Ann Widecombe honours Harriers at Lustleigh Show 10k!

Ann Widecombe has been quite adventurous in some of her post-political activity but she was probably wise to sit out the Lustleigh 10k multi-terrain race in favour of handing out the medals to finishers and later presenting the prizes as Guest of Honour at the Village Show the run forms part of. In stature she is rather smaller than you might expect but the stature of the Lustleigh 10k, compared to similar events locally is perhaps greater than expected. It is a tough, off road course, as you might expect for a race staged on the fringes of Dartmoor. It is hilly, muddy (this year particularly) and it twists and it turns but all the runners would have to agree that it is a picturesque environment and there are worse places to pound out 6.2 tough miles.

There were four Exmouth runners ready for the Lustleigh experience on bank holiday Monday 27th August. The star of the (Lustleigh) show was undoubtedly Hannah Bown. Now back to her very best form following a hard and determined effort to regain her fitness post-pregnancy, Hannah placed 17th overall in 46:30 and was the 1st woman home. Widders must have been in awe as she draped the finishers medal around Hannah's neck!

After a gap in racing for some months, Andy Kennedy is now starting to come up with performances that we might expect from him given those he was producing in his younger years; he was 40th in 50:25.

Nigel Dupain was 60th in 55:05 and less than a minute away from placing 3rd MV60. Nigel also looked rather more comfortable than Dave Eveleigh (Dave's own words!) who finished 86th in 60:30. One thing you can say for Dave though is that he always gives every race his all, whether it's a fast, flat 5k or a tough, hilly 10, like this one.

There were 123 finishers. The race was won by Tavistock AC ultra runner and 100 marathon man, Adam Holland, in 38:44.

To have the unique experience of being presented with a medal by a former politician turned celebrity, sign up for next year's race as Ann Widecombe does the annual honours at this race which takes places just down the road from her home at Haytor village!