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AVR men eggs-el at Yeovil 10K!
On Easter Monday, six AVRs hopped over to Yeovil for the Easter Bunny 10k which starts and finishes at RNAS Yeovilton. Fast and flat with eggselent racing conditions there were some quick times amongst the 200+ finishers. The winners were Bath’s Michael Towler in 32:48 and Wells City’s Daisy Davies in 36:01.
AVR men, Joel Seward, Matt Hewer and Luke Reed, impressively came away with the first male team prize. Matt Hewer also scooped first M40 for his 14th overall finish in 36:32, a shiny new PB too, just pipping Luke Reed by one hundredth of a second, 15th in 36:33 who took second M40. Joel Seward, 12th overall in 36:05 was the first AVR to finish.
Simon McClellan took fourth M50 in 43:34, 45th overall with Aaron Rawlins 60th in 45:58 and Louise Rawlins 119th in a PB of 54:27. All finishers received a lovey Easter bunny shaped medal.
Fast Friday 10k
In Exeter on Good Friday it was very much the morning after the night before with a swift course rejig to account for the effects of Storm Nelson. It was therefore a four-lap race with plenty of corners as well as the wind for runners to contend with.
First AVR home in 13th place and third M40 was Terry Emmett in 35:14 just one-hundredth of a second ahead of Ritchie Durrant in 14th in 35:15. Rich Hardy was 35th in 37:03, eighth M40; Matt Frost, 47th in 37:59; and Angela Kerr, 217th, third F65 in 55:38. There were 284 finishers in the race organised superbly well in challenging circumstances by City Runs.
Nelson prevents time trial and Seaton parkrun
Sadly the damage done to the seafront in Seaton from Storm Nelson on Thursday evening affected both AVR’s Good Friday time trial and Saturday’s parkrun with the debris from the storm and dancing beach huts causing the routes to be unsafe.
However a large group of AVRs ran a re-routed social 10k followed by coffee at The Hideaway on Friday. Thanks to Eleanor Wood, Haydn Boehm, Cliff Marriott and Lesley Adams who stood in to lead groups.
On Saturday many AVRs joined with parkrun volunteers to support a general clean-up of the Esplanade during the parkrun usual time slot. It is hoped that the event will be back to normal this Saturday.
Out on the tourist trail, Paul Johns and Jon Day tackled the beautiful but tough Woolacombe Dunes parkrun; Adrianne and Anthony Mullins enjoyed Lands End parkrun; Adele Girdwood ran Worsley Woods parkrun; Simon Dimmock took part in Portsmouth Lakeside and Kevin Feeney and Sarah Shepley ran Parke parkrun near Bovey Tracey. Meanwhile Carolyn Nation nabbed her O for the parkrun alphabet challenge at Oaklands in Birmingham.
Remembering Mike
Four AVRs took part in the Feighan Fury, a challenging 10-mile multi-terrain race around private land in the rolling hills of mid Devon starting in Templeton. It includes hills, woods, trails, rivers with 70 per cent of the course off road with 166 finishers on Sunday.
Mike Feighan was a much-loved member of the local running community who worked in mental health and championed exercise for mental health benefits. An extremely talented runner, Mike won the Grizzly race five times along with countless other races. Tragically Mike abruptly passed away in 2021 and the Feighan Fury is organised by South West Road Runners to remember him.
First AVR home was Eleanor Wood in 1:37.00, 53rd place and first F60. Cory Schultze was 90th in 1:51.08 with Shane Morgan 147th in 2:18.52. Sadly Julia Teague twisted her ankle in a huge puddle in mile 3 so was a DNF.
Fleeting Half
Debbie Whiston ran the Fleet Half Marathon in Hampshire as part of her preparation for the London marathon. The flat half attracted more than 2000 runners.
Despite it being a week after running the tough 20-mile Grizzly, Debbie finished well in 1:29.22, 352nd and sixth F45 in nice, sunny conditions.
Twin Lakes
Also in London marathon training, Diana Burn ran the Twin Lakes 20 mile race in Milton Keynes taking 4:08. It was a very cold, windy start but sunny later and very flat compared to Dorset/Devon runs. Diana finished an excellent third F65, especially given there was no 70+ category.
Trust 10k
On Sunday in glorious sunshine, several AVRs took part in the Trust 10k around Stonebarrow and Golden Cap taking in the beautiful Jurassic coast path and the stunning views from Golden Cap. It is one of a number of free 10k runs held on various National Trust owned land on the fourth Sunday of each month during the summer.
More information on upcoming events here.
Seaton parkrun
It was a bitterly cold morning in Seaton with hail, a strong wind and rain replacing the early morning sunshine. First finisher was AVR’s Joel Seward in 18:30 with third female, Lucy Watkinson in 23:04.
There were PBs for Adrian Strawbridge in 21:00, Rob Harp in 23:30 and Emma Sampson in 27:51.
Alan Morbey celebrated his 100th parkrun and Simon Freathy reached his 50 volunteer milestone.
On the tourist trail, Angela and Martin Kerr took part in the Eden Project parkrun; Barry Follett was “where it all began” joining the 1500+ at Bushy parkrun; Tim Sibley ran Porthcawl parkrun: Rob Collier and Sam Summers completed Bognor Regis parkrun while Sam Miller enjoyed Five Arches in Radstock near Bath.
Mud, mud, glorious Grizzly
The 36th edition of the Grizzly was certainly one of, if not, the muddiest yet. After months of heavy rain the conditions underfoot were treacherous although thankfully the runners, volunteers and spectators enjoyed sunshine and blue skies on the day.
AVRs had yet another hugely successful day both as the lead organisers and in the race itself. The biggest shout-out must go to Race Directors, Andy West and Steve Haines along with the Grizzly Committee for their superb organisation during many months of grafting behind the scenes and on the day itself which ran like clockwork. In addition big thanks to all the AVRs who supported the event with marshalling throughout the course, the huge start and finish area operation, and across the weekend at Race HQ and the Grizfest event.
The weekend began with a very large parkrun, clearly attracting many visitors with more than 400 participants. In the afternoon, 260 children took part in the Grizfest races not deterred by the pouring rain and chilly wind; clearly some hard-core Grizzly runners in the making! Congratulations to all those who ran and to Karen Eyre and her team for the superb organisation.
Sunday surprised everyone with the sun shining by the race start at 10.30am. The course was the hardest most runners had ever seen, even those with many Grizzlies in the bank. Despite the tough conditions, more than 1300 completed the gruelling 20-mile Grizzly route including a huge number of AVRs.
AVR’s Emily Cowper-Coles was the female winner on her Grizzly debut using all her fell running experience to absolutely fly in and finish in an incredible 2:37.25, 12th place overall. First home was last year’s winner, Exmouth Harriers’ Sam Kelly in 2:20.36 with Matt Clist the first AVR in an excellent 2:32.49, seventh overall and second M45.
Joel Seward was second male AVR, 19th overall, in 2:41.43 with Tim Lenton just behind in 20th in 2:45.01, second M50.
Second AVR female was Debbie Whiston, also making her Grizzly debut, seventh female and second F45 finishing in 3:04.57. Kerry Board was third female AVR in 3:43.39.
Other age-graded AVRs in the top three were Eleanor Wood, first F60 in 3:53.08; Graham Newton first M70 in 3:52.05; Patrick Devine-Wright, third M50 in 2:49.49; and Karen Eyre, third F50 in 3:51.03.
But, of course, the Grizzly isn’t just about times, it’s often mind over matter or a celebration just to get round. And very often it is the support of other runners that can make all the difference. Lindsey Freathy only decided on Saturday to run the full Grizzly inspired by the video of a previous race at the HQ. She was supported all the way round by Alan Morbey and Steve Lewis. She sums it up perfectly, “They could have gone a lot faster but were so kind to help me, natter and enjoy the scenery. I am so thankful to them, it is what makes AVR such a special club.”
Of course there also aren’t many races where you’re offered a beer on the return journey or where you run through a pub during the course!
In the Cub race, Harry McMahon, new AVR member and just 17 romped home in 1:06.54. Second AVR and third overall was Ritchie Durrant in 1:12.39.
AVR’s Emilie Brock was second female, first F40 and first female AVR to finish in 1:20.13. Second AVR and second F45 was Sue Hayes in 1:29.47 with Lou Tucker third AVR female in 1:30.22 and second F40. The female Cub Race had been won by Caroline McAleese in 1:15.27. More than 630 completed the race. Other top three age-graded AVRs were Ron Seward, first M70 in 1:42.44; Jase Potter, second M35 in 1:32.44; Kevin Feeney second M70 in 1:54.51; Janet Cullum, second F70; Simon McClellan third M55 in an excellent 1:27.24; and Barry Follett third M60 in 1:38.11.
Running together were Aileen Heal and Jools Elsom with Liz Curley and Angela Morgan, both graduates of a recent ‘Couch to 5K’, showing once more the offer and depth of support the club provides throughout the year.
The full Grizzly and Cub results are here
Weymouth Half
Diana Burn completed the Weymouth half marathon on Sunday in 2:27 and using it as a training run for the London Marathon.
Under the Lights at the Exmouth 5
Last Wednesday evening the final of the City Runs organised “Under the Lights” series was a 5m race in Exmouth. Matt Frost was 13th in 29:50; Ian Kinnersley 23rd in 33:50 and second M60; Eleanor Wood 32nd and second F65 in 37:45; and Ron Seward, first M70, 33rd in 38:57. All contributed to a third place team finish for AVR.