsford hadn’t finished the Junior run before him. It was their first taste of a very hilly 2.5 mile multi terrain event and they coped remarkably well with that big hill at the start. The longer race is 7.75 miles over the same route but with a big loop added on that includes more tough climbs and fantastic views, through woodland tracks, open fields and, for added entertainment, a maize jungle. There was even some shoe-grabbing bog to focus the mind on the Grizzly 2009 entry forms! Phil Welsford seems to have been inspired by his daughter’s enthusiasm and he thrived on the course. Shaun Tipton is also getting a lot quicker these days and finished ahead of the more experienced Marriott / Cawthera combination and the ubiquitous Brian Gosling

Malcolm Bayer and Andrew Seddon in preparation for the Beachy Head Marathon next month took advantage of the Indian Summer and enjoyed their Sunday morning on the beautiful North Devon coast - the occasion being the 25th Denes Doone Run at Lynmouth, one of those low-key, yet surprisingly challenging ‘shorter’ multi-terrain events.

A steady start from the Manor Grounds in the hazy midday sun led the runners up the wooded Lyn Valley to Watersmeet and up the hill overlooking a gem of a coastline. By this time Malcolm must have had his racing shoes well and truly strapped to his feet, but narrowly escaped a fall on the steep zig-zag descent to Lynbridge. Andrew meanwhile was taking a more measured approach knowing a few of the ups and down on the course from a previous visit. The climb on to the hill above Lynton, at the 6 mile mark, is perhaps one to be remembered and well-rewarded - the Valley of the Rocks seen in all its grandeur with distant views of Heddon’s Mouth and Woody Bay. A photographer’s delight but no time for that now: a fast swoop down into the Valley, followed by the coast path on the seaward side (definitely not recommended for those who suffer from vertigo), and the descent into Lynmouth to the finish.

For a 10-mile multi-terrain run, this course has it all. Malcolm finished 9th in 1:17, Andrew easing in at 20th just 4 minutes later. So, for club off-roaders looking for a spectacular location and not too much distance, this route is ideal. A shorter course (3.7 miles) is also laid on for the youngsters (15+) and perhaps some of our older or more fragile runners. Definitely an event to mark for September 2009.   

Off in the other direction to the New Forest were Becky and Ian Robson, Neil Rutter and Di Collet who opted for the Half Marathon whilst Jane Hemsworth went to whole hog and completed the full marathon in a personal best time of  4.11.45. It was hot for all of them although there were some nice shady bits and some sections on trails rather than roads which made it more interesting with lots of wild ponies running loose.  This was Ian's first half marathon and he did well in his shiny, new shoes. Perhaps it is churlish to suggest that he might have gone faster and with a greater degree of comfort if he had worn them on a few runs beforehand!

17 Sept. 2008 . . . from Janet . . . What a great turn out we have had the last two Saturday mornings at Core Copse, 20+ children and lots of adult help, which is really appreciated.

We will be meeting at Core Copse most Saturdays and, the first Saturday of each month, in various other locations : Sat 4th Oct - White Cross X-roads, Sidmouth end of East Hill strips & Sat 1st Nov - Salcombe Hill car park, opposite the observatory.

Can I remind parents that once the children are hooked, they need to become members - please download a membership form from the website; I can hand the forms and money to John Perratt ( treasurer ). Sessions are £1 each week. Once a member, juniors can have a Sidmouth Running Club vest absolutely free and get a jacket for £5!

. . . . . . . . . from JP . . . After the Time Trials last Wednesday there were 5 jackets/tops/jerseys left behind in my car. 2 have since been claimed and I will bring the remainder to the Club on Wednesday. The left luggage box in the club is now getting quite full!

Talking of Kit, Penny Maskill who is in charge of the Club Kit will be bringing some along on Wednesday for anyone who wants to buy. On offer are Club Vests at £12, Rain Tops £15 and Reflective Bibs for a Fiver. It is incidentally a club requirement that all runners on Club nights wear reflective bibs when it gets dark, so here is your chance to get one.

Some of you may be interested to note that the Winter 3k and Junior 1 Mile series starts again at Exeter Arena on Wednesday 1st October. Details can be found on Link and you can also enter on line or by phone. You will be asked for your estimated time so please be realistic otherwise you will get in the wrong race and that spoils it a bit for everyone.

A few days later on Friday ( 3rd October ) sees another innovation. Brian Gosling is setting up an informal Winter Daylight Group for those who don't have to be anywhere else on a Friday morning. Full details are on Brian's Blog - Link

A little later on and it is Reindeeer Time again at Otterton. This 10k and 3k Fun Run is very popular amongst our club members. It's great fun for everyone and this year it will be on Saturday 13th December so dig out those Santa Suits and Fairy Costumes and get training for it - Link to entry form

Thank you incidentally for all those who have offered to help Malcolm with the junior Cross Country and he will be contacting you in due course. More helpers are however still required so please get in touch with Malcolm if you can help.

It's all go, inn'it?

. . . . . . previously from JP . . . Muttersmoor T/T . . . Final Composite Results . . Congratulations must go though to the Tipton Family first of all. Sam and Matt were 1st and 2nd in the Short Course series and Dad was 2nd in the Long Course. How about that for a team effort.

John Podmore in the meantime had to do it all by himself but in fact he needed no assistance and came a comfortable winner in the Long Course Series. The Bill Valentine Shield and Hair Temple Shield for the Long and Short Course respectively will be presentyed at the Club's Annual General Meeting and Prizegiving.

The course had a few muddy patches still but with very good running conditions generally the times were all very quick from just about everybody. The winner of the Long Course, Adam Carlson, hails from New Zealand but I think we should sign him up quickly. His time of 20.24 is a new Course Record although the Club Record held by Graham Hill at 20.35 will still stand because Adam at present is not a member. The series went well so thanks to everyone who took part or helped. We will obviously look at repeating it next year although it may be better to revert to our previous format with only 5 races, cutting out August.

. . . . . . . . . & from David Hedges . . . Last Sunday saw Sidbury Fair’s 10th Annual Fun Run and Walk.   For what seemed the first time in many a week the sun shone and allowed the 307 entries (record number) the special treat of seeing the grounds of Sidbury Manor in all their glory.

The ground conditions earlier in the week were very wet and there was a risk of the course having to be held nearly all on hard surfaces.  However thanks to the agreement of Sir John Cave and his home farm manager the run took on a new route this year and was able to go ahead. Sidmouth Running Club as usual was represented by numerous members both juniors and adult, walkers and runners.

The Sidmouth Stars of the day were, however, juniors.  Georgia Hanson was first girl in the under 13 age group on the short course in 8.04.  She was awarded her commemorative plate by Sir Charles Cave.  Ashe De Sousa came third with 8.21.

Tom Norris was first under 13 boy in 7.23 followed by Charlie Norris (7.58) and Matt Tipton (8.04) Jake Hawkins finished in 8.29.  Zak Francis was second boy in the under 17  long course group, a very proficient run.  Other junior entries on the short course were Franki  King Keast (9.38), Cathryn Surtees (11.18), Danni King Keast (11.41), Tessa Mitchell (12.07), Aimee Keast (12.18) and Alex Mitchell (13.07).

Colin Flood led home the adult open club runners in 23.23.  He was soon followed by John Perratt, Shaun Tipton and Bill Valentine.  Some of the others who ran were Damon Fitzgerald, taking time out from being our computer results wizard, Brian Gosling, Sarah Watkins, Karen Greenslade and Sue Dowen to name a few.

A little further away Adrian Organ, Rachel Burrow and Jess Watkins took part in the Bristol Half Marathon. This is the most popular race in the South West. With over 16000 entries and is second only to the Great North Run in the National Half Marathon calendar. Adrian, who much prefers running in long distance road races, finished 541st in a PB time of 1 hour 31 mins whilst Rachel ran an excellent race in 1 hour 53 mins. It was great also to see Jess back in competitive action at a distance in which she is the Ladies Club record holder. She had hoped to break 90 minutes but an injury picked up in the Torbay 10k 2 weeks ago put paid to that and she had to settle for 1.35.01

Next week’s Club night is Wednesday 24th September from the Sailing Club 7pm sharp.  This will be the first ‘winters’ night where the dark will beat us to the end, so don’t forget your yellow vests!


15 Sept. 2008 . . . from Malcolm . . . With fresh memories of the Beijing Olympics, the junior athletes of Sidmouth Running Club made their way to the final South West Athletics League meet of the season at Yeovil last Sunday. There were no dramatic pyrotechnic displays (real or fake), but plenty of fireworks on the track and field. The girls 100m relay team of Alex Salmon, Georgia Hanson, Kelsie Bernard and Jessica Jenkins showed the top sprinters of the world how to get the baton round safely as well creating a new club record for the event in a time of 69.70 Jake Hawkins took on the mantle of Usain Bolt and achieved a personal best in his shiny new spikes of 15.49, finishing 5th in a strong field. Auguste Oldham and Grey Grierson tried and enjoyed the 800ms, a tough event in the blustery conditions, with Grey finishing in 2.54 and Auguste in 3.21 Kit Grierson had a splendid run in the 80m hurdles and recorded a personal best of 17.8

Sophie Davey, one of our talented endurance runners tried her hand at the shorter stuff , recording decent times in the 300m, 52.69 and 100m, 15.4 Four of the other girls in the club took part in the 100m sprint races; Tanya Marriot 14.88, Jade Hawkins 14.7, Phoebe Davey 15.57, and Stef Hemsworth 16.11.

Titch put a lot of effort into the 400m and recorded a good time of 77.13 In the long jump, Myshka Hall (2.63m) and Ashe DeSousa (2.95m) battled it out and both recorded creditable jumps.

At the end of the 4 match series, Sidmouth finished sixth out of nine clubs, which was brilliant considering it was the first time the junior runners at the club had competed in this league. It was to their credit that they put a lot into their performances, but never forgot to have a laugh and enjoy the competition.




3 Sept. 2008 . . . from JK . . . Runners and their families enjoyed a one of the few fine days this summer at the Lustleigh Show which hosts a tough but picturesque multi-terrain 10k race.  Sidmouth made up almost 25% of the 85 strong field, with some using it as a warm-up for the children and family sports later in the day.  Chris Robinson (57th) paced himself well in the 10k race, keeping his best for the sack race, and he was unlucky to be taken on the line in photo-finish to be given 2nd place.  Chris’s wife Yvonne had a storming 10k race finishing strong in 46th position and was the first Sidmouth lady to finish.

At the front end of the field Justin Ashby (8th) and Tim Mitchell (9th) enjoyed a close race with Justin finishing just 3 seconds ahead of Tim.  A little further behind, brothers Mark (24th) and John (23rd) Keast were locked into battle, with John just managing to gain the advantage in the last kilometre.  Their wives took a non-competitive approach, enjoying their return to running on such a scenic course, Julia and Cathy crossed the line together in 76th position.   Not far behind them was Sarah Pearman and Ruth Chesters who also did well on the demanding course.

Altogether there were five husband and wife teams running the race, in addition to those mentioned above Ian (31st) and Becky (53rd) Robson ran.  Ian had cycled the Mallet Bash the previous day which he finished in second position, he was rather anxious that he would be too tired to finish ahead of Becky, he certainly didn’t look as good as Becky at the finish!  John (48th) and Ruth Chesters were also running the race.

It would appear that Shaun Tipton (51st) and John Podmore (54th)  had a close race, both are in contention for winning the Sidmouth’s handicap series, John lost some time in this race with a nasty fall and did well to get up and finish the race – there is nothing in it between these two and it should lead to an exciting finale in the Club’s final handicap race in a couple of weeks.

Also running in this race was Colin Flood (41st), Andy Sturmey (43rd), Brian Gosling (58th), Bev Tarry (67th), Kerry Gibbons (69th) and Stephen Hunt (70th)


31 August 2008 . . . from MB . . . Just a reminder that the final South West Athletics League meeting takes place at Yeovil on the 7th September 2008.

Should be a good end to the track season - dont miss it, just turn up with your kit, food and water and a fiver for the coach. We pick up at Canaan Long Stay car park, Ottery St Mary at 9am and then Manor Road car park at 9:30am.

Also those of you who have enrolled for the LTAD training which starts on the 10th September 2008, that parents / guardians should pick up at 8:30pm as it's a slightly longer session.

25 August 2008 . . . from JP . . . David Gurney celebrates his 60th Birthday very shortly and to commerate the occasion he has purchased a Firkin of Beer which he will bring along to the Summer Social next Sunday. All are welcome to help him drink it!

Thanks, David, we appreciate that and wish you all the very best on the big day.

The festivities start as we all gather at the Salcombe Regis Scout Field at 11.30 and then set off for the Hash at 12 noon. It is very much a family activity and involves a course of approximately 3 miles - with hashes though you never can tell. After that we have the Barbecue and games. Kids are free and adults a Fiver but for that Chris Long is bringing along the meat. Naomi has not exactly been overwhelmed in her efforts to co-ordinate the rest of the food and no one will be turned away on the day but it would help tremendously if you could contact her beforehand so that we can have some semblance of order.



DH's Hash Image

23 August 2008 . . . from BG . . . Haldon Forest Park was the setting for Friday's Forest Flyer race organised by the Dawlish Coasters. Haldon Forest is an interesting place with its abundant wildlife and spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. The area is full of history. For example Vivien Leigh, the world famous film star, married into the Holman family who lived nearby.

This year the runners faced a new course and the designer was kinder to the competitors. It was less than five miles and no longer included the long hill climb at the finish. Although it was a chilly evening it was dry and the course was surprisingly free from mud. The only spectators were a herd of cows in the wood. Before the race it was rumoured that a bull was present but this was only a ploy by the organisers to make the runners go faster!

Three Sidmouth Club Runners; Shaun Tipton, John Chesters and Brian Gosling, turned out and each had a good run. Shaun was the first Sidmouth runner home ( 36 Minutes? ) and would have done even bettter if he could have repeated his renowned sprint finish. However he was boxed in by the narrow track at the end of the race. A couple of minutes later the formidable John Chesters arrived closely followed by Brian Gosling who had tracked him for most of the race but couldn't catch him. For their efforts the finishers received a medal with a colourful neck ribbon.The race was well marshalled and followed a clearly marked route through the Forest. ( Official times not available at time of writing )

21 August 2008 . . . Muttersmoor T/T . . . from JP . . . For the overall points standings I have taken out scores for those who have not completed at least 3 races ( and those 3 must all be in the same category i.e 3 short or 3 long ). The reason for that is that it becomes more manageable and it is also not possible to qualify for either of the Trophies unless you have done at least 4, bearing in mind that there is only one left in the series.

It was a bit soggy on the course last night so that slowed up some of the runners - especially those that ran round the puddles instead of through them. Welcome back though to Nick Keast who is coming back from injury, consequently got given a soft handicap and romped home an easy winner. In the overall standings John Podmore has leapt into the lead. His consistent improvement has resultd in second place in each of the last 3 races. That will take some beating.

Sean Tipton has slipped quietly into 2nd place whilst Graham Hill goes into 3rd on the back of a great run - 21 minutes dead for a season's best in some very difficult running conditions. He is followed by Tim Mitchell and then unrelated Paul who slipped back inhto 5th, just ahead of David Palmer and Kerry Gibbons.

There are not so many in the Short Course but it is a much closer competition. Sam Tipton has gone into the lead but right behind him is Hannah Jenkins with Nathan Carpenter, Luke Rutter and last year's winner, Georgia Hanson, not far behind.

Incidentally, someone left in my car a Red Rugby type shirt which now adorns my garage. Give me a ring if you would like it back, always assuming of course it was yours in the first place.

19 August 2008 . . . from JP . . . Two of keenest runners ( why are they both ladies? ) took themselves off to the mid Wales Coast last Saturday and whilst the rest of us were sat down watching the Olympics they were racing against a train on the Talyllyn Railway. The race starting in Tywyn has become a bit of an institution and the four races on the same day attract a very large field. The main race is run over 14 miles and the runners set off at the same time as the steam train on its way inland and up the hill to Abergynalwyn or some such other unpronounceable place.

The run route follows the railway line quite closely and spectators can travel on the train to encourage their running friends. There are several stations on the journey where the train stops for some time so that there can be quite a lot of leap frogging between the train and runners which adds to the excitement. The train took 1hr 48 minutes for the return trip and only 201 of the 822 strong field managed to beat it. Rachel Burrow and Bev Tarry didn’t make it although Bev got some satisfaction by not seeing the train at the final station - it had already left for its next trip - but she beat it on its second lap.

The other races are shorter ones ranging from 3.5 miles up to 10ks and for those the runners get on the train. Get off at various stops and then race the train back. All very complicated but a lot of fun for everyone. Prize giving and a variety of entertainments in the evening complete a very full day. A lot of clubs make a weekend of it usually camping out and, now that we have learnt to take our tent poles with us, we should perhaps think about it next year.

As training for it you can start with the Lustleigh 10k this coming Bank Holiday Monday. As part of the Lustleigh Show it’s always popular and is a great day out for the whole family.

One very important event coming up is the Family Hash and BBQ on Sunday 31 August. These events are always very popular but they are a nightmare to organise. Catering is the main problem because everyone in Sidmouth is so laid back (or stressed out) that they don't give it any thought until the day itself. Think then of poor Naomi who on the day will be faced with a task of biblical proportions armed only with a few fishes. Please therefore get in touch with her and let her know if you are coming along. Full details are on our website.

Milan Goc our recent acquisition from the Czech Republic is moving on again - but only as far as Honiton. As a parting gift he has given us a bottle of what we thought was Czech wine but it appears to be 40% alcohol by volume. It is, he says, some sort of Plum flavoured drink - only to be served neat, in very small glasses! We could give that as a prize at the Hash perhaps - but only if you have spoken to Naomi about the food. Give her a ring now on 577 860!

The Juniors are having a break at the moment on Wednesdays but of course they are still welcome at the Time Trials on Wednesday.

Before I tell you what is happening this coming week I forgot to mention last time that a waterproof Jacket was left at the Prizegiving for the Festival Run. I will bring it along to the Time Trials on Wednesday and you can claim it then.

Monday 1 September sees the 2nd of this year's Woodland Relays, organised by Honiton Running Club and full details are given below.

This Wednesday 20 August it's Mutters Moor for the 5th Time trial of the series starting at 6.45.
There should be dramatic changes in the Overall Standings after this one because only 4 scores count and some people are dropping some big scores.

Next Wednesday 27 August it's back to the Sailing Club; and then Wednesday 3 September we will be meeting at the Kings Arms Otterton. You can go for the beer if you like but you have to run first.

Sunday 7 September is the last leg of the S West Athletics League at Yeovil. We will once again be having a coach to take us there and we would like to see a good turnout. It's primarily for the Juniors who can travel free on the coach but adults can also compete, score points and, if there is room, travel on the coach for a fiver. We are currently in 6th place place but are well positioned to move up into 5th if we turn up in strength. Realistically that is as good as we could have hoped for at the start of the season. There are 9 teams in the league and like the Premiership the top four are too strong for everyone else. They are Armada (drawing on members of 3 Plymouth Clubs), Dorchester, Team Bath and North Devon. We are just behind Wimborne and comfortably leading Poole, South Devon and Weymouth. That's pretty good for a first attempt but next season might be even more interesting. Exeter Harriers are in Division One at the moment but are in danger of being relegated. I am sure we would all love to show the Exeter Hotshots what a Club like Sidmouth can do! Let's start off by moving up a place at Yeovil in a couple of weeks time.

Just in case you haven't gone to sleep here are more details for the Woodland Relays on 1 September. Teams of four are needed and as many as we can get. There are Prizes for Ist Mens Ladies and Junior Teams so let's see if we can get a big turnout. Organise teams amongst yourselves if you like but most of them are made up from whowever turns up on the day. The venue will be Payhembury Hill Fort. To get there from Honiton take the A373 to Cullompton. When you get just over the top of the hill after Awliscombe there is a lane going up further on the right which you take. There is a car park on the left at the very top of the hill but if it is full you can park on the left side of the lane just past the car park. Coming from Exeter there is a cut through off the A30 at Feniton-> Colestocks and then take a lane up the hill. We MUST start by 6:45 so PLEASE be there at 6:30 to register. Don't forget we need Men's, Ladies and Kids teams. The latter are under 16 year old on the day of the race. After the race good beer can be found at the Six Bells in Payhembury at the bottom of the hill.

. . . and from MB . . . The final South west Athletics League fixture of the summer takes place at Yeovil Track on the 7th September 2008. We are currently in 6th position, but no doubt you have been inspired by the Olympics to ensure that we finish 5th with a good turn out.

The coach will pick up at Canaan Long Stay Car park, Ottery St Mary at 9am and Manor Road car Park, Sidmouth at 9.30am. parents are welcome to come along at £5 for the coach. It may well be hot ( ha ha!) so bring sufficient water for the day, as well as food and warm clothes and waterproofs, just in case. Those of you who have participated already, have done really well, so turn up on the 7th and lets show them what Sidmouth are made of!

Parents / guardians should have had LTAD letters by now, if you havnt had one, give me a bell on 01404 812186 or 07751 522980. LTAD Juniors sessions start on the 10th September 2008 at the Sailing Club. Participation is by subscription only, so dont miss out, subscribe now.

12 August 2008 . . . from JP . . . Despite the awful weather last Saturday 235 runners turned up the next day for the Michelmores’ sponsored 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.

A large contingent from Overton Harriers arrived in an effort to retain their Men’s team Trophy but they were thwarted by a determined host Club who pulled out all the stops to send them back to Hampshire empty handed. Graham Hill led the team home finishing in 4th place overall and picking up once again the Shield for the first Local Male. He was well supported by Goc Milan, Malcolm Bayer and David Palmer. Milan has coped well with the hills since moving here but got carried away, quite literally, in a sprint down the hill to the finish, ending up in a sprawled heap a few metres short of the line. At least he only had to pick himself up and walk a few steps to take11th place whereas Malcolm slipped into a ditch at less than halfway. He did well to recover and pick up the first Male 50 award and 17th place. David completed the 4 man team and managed to stay on his feet all the way round.

Another casualty was Rob Cann who also came a cropper. Probably unwisely, in view of his walking holiday to Austria this coming week, he carried on, had the ignominy of being overtaken by his wife and finishing outside the hour. He has this week to reflect on his decision and admire his swollen ankle.  Paul Mitchell must be getting in some training on the quiet. We have noticed his consistent improvement in our monthly Time Trials and our suspicions were confirmed with his time on Sunday. Debbie Marriott repeated her victory of a few years back by going home with the Local Lady Shield but the prizes for the ‘Engraver’ Cups for ‘King’ and ‘Queen of the Peak’ together with their winning custom Tee shirts went out of the Valley. In particular the Michelmores Cup for the first Ladies team went to Honiton.




Richard Hedger hands over a substantial cheque to FORCE

There was no award for originality but George Chalstrey added a new dimension to the race by running it twice. Once by himself as a warm up in the early hours and then lining up with the rest of them at the start proper shortly after finishing his first lap.

Chris Long, the Club Chairman, has over the last four or five years donated crystal ware in recognition of outstanding performances by a club member. This year the recipient was Sue Cunningham, a fairly new member but not, by her own admission, in the first flush of youth. As such she typifies the spirit of the club and there must be many out there who could reap the same pleasure as she does simply by coming along to the Club and finding out what it’s all about.

An innovation this year was the introduction of a Fun Run for the kids consisting of a dash from the start of the 10k race at the foot of the Cliff Fields up to the top. The Hair Temple donated floating trophies for the ‘Prince’ and ‘Princess of the Peak’ and sweets for all the other entrants. The trophies are not awarded to the first boy and girl because of age differences but on effort. The event was great fun and nicely filled in that wait between the start of the 10k and their return. We will keep it as a regular feature of the race and although the trophies also left town we have done our bit for local tourism by ensuring that they return again next year – as we suspect will most of the other runners.

The race would not of course be possible without the assistance of a large army of helpers and we are very grateful to all of them.

Festival 10k . . . Results . . . Report / Images . . . and from the 'Herald' . . . Link

4 August 2008 . . . from BG . . . The Cornwood Challenge 10k is an evening race that I would highly recommend but it does have the slight drawback of being held on the first weekend of the school holidays when the roads are busy. The event is held to raise money for the parish church of St Michael and All Angels, Cornwood which is a large parish stretching on to Dartmoor. The race takes in the villages of Cornwood and Lutton and as to be expected the surrounding scenery is stunning but hilly. It is mainly on country roads but there is a very nice section on a footpath under a famous viaduct and later the race winds around the beautiful Delamore Estate. It passes a very interesting feature which at first looks like a prehistoric burial monument but the structure was built by the owner only a few years ago!

For the last couple of years Brian Gosling has been the sole representative from Sidmouth so next time he would like some company! He had an interesting battle with a 70+ year old runner ( we passed each other several times ) but he managed to come within the hour! It is a challenging race but very enjoyable The locals are very supportive and there are some nice refreshments-even a barbecue at the finish.

19 July 2008 . . . from BG . . . Chudleigh Carnival 6 which took place on Friday evening 18th July is a superbly organised event which deserves to be well supported by Devon runners.

Eleanor and Wilf Taylor of the Teignbridge Trotters are the main organisers but they are very well backed up by the Chudleigh community. The race is sponsored by that well -known Public House, the Bishop Lacy, which is situated in the High Street where the race starts and finishes and which did excellent business throughout the evening! On race evening the whole of the main street is closed off to traffic and crowds line the pavements to support the runners. This is no fun run ! The Teignbridge Trotters turn out in force and fierce competition ensues.

Sidmouth Running Club was represented by three regulars; Rachel Burrows, Bev Tarry and Brian Gosling. Rachel had a dream run and showed that her new dedicated training regime is paying off. Perhaps she will share her secret with her colleagues !! She was home in just over 48 minutes. Brian soon lost sight of her and came home five minutes later - excuses about an old injury are beginning to wear thin! He was closely followed by Bev who was taking part as a practice run for a race on Sunday at Haytor - where does she get her energy from? The finish to this race is always very encouraging. The runners come into the finishing straight in Chudleigh High Street with the cheers of the large crowd ringing in their ears. It is good to have such enthusiastic support from the spectators, the marshalls and the police! - and the lovely atmosphere this engenders is something well worth experiencing.

16 July 2008 . . . from JP . . . Some good running this evening on the Moor. Sarah Pearman won the Short Course so comfortably that she was 'press ganged' into helping out on the funnel as the others came in. Thanks, Sarah and, by the way, Well Run!

Luke Rutter and Steven Moss started together and had a cracking race for second place with Luke just edging it by 2 seconds in a new Short Course record of 12.47. That is moving some.

The leader board on the season to date for the short course looks very much like an inter family competition with lots of Tiptons and Marriotts up there but there is another family gate-crashing the party. In first place at the moment is Andrea Carpenter and Nathan is in 3rd.

On the longer course we had 3 dead heats and 38 of the 43 participants finished within 2min 7 secs of each other. John Keast though is back in business and after a hastily negotiated handicap he turned up the heat to come home an easy winner. Paul Mitchell retains his lead in the overall standings but Graham Hill is breathing down his neck with the Tipton pater familias in third. John Podmore and Tim Mitchell ( no relation to Paul ) are a few points further back.

14 July 2008 . . . from JP . . . Tipton results . . Link . . Sidmouth  had a good day out at the Otter Valley River and Rail Run with a 1-2-3 finish. Graham Hill repeated his win of the previous year, Milan Goc came second whilst Malcolm Bayer completed the white wash of the opposition. Not content with that Nicole Madeley was the 2nd lady home and Emma Craigie took the prize for the first Local Runner.

The Fun Run had no recorded times but provided a challenging 2.5 mile route for young and old alike. In the fun run the results we have are : Boys : 1st no 55...Ashley Baker . 2nd no 56...Sam Baker . 3rd no 74...Kit Grierson . Girls : 1st no 89...Daisy Caldwell . 2nd no 88..Ashe De Sousa . 3rd no 60...Tasha Browning .

9 July 2008 . . . from MB . . . The junior members of Sidmouth Running Club made their way to the 3rd South West Athletics League meet of the season, taking place at Braunton in North Devon last Sunday.

Strong winds and rain battered the coach as we made our way north, but glad in the knowledge that we had our stout club tent to protect us from the elements once we arrived at the track. Unfortunately, the person ( who shall remain nameless for now! ) forgot to bring the tent poles! Instead athletes, parents, coaches and officials made for the rather small stand to keep out of the wind.

However, the weather failed to detract from the quality of performance, and none more so than Stephen Moss, who was competing in the green vest for the first time, who had a cracking 1500ms, and finished 3rd in 5.25. Zak Francis’ time of 6.52 was helped by wearing running shoes, which he chose to do without on the 200ms in Zola Budd fashion. Jade Hawkins was wearing bright new shiny Spikes and these did her no harm in a fine performance in the 200ms in 29.40. Jade’s brother, Jake also ran strongly in the 200ms, recording a time of 32.60.

The Under 13 boys were competing in the javelin and Grey Grierson had a tremendous throw of 20.82m and finished 2nd. Auguste Oldham threw 13.09m. In the long jump, Alex Salmon achieved a PB with a leap of 3.14m. Coach, Jane Hemsworth also tried out the long jump and hadn’t competed in this event since her school days, but still managed a creditable 2.74m to finish in 3rd place.

The clubs’ 4x100m relay teams all managed to get their batons round safely, and score points for the team. The under 13 girls : Myshka Hall, Kelsey Bernard, Emily Maskill and Alex Salmon competed well in a strong field. The boys : Grey Grierson, Auguste Oldham, Nick Smith and Jake Hawkins also performed well and finished 1st in their age group. The more senior runners in the club : Flood, Hemsworth A, Perrratt and Bayer were up against some serious younger sprinters, and not surprisingly finished when their competitors were having a cup of tea and a bun!  

But another great day out with some fine performance once again from our junior athletes. The next meet is at Yeovil on the 7th September 2008.

Thanks are due to Di Puzey, Colin Flood and John Tent-Pole Perratt for officiating at the event, though Di was told off by one of the senior officials for blowing her horn during the discus too loudly!

The day before had also been very wet and windy. Not ideal conditions for tackling the Charmouth Challenge which covers 8 very exposed miles up and down Golden Cap, the highest point on the South Coast. The challenge therefore was only taken up by the most rugged of our runners with Ben Chesters finishing just on the hour to take 18th place out of the 242 starters. His Dad, John, also likes these sort of conditions and likewise galloped around in 1.24.59 whilst sandwiched between them Andrew Seddon and George Chalstrey finished only 40 seconds apart but in 73rd and 80th position respectively.

Bev Tarry not content with running the Malvern Marathon the week before set off for the Launceston Half Marathon and came back with the Medal for First lady in her age group. This race has been called the Beast of Kernow and with the weather conditions on Sunday it lived up to its reputation once again.

Next Wednesday ( 16th July ) it is Time Trials again starting at 6:45 from Muttersmoor Car Park. For details of Monday’s run please phone Chris Long on 01395 597 314.

2 July 2008 . . . from DH . . . Took the 'featured above S Nap' shot at SRC's Weston run last night. The three runs all had a look at the Napoli and either made Weston or Branscombe beaches. The 2+ and 4 mile group that I was taking also took a Jelly Baby 'Regroup' ( in good Hashing form ) on Dunscombe Cliff.

1 July 2008 . . . from JP . . . Next Monday's ( 7th ) venture to the unknown will leave from the Sidbury Village Hall Car Park at 6:45. These sessions are proving popular for runners of all abilities and we regularly see numbers in excess of 20. During summer we like to take advantage of the available daylight and the excellent routes that surround the Valley so please check the website or phone Chris Long ( 01395 597 314 ) for where to go.

Regrettably there are still some outstanding subs for the year and we are about to send out the heavies. We are now at the end of the first quarter and so they are long overdue. If you don't intend to renew then please let me know and I can take you off the list - and possibly save your kneecaps.

The Exeter Festival 4 is a new race sponsored by the Ironbridge Runner in aid of the Prostate Cancer Charity and the inaugural race last Thursday saw 130 runners set off from the Quay around a course that was actually 4.3 miles. It follows the River Exe to the Swing Bridge and comes back along the canal towpath finishing on the Piazza. It can get quite breezy on the flood plain and this was certainly the case on the return leg into the wind. On the way out though the problem was a little more unusual with a herd of cows seemingly anxious to join in the race.

Of the five Sidmouth runners who took part Chris Woodcock led the way finishing 27th in 29.16, beating several good Exmouth vets in the process. Colin Flood staked an early claim for the ‘Mug of the Year’ Trophy by entering the race twice. It was for a good cause though and such was his enthusiasm he romped home in 31.17, a few seconds and two places ahead of a tired Bill Valentine. Damon Fitzgerald and Shaun Tipton completed our contingent in 34.12 (58th) and 35.01 (61st) respectively, both well up in the field.

This weekend sees us off to Braunton for the 3rd Leg of the S West Athletics League and on the following Saturday morning we will be at the Otter Valley Rail and River Run with a 2.5 mile fun run on offer as well as the 10k, starting at 10:30 from the Playing Fields at Tipton St. John. 

23 June 2008 . . . from JK . . . Last Saturday 40 runners, made up mostly of families, took part in a race with a difference. The competitors were given the choice of either a 2 mile or a 4 mile off road route and they ha to predict how long the run would take, with the winner being the runner closest to their predicted time. Devices with clocks on were banned , retired Geography teacher John Chesters claimed he would be OK and could get an accurate time from the sun, he hadn't allowed for mid-summer's day being so misty.

Many of the youngsters opted for the shorter 2 mile course and Kit Grierson was not only first back, but also was the closest to his predicted time with a discrepancy of just 8 seconds. Toby Garrick was second with a discrepancy of just 11 seconds, he used a different plan to Kit but equally effective to run at a more relaxed pace. Tania Marriot and Ellie Ross won the booby prize for being way out with their predicted time - over 30 minutes, but they did do much of the race bare footed so they kept their shoes clean.

In the 4 mile race the adults were less accurate with their predictions and times mau have been slower than predicted due to the undulating nature of the course and the fact that some of the paths were overgrown. This race was not without controversy, after the cheering for Debbie Marriott who returned within 8 seconds of her predicted time, she admitted that having transcended the pain of running up Bucton Hill, in a trance like state went into auto-pilot and started following the 4-trigs route, taking off about 10 minutes of the proper course. There was a further confession from Phil Welsford who later admitted to following Debbie, but he thought that Debbie knew where she was going. Karen Cann won the prize for being closest to her predicted time with a discrepancy of 1min 48sec, just one second more accurate than Mark Keast. . . Results

20 June 2008 . . . from Janet . . . The Tipton 2.5 mile fun run takes place on the 12th, so we will be meeting there - 10:30am start ( grab a form next time you see me ). Back to Core Copse for the 19th and the 26th July. See you soon, Happy Running!

17 June 2008 . . . from Brian Gosling . . . Sunday 15th June saw Brian Gosling taking part in the 3rd Martock 10k organised by the local Martock Primary School and Langport Running club. Martock being situated on the Somerset levels the race course was going to be both flat and fast; ideal for setting a PB and also for for the first time entrant.

After a fast start Brian soon found himself in trouble with niggles from an old achilles heel injury. He was forced to revise his objective during the race and although all hopes of a PB had gone he battled on to finish in 79th position coming 1st in his Veteran 60+ age category. There were 122 finishers.

The welcome prize for all finishers was a bottle of cider or apple-juice, however a £50 prize for a runner completing the course in less than thirty minutes still remains unclaimed!

11 June 2008 . . . from JK . . . Talaton Results / AVR site . . . Link . . . Last Saturday runners were treated to perfect running conditions at the local Talaton Trotter race, an undulating mostly off road course.  This is an increasingly popular race organised by Robin Carter with support from fellow villagers and land owners who generously allow access to private land.

Runners were treated to a refreshing shower of rain just after the start much to the relief of Graham Hill who had been working hard to hang onto the heels of the experienced Axe Valley Runner Garry Perratt.  Garry was first home from a field of 112 runners and a minute ahead of Graham who did well to finish 2nd, as his only training for the past few months has been chasing sheep and lambs around his farm.  First lady home and a local runner who runs for Devon Fire and Rescue was Janet Wilson who was an impressive 13th overall.  John Perratt (17th) had a storming run, normally finding muddy undulating courses don’t suit his short little legs, but has discovered a diet of three wheetabix for breakfast prevents his feet from sticking in the mud.

Ian Robson (36th) who is fiercely competitive and  with known pedigree in the cycling fraternity, is showing week on week improvement with his running, however he paid the price for starting too fast and for trying to match the pace of Mark Keast (25th) and George Chalstrey (27th).  To rub salt into Ian’s wounds, George ran a relaxed race leaving himself plenty of energy for the Killerton Kanter later in the day – he finished that race an impressive 51st.  Nigel DeSousa (44th), Bill Valentine (47th) and Colin Flood (50th) also enjoyed a relaxing run, sheltering from the rain and enjoying the sun when it shone.

Nicole Madely (53rd) had a great run and was the first Sidmouth Running Club lady home.  Just five minutes behind her was Becky Robson (74th) who is reaping the benefit of more speed work now that she is not focusing on marathon running.  Emma Craigie was just one place behind her whilst Rachel Burrow picked up the 84th spot. Also improving with age, is the forever young Brian Gosling (78th) who also seems to be getting faster and faster.

Shaun Tipton (92nd), Diane Collett (100=),  Miranda Hansford (100=) and Ruth Chesters (105th) all finished looking very strong and looked as though they could have gone around again for another 7 mile lap and looked as though they had very much enjoyed the whole experience. It is a great course, demanding without being too hard or too long ( just over 7 miles ) set in some beautiful countryside.  Runners were treated to energy replenishment at the finish in the form of cake kindly provided by Millstone Bakery of Ottery St. Mary.  

Bev Tarry, like George Chalstrey, did the ‘double’, she ran as the back marker in the Talaton race and finished 119th at Killerton.  Jenny Reay, who wisely just stuck to the single race had a good result at Killerton finishing 44th.

Jane Hemsworth and Andy  Shearer opted instead for the 32 mile Dartmoor Discovery. This is a very hilly run where even the elite runners walk up the hills, and the downhills play havoc with your quads, but some say that the fantastic scenery makes it all worthwhile.  As usual on the Moor the weather was ever changing. There was scorching sunshine to start followed by rain, hail and thunder, finishing with sunshine again. Not sure how Andy coped as the results are not out yet but Jane decided to run at a conservative pace, the object being to finish the race and in that way she managed to overtake a few seasoned runners at about the 25 mile mark - the trusted hare and tortoise technique. The race is not so much a marathon with a 10k tacked on the end but more like a marathon and a half. She finished in 6hr 12mins.  Not bad considering all the chocolate stops en route, dished out by kind friends and family.

. . . . . . . . & from JP . . . Wednesday ( 18th June ) sees the 3rd of our Handicap runs Meeting at the Muttersmoor Car Park at 6:45 p.m. and don't forget the 'Guess the Time Race' on Saturday 21 June. 2:30 at the Blue Ball Car Park. Full details below.

There are also 2 charity events that might be of interest. On Thursday 26th June Pete Ferlie is organising a race from the Quay in Exter in aid of the Prostate Cancer Charity. It starts at 7.30 p.m. and will be run over 4.33 miles basically being one lap of the Last Chance Course. It's only £6 ( plus £2 for entry on the day ). Details and entry forms on www.ironbridgerunner.co.uk .

Further down the line is the Commando Challenge on 12th October. Dave Hedges is organising a team again this year and although some way off team places must be booked before the end of this month. It is quite expensive and very muddy but enjoyed by all who take part. Dave has given a full report on the event together with a before and after photo which can be viewed on our website under 'Bibs and Bobs'. It's worth looking at just for the photos.

2 June 2008 . . . from JK . . . ‘Guess the time race’  June 21st . . . What’s it all about? . . . This event is meant to be a bit of fun and is family friendly.  There will be two routes -  a 4 mile route and a 2 mile route (approx for both courses).  Prior to the start each competitor guesses how long they think it will take them to run their selected route – the winner is the person whose actual recorded time is closest to their ‘guessed’ time – watches and mobile phones are not allowed to be worn/taken during the race.  You can go as fast or as slow as you wish – there will be a time limit of 90 minutes.  The last time we did this some people chose to walk the course, others to run.  The actual course is TOP SECRET ( until the day of the event ) – so no one can train on the course and help improve their guess!

The two courses will be clearly marked with flour and will be mostly on footpaths with a short bit of the route on a quiet lane.

This is an open event which is a bit of fun – invite some friends to come along.  There will be some highly extravagant prizes for the winners.  Fancy dress is encouraged and there will be more extravagant prizes for the winners of the fancy dress – the judges decision will be final ( but they may be open to bribery! ).

Where and When? . . . Meet at 2:30pm on 21st June in the Blue Ball car park, Sidford.  The race will start at 3:00pm, please allow some time for registration and give some thought to the time you think it will take (minutes and seconds).

Afterwards? . . . After the run it is intended that we continue the social gathering at the Blue Ball where we can share our stories of the race, replace lost fluids and consume colossal calories.

. . . . . . & from JP . . . There was a flash flood in Crewkerne last week but a quick telephone call confirmed that the Crewkerne 9 Mile Road Race was still on so off we set with instructions from the wife ‘to make sure that we parked the car on high ground.’

There was in fact some debris scattered around and one section of the route was ankle deep in water for about 100 yards but by and large there were no problems apart from the hills. Courses are commonly described as undulating but this was one of the few that is accurately described as such. There were no flat stretches at all. You were either going up or going down. Going up was hard but going down was no better because it meant that you were shortly to meet a compensating up section.

A field of just on 160 were started off by the local Town Crier and, with good representation from Honiton Running Club and Axe Valley Runners, it was a little disappointing that there were only 3 of us from Sidmouth. Bill Valentine just has to be pointed in the right direction and he is there, whilst Brian Gosling treated it like a biathlon by trotting over to the local swimming pool as soon as he had finished just to get in 50 lengths before returning home. For me it was my first time for this race. I enjoyed the scenery, the company and the atmosphere and like most of the other runners I intend to be back again next year. It is that sort of race.  

The weekend before, we had runners all over the place. Adrian Organ was up in Edinburgh for his 2nd Marathon of the year, Bev Tarry in Windermere for her umpteenth, Rachel Burrow and Neil Rutter in Plymouth for the half marathon and Chris Woodcock taking part in the Vets 10 000m on the track in Oxford. This weekend the action is closer to home and sees the Talaton Trotter at midday Saturday with the Killerton Canter in the early evening. Take your pick or take the lead from George Chalstry and do both of them.