Harriers at the Peak of their performance!

Sunday 12th August saw the annual staging of the Sidmouth Festival 10k run. Organised in conjunction with the town's folk week by our neighbours, the Sidmouth Running Club, this is a tough, off-road 10k with a breathtaking (in every sense of the word!) start.

This race is always well supported by the Harriers and this year was no exception with 12 of them taking part. At 11am we all gathered on the startline at Jacob's Ladder at the foot of Peak Hill and stared up at the monster climb that faced us. Possibly the toughest start to any 10k in the country, the first 1k of the race is up a hill which climbs up to 500ft with an average climb gradient of 20%, reaching 30% in places. It's so tough that the organisers throw in a race-within-a-race and award a trophy to the first man and woman to summit, crowning them King and Queen of the Peak.

Marc and Ellie shortly after the start of the race at the foot of Peak Hill

From there the race flattens out across Mutter's Moor before dropping down into the woods, crossing the golf course and then undulating through Bulverton Plantation. From kilometer 6 to 8 there is a nice long galloping stretch on a woodland path and then, of course, what goes up must come down, and so runners are rewarded with a 1k fast descent back down to the start/finish line.

The stand-out Harrier performance of the day had to come from Hannah Bown who stormed up the hill in at very swift pace to claim Queen of the Peak. Hannah claims that she "just loves this hill" (should we worry for her sanity, or just be in awe?!), so it's little wonder then that this was not the first time that Hannah has won this title; in fact her name is a regular feature on the perpetual trophy awarded for this effort. Most people might then be reduced to a walk after such a lung-busting climb, but Hannah went on to keep up a good pace and to take 2nd place in the ladies' race and racing her brother Chris in a sprint to the finish line!

Brother and sister, Chris and Hannah, in a race to the finish line.

Hannah: Queen of the Peak and 2nd female receiving her prizes.

Marc Cox followed up his fine Totnes performance from the previous week with another solid run to lead the Harriers home in 11th place overall. He paced himself sensibly throughout the race and started off steadily up the initial hill which meant he was still full of running towards the end and managed to pick people off in the latter stages who were fading fast!

Also deserving a mention is the ladies team composed of myself, Ellie Sutcliffe, Hannah Bown, Emma Dupain and Dawn Teed as we claimed the winning ladies' team prize and were awarded with a huge trophy for our efforts. This is the first time the Harriers ladies' have won this and our club name will now join the previous winners, Sidmouth RC, Honniton RC and S.W.R.R. (who have had it for the last 2 years).

Dawn Teed storming home to help the Harriers' ladies lift the female team prize

Here's how all 12 Harriers faired:

Marc Cox: 11th overall in 43:59
Hugh Marsden: 14th overall; 2nd MV50 in 45:21
Ellie Sutcliffe: 18th overall, 1st female in 46:42
Chris Dupain: 25th overall in 49:02
Hannah Bown: 26th overall; 2nd female and Queen of the Peak in 49:02
Ben White: 43rd overall in 53:56
Nigel Dupain: 52nd overall; 2nd MV60 in 55:31
Emma Dupain: 58th overall; 10th female in 56:11
Ray Elston: 68th overall; 1st MV70 in 58:25
Dawn Teed: 72nd overall; 5th FV40 in 59:52
Lee Russell: 82nd overall in 1:02:33
Jim Wyatt: 92nd overall; 2nd MV70 in 1:06:18

 

The winning female team: Dawn, Hannah, Emma, Ellie and their massive trophy!

There were 109 finishers and the race was won in 38:57 by Liam Roberts of Axe Valley Runners. AVR also took the men's team prize.

A lovely, low-key event, well marshalled, well organised and great atmosphere. Definitely worth a go if you've not run it before, but make sure you get the hill training in first!