5 Harriers take on Torbay

The other 10k road race on offer on Sunday 26th August was the Torbay Regatta event which also incorporates the Devon County Championships.

This race is deceptively tough as it entails two nasty little climbs that really push the lungs to limit, firstly as the runners climb up out of Torquay and the as they climb up out of Paignton on the return stretch. A nice downhill 800m to the finish on Corbyn Head is then a just reward for all the previous efforts.

5 Harriers chose to take on this challenge, some of whom no doubt enticed by the lure of the medals that were on offer by Devon County AA across each of the age category groupings, and others, well, because it's a nice seaside course with a good atmosphere!

First Harrier home was Andy Johnson in a time of 43:41. Andy placed 83rd overall and 10th MV45.

Next in was Andy's long time training partner, Roger Rowe. Ever competitive in his age category, Roger again took the MV65 spoils, placing 1st in a time of 44:37, giving him 92nd place overall.

Lee Russell followed on, crossing the line in 51:49 for 218th place overall and 11th MV55.

Then to the husband and wife team of Stan and Joan Mason. On this occasion it was girl power all the way as Joan showed Stan a clean pair of heels (Stan, you didn't stop to help a damsel in distress again like last year did you?!). Joan had a superb run to finish in 291st place overall in a time of 55:10. She was really really unlucky to just miss out on a podium place by just a minute in the FV50 category, coming 4th.

Stan rounded off the proceedings with a 57:00 clocking which gave him 319th place and 15th MV55.

Always a hugely popular event, there were 482 finishers on this occasion.
The race was won by Jon Gilby, also the winner of the Exeter 10k the previous week, in a swift 31:23.
The leading lady was super-vet FV55 athlete Anne Luke of Tamar Trotters, 19th overall in 38:33.