Hectic times for the Harriers: 4 races, 1 weekend!

The weekend of August 6th and 7th was a very busy one indeed for the Exmouth Harriers, with many members taking part in different races all over Devon and in Dorset.

Killerton Park Run 5k
On Saturday 6th August, Adam Miller again participated in the Killerton Park run in the grounds of Killerton House, near Exeter. Adam has taken part in a fair few of these events now, which are totally free to enter and attract runners of all abilities. Adam has won a couple of these park runs in the past but this week he had to settle for still creditable third place in a time of 18m19 as the in form, second claim Exmouth Harrier, Tom Mearson turned up to take an easy victory in a time 15m32.

The Great West Fell Race
Saturday 6th also saw the staging of the Iron Bridge Runner organised Great West Fell Race, on Dartmoor, near Okehampton. There was one lone Harrier towing the start line of this tough, self-nav course and that was our press man, Dave Eveleigh. Dave said he fancied trying something a little bit different and so the UK's most southerly fell race appealed. Dave joined 40 other runners at the foot of the moor and set off from Okehampton to climb up to Yes Tor, to the checkpoint. A little bit of scrabbling around on the top of the tor to find the check lost Dave a little bit of time but with visibility being good this didn't effect his race too badly as he picked his way back down over rough, granite-boulder strewn terrain, to the finish line, taking just over an hour in total.

Totnes 10k
On Sunday 7th August almost a dozen Exmouth Harriers made their way across the River Exe to Totnes for the Teignbridge Trotter organised Totnes 10k. With the "10k" element of the title being used quite loosely, this course is a shade longer than 10k and not to be underestimated. It is in fact more of a cross-country run, taking participants up and down country tracks and across fields in a hilly circular route, starting and finishing in Borough Park, Totnes. Adam Miller explained that it is important to get in the right position at the start of the race as the opening section is very narrow, making overtaking a real problem. Hugh Marsden came a little unstuck here as he likes to start off steady and wind the pace up towards the end, so he frustratingly found himself a little boxed in in the early stages. Nevertheless, he went on to finish strongly and ran himself into the top Vet 50 spot! Harriers also scooped up all the spoils in the male vet 70 category, with Ray Elston, John Perratt and Jim Wyatt showing all the young'uns how it's done! Other Harrier performances were as follows:

Men's race:
Dave Stone: 10th overall in 38.17 (3rd male vet 40)
Jamie Palmer: 17th in 40.07
Adam Miller: 19th in 40.14 (I believe there was a little game of cat and mouse going on between Adam and Jamie throughout the race!)
Hugh Marsden: 47th (1st vet 50) in 41.03
Andrew Kennedy: 105th in 49.15
Scott Jordan: 122nd in 50.09
Ray Elston: 186th in 53.26 (1st Vet 70)
John Perratt: 194th in 54.11 (2nd Vet 70)
Jim Wyatt: 263rd in 57.50
Well done to our men's team, with the first 6 runners to count, who finished 2nd to a very strong Torbay AC side.

Women's race:
Dawn Teed: 197th in 54.18
Denise Kennedy: 409th in 67.47

Some photos of Harriers in action at Totnes, courtesy of Dave Eveleigh, can be viewed below. (Click on image to view an enlarged version).


Hugh Marsden looking very
strong as he approaches the finish
line at Totnes 10k.


















Dawn Teed powering on towards the finish.










Denise Kennedy proudly shows off
her finisher's medal!








Jim Wyatt pushes hard for the finish line.









The Stur Half
The last race this weekend in which a Harrier participated was the Stur Half, where I, Ellie Sutcliffe, joined over 400 other runners on the start line in Sturminster Newton, Dorset. This half marathon, organised by the Dorset Doddlers, takes runners out on an undulating route around the villages in the countryside of Blackmore Vale. A well organised event, water stations were every 2 miles and each had a theme of a different country, with marshalls dressed up and music from that country blaring out to cheer the runners along. Conditions were ideal - overcast and not too hot - but a strong headwind on some sections of the course did make the going tough in parts. I was leading the women's race until mile 9.5 when another Devon based runner, Emma Dennis from Braunton, passed me and went on to take the win in 1.26.17. I finished just over half a minute behind her in a new PB time of 1.26.50; 2nd female in 23rd place overall, out of 417 finishers. The event was sponsored by a local cake company, so I was very happy with the momentoes and prizes! :-D

Ellie Sutcliffe finishing the Stur Half in Dorset.