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World Class in Riga
Tony Smith and Sam Miller travelled to Riga in Latvia for the first ever World Athletics Road Running Championships. Due to injury, their son Jake Smith wasn’t competing so it was their turn to take centre stage participating in the mass half marathon race. An impressive 13000 runners took part in the mass race from more than 100 countries, starting just behind the elite race.
The course featured most of Riga’s central landmarks; with the start and finish using the Gate to Old Riga adjacent to the main river Daugava. Criss-crossing the river on a predominantly flat course, the runners returned to Old Riga over Vanšu bridge offering a spectacular panorama of the city.
Tony finished an excellent 390th, 11th M55 in his best time for many years in 1:33.44 whilst Sam was also pleased with her 2:14.48 finish in 563rd, 15th F55.
Mud, mud glorious mud
The Honiton Hippo was once again full of mud, sweat and tears but with lots of fun and opportunities to wash up in the River Otter. Thirteen AVRs joined the 150+runners in the 7 mile multi-terrain run.
Eleanor Wood was first AVR home in 1:09.07, in 28th, fifth female and first F55. Andy West was next AVR in 1:11.51, third M60. Sid Heaslip followed in 57th, 1:18.26 with Dawn Carrah in 1:20.40. Full results are here.
Cardiff half
Vicki Wraight, Susan Wall and Laura Kerr popped over the border to take part in the Cardiff half-marathon in Wales, one of the country’s fastest half marathons; well-organised and with a great atmosphere at start and finish. Despite an ongoing ankle injury Laura finished in an excellent 1:51.43, 697th female. Susan and Vicki ran together finishing in 2:40.24; Susan was 135th F60. More than 20,000 runners completed the 13.1 mile race.
Green success for Innes
Congratulations to Innes Fitzgerald who has won the BBC Young Athlete of the Year at the Green Sports Awards 2023. Details here
50 not out!
SLW celebrates their birthday and other parkrun news
Stopline Way Junior parkrun celebrated its 50th run and first birthday in style at Axminster Town FC last Sunday.
Runners, their families, and volunteers enjoyed a fabulous postrun Stopline Way Junior parkrun celebration cake made by Kristina West (Knapp Cottage Cakes) and delicious vegan treats made by volunteer Wendy le Masurier.
Since the start a year ago the event has welcomed 197 junior parkrunners who have completed 857 Stopline Way Junior parkruns between them. The core team comprises about 20 volunteers, many of whom are AVR members, with 82 people having volunteered in total.
Here’s to the next 50!
At Seaton parkrun on Saturday Kerry Board was first female finisher in 22.23. Both Matt Clist, second finisher and Ritchie Durrant, in third, nabbed PBs in 16.37 and 16.41, respectively with Matt also first on age-grade in 84%.
There were PBs too for Paul Johns in 21.21, Baz Chandra in 27.07 and Georgie Ryan in 30.14.
Congratulations to Viv Blumfield who celebrated her 50th volunteer milestone.
In Cardiff it was wonderful to see Jake Smith on the comeback trail with a 14.44 first finisher placing! Also in Wales, Carolyn Nation secured her D at Dolgellau parkrun. Meanwhile, taking advantage of the good conditions in Exmouth, Carol Austin secured her best ever age-grade of 83% for her 23.09 while Stuart Olliver finished in 29.19.
And finally… over on the darkside!
It was a fantastic performance for Emilie Brock at the Thruxton Duathlon on Sunday where she secured a GB Age Group Team Qualifier position with second place in the F40 and tenth overall in the Run-Bike-Run event.
Luke Reed is on tenter hooks to see if his fourth place is enough to qualify but a week after representing GB in this year’s European triathlon it is very impressive.
Not content with running Berlin marathon last week, Haydn Boehm also took part finishing 18th in his age category. Like running the strength is in depth at tri and duathlon age groups events gets stronger every year.
Triple AVR success in Berlin
Three AVRs were successful in securing places at the prestigious BMW Berlin marathon this year and all put in tremendous performances. The race, known for its fast and flat course, saw Ethiopia’s Tigsy Assefa smash the women’s marathon world record in a brilliant 2:11.53 and the double Olympic champion, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge won the men’s race for a record fifth time in 2:02.42. British Olympic hopeful, Charlotte Purdue leapt to second in the UK all-time rankings with her ninth place, 2:22.17
For the AVRs first home was Rob Collier in a very impressive 2:53.14, 1803rd male overall and 84th M50. Haydn Boehm had his taper interrupted battling a virus but still finished with a shiny marathon PB in 3:43.05, male 11206th . Meanwhile Angela Kerr was running an incredible 50th marathon finishing 8681st, female an excellent 46th F65 in 4:42.27.
More than 40,000 completed the race which also saw former AVR, Graham Newton run a very impressive 3:50.03 to take tenth M70 place.
Exmouth 10k
Bob Carter took the short trip to Exmouth for the Bradley’s 10k, a fast and flat two-lap race on the Esplanade. He was pleased with his 58.25 finish 152nd place given the wild and windy conditions on Sunday. More than 250 took part this year.
Marazion 10k
Cliff Marriott, Derek Blumfield, John Hocking and Iain Westworth ran the Marazion 10k in Cornwall on Sunday afternoon. It is a flattish course, described by the organisers wonderfully as a “one loop, left turn race with 131m of elevation, which is basically Cornish flat with a bit of hill near the finish.”
Clearly the route suited Iain who nabbed a PB finishing in 54.06, 125th. First AVR home was John in 104th place in 52.40; Cliff was 141st in 55.41; and Derek, back after a long injury lay-off, was 270th in 1:07.22. More than 300 took part on Sunday. Sadly Viv Blumfield was a DNS due to a knee injury.
Seaton parkrun
It was another successful parkrun for AVR at Seaton with Matt Clist, enjoying his first ever parkrun, coming in first finisher in 16.50 pipping Joel Seward who was second in 17.05. Debbie Whiston was first female in 19.51 and it was a clean sweep for AVR on the age-graded top three with Eleanor Wood with an amazing 90% for her 23.12 followed by Matt Clist, 83% and Debbie Whiston, 80%.
Conditions were excellent on Saturday and Mark Day, 24.14; Andy Broom, 25.11 and Jo Orsman, 26.44 all made the most of it with shiny new PBs.
Co-event director, Carol Austin reached her 250th volunteer milestone.
On the tourism front, Tony Smith and Sam Miller ran Poznan parkrun in Poland while Kristian Mears took part in Farfelle parkrun in Italy. Tim Sibley completed Maesteg in Wales with David and Paula Cooke taking the crown for furthest parkrun this week running Okanagan parkrun in Canada. Other AVRs on the road can be found here:
Yeovilton – final summer hoorah
There was a good showing of AVRs at the final event of the Yeovilton Summer 5k Series held on Wednesday with the team sweeping the board in the M40 category. First AVR home, in ninth overall, was Duncan Staddon in 16.37 and first M40. Second M40, 13th overall, was Matt Orsman in 16.54 with third M40, Richard Hardy, 18th overall in 17.15. Joel Seward, on the comeback trail after a cricket induced break, was 12th finisher in 16.49. Rob Collier was an impressive 27th, second M50 in 17.48. Matt Frost, recovering from the Great North Run, was 29th in 17.58 with David Cull taking fourth M40 in 18.04, 33rd overall. Adrian Strawbridge was delighted with a PB of 19.54. Rupert Pady was 78th in 21.07.
On the women’s side, Karen Eyre was 26th female in 22.08 with Suzi Blackett 30th for her impressive PB of 23.10.
Glastonbury: but not as you know it!
Five AVRs ventured into Somerset for the Glastonbury Levels 10k and 10 mile races on a very wet Sunday. Both races share the same, flat, fast course around, but not up, the famous Glastonbury Tor.
Joel Seward chose the longer option coming an excellent third place in 59:51. Ian Kinnersley was 15th in the 10 mile event, scooping first M60. There were 50 finishers in the 10 mile race with just over a 100 taking the shorter, 10k option.
In the 10k Adrian Strawbridge was 29th in 43.58, running on tired legs after the Yeovilton 5k. Louise Rawlins was delighted to improve on last year’s time finishing just shy of her PB in 55.18, 72nd place, but with still enough energy to jump into one of the many puddles following the biblical rainstorm! Ron Seward was 38th in a great time of 46.39, second M70.
Chippenham Half
Tom Parsons completed the Chippenham Half Marathon in 1:53.15, a time he was very happy with after a post-Jurassic Ultra injury and reduced training while travelling around Europe!
He describes it as a great flat course perfect for a PB in the future. And the biblical rain didn’t reach Wiltshire until the early afternoon, so running conditions were perfect! One for the future, AVRs!
Seaton parkrun
It was a damp morning on Saturday but the very heavy rain held off as just over 200 parkrunners enjoyed the best possible start to the weekend. First female finisher was Debbie Whiston in 20.47 with Luke Reed third overall in 18.21. First on age grade was Eleanor Wood with a huge 88% for her 23.32 finish. There were PBs for Andy Broom in 26.06 and Jason Hill in 34.24. Susan Wall celebrated her 50 parkrun milestone.
On the roads, Simon and Bec Davey completed Ashton Court parkrun; Kevin Feeney and Sarah Shepley secured their ‘E’ and a great day out at the Eden Project parkrun; Tim and Amie Sibley ran Fell Foot parkrun while in the Lake District; Mark Spraggs did Penrose parkrun in Cornwall; and Tony Smith and Sam Miller visited South Norwood parkrun in London, one towards the ‘Compass club’!