Press Report week ending 28th November 2021

AVRs impress in Bicton sunshine

 

Axe Valley Runners were out in force at the Bicton Blister and Bicton Lite on Sunday which took place in bitterly cold but sunny and calm conditions around the glorious pebbled heaths of Bicton and Woodbury common.  Following Storm Arwen runners had to negotiate a fallen telegraph pole and a couple of  trees across the route but it was largely dry underfoot.  The event, organised brilliantly by Exmouth Harriers, had fallen to the pandemic last year so it was great to be back. This year the male and female winners received a huge box of locally grown vegetables and all finishers received a snood.

 

First female AVR and ninth woman to finish the 10m Blister was Eleanor Wood, also first F60, in a very impressive 1:26.32.  First AVR home  was Duncan Staddon in fifth place and second M40 in 1:06.14.    There was an AVR battle for the top M50 spot with Patrick Devine-Wright in 1:11.12 just pipping Rob Collier who was 22nd overall in 1:11.39. Graham Newton took the M70 crown finishing 96th in 1:27.01 while Karen Eyre was first F50 and 14th woman in 1:27.56.

 

In the Bicton Lite, a 5m run starting and finishing on the same route as the Blister, a special mention must go to Paula Cooke and Sarah Whelan running their first ever race and comfortably breaking the hour finishing in 54:07 and 54:39 respectively.  Cliff Marriott was first AVR home in tenth place and second M55 in 42:35. Storming back after a few weeks of recuperation and first M70 was Ron Seward, 15th in 43:35.

 

Full results:

 

Blister 10m

 

Duncan Staddon  5th 1:06.14 (2nd M40)

Terry Emmett  8th 1:07.28

Richard Hardy 10th 1:08.01

Tim Lenton 11th 1:08.11  (2nd M45)

Joel Seward 14th 1:09.03

Ben Stone  15th 1:09.25

Lee Moran 17th 1:10.09

Patrick Devine-Wright  19th 1:11.12  (1st M50)

Rik Tumber 22nd 1:11.38

Rob Collier  21st 1:11.39 (2nd M50)

Matt Hewer 31st 1:14.12

Rupert Pady 34th 1:15.31

Chris Polley 75th 1:24.36

Haydn Boehm 79th 1:24.51

Eleanor Wood 89th 1:26.32 (1st F60)

Graham Newton 96th 1:27.01 (1st M70)

James Ashforth 100th 1:27.34

Jason Potter 101st 1:27.45

Karen Eyre 103rd 1:27.56 (1st F50)

Wayne Tooze 112th 1:28.32

Kerry Board 122nd 1:30.01 (3rd F45)

Andy West 126th 1:30.20

Martin Sawer 164th 1:33.43

Lee Stubbs 166th 1:34.11

James Hawker 190th 1:37.01

Jeremy Slade 208th 1:38.40

Kevin Feeney 250th 1:44.03

Jeremy Norcombe 260th 1:44.35

Heather Simmons 263rd 1:46.08

Suzi Blackett 267th 1:46.33

Katharine Moran 270th 1:47.47

Mark Day 284th 1:49.54

Gill Day 313th  1:54.26

Vicki Wraight 329th 1:57.22

Angela Kerr 330th 1:57.22 (2nd F65)

Geoff Rugg 332nd 1:57.18

Charlotte Horlock 333rd 1:57.50

Dave Mutter 335th 1:58.43

Helen Holmes 337th 1:58.50

Julia Mallon 336th 1:58.51

Amie Sibley 347th 2:00.39

Tim Sibley 348th 2:00.39

Janette Mack 349th 2:00.43

Shaun Vinnicombe 366th 2:00.42

Martin Kerr 377th 2:11.41

Diane Newton 382nd 2:17.27

 

 

 

Bicton Lite – 5m

 

Cliff Marriott 10th 42:35  (2nd M55)

Ron Seward 15th 43:35  (1st M70)

Louise Rawlins 37th 49:38 (2nd F45)

Paula Cooke 49th 54:07

Sarah Whelan 50th 54.13

Lesley Adams 64th 56:39 (3rd F65)

Carol Austin 65th 56:39

Kathryn Thompson 73rd 58:32 (3rd F35)

Aileen Heal 78th 1:00.56

Shirley Salter 79th 1:00.56

Dave Whelan 80th 1:00.59

Sam Summers 84th 1:04.37

Maxine Sweetman 85th 1:04.37

 

 

 

 

Seaton parkrun survives Arwen

 

On Saturday and despite the full fire of Storm Arwen Seaton parkrun was able to go ahead with the support of Honiton Running Club who took on the majority of the volunteer roles on a special takeover day.  Run Director, Howard Bidmead and core team member, Jeremy Slade did an early morning route inspection to give the event the go-ahead while many local parkrun events had to be cancelled.  Numbers were down with just 105 finishers.  First AVR home was Simon Dimmock in 20.15 with performance of the day, Mark Spraggs just a second outside his PB finishing in 23:20 despite the challenging wind.

 

 

AVR supports Children in Need

 

Axe Valley Runners has raised more than £300 for Children in Need in a novel way. AVRs Tim and Amie Sibley led their fellow AVR members in two runs – the Coly Dog and the Coly Pup which, once committed to Strava, drew the outline of a seated dog or puppy. The runs followed roads and paths around Colyton and Colyford. Members showed their appreciation by donating to Children in Need and Tim was able to bank £313.10 in aid of the charity. It is hoped to  become a regular event.

 

 

 

Grizzly conditions for Welsh fell race

 

Richard Hale started his preparation for Grizzly 2022 with a 7.4 km race in the Blorenge mountains near Abergavenny.   The wintry, windy and snowy conditions made it very tough going on a course that included part of the Brecon Canal followed by the north steep side of the mountain to the 559m trig point.

Despite a fall, Richard finished 59th in 1:00:7, second MV70.

 

 

 

AVRs excel at Seaton parkrun’s 5th Birthday

On Saturday first to finish and more than a minute ahead of anyone else was Innes Fitzgerald in a staggering 17.39 just outside the female course record that she set herself last month.  She was also top on age grade with her 87.82%.  First AVR home was Joel Seward in 19:17.  Carol Austin the co-event director for Seaton celebrated the fifth anniversary by finishing fifth female and second on age grade with 78.28%.  Paul Lloyd completed his 100th parkrun and Sam Miller her 50th so we look forward to seeing some new milestone Tees soon.  These popular T-shirts are now also available for volunteering – 25, 50, 100 and 250 times. There were five AVRs who ran personal bests yesterday:  Claire Warner 26.42 who was also third on age grade in 77.09%; Ben Mullane in 27.47; Mandy Harris in 27.57; Pam Goddard in 31.40 and Kathryn Thompson in 35.31.