Following last week’s uber-urban experience at the London Marathon, this week saw members of the Exmouth Harriers return to a spot of local, rural roots running as, on Saturday 27 April, 5 members lined up for the hilly Haldon Heartbeat race. The race starts and finishes by the finisher's post at Exeter Race Course, on the top of Haldon Hill. The route is multi-terrain and includes forest tracks and access roads, heath-land and grassy galloping stretches, totalling a shade over 8 miles. There is about 650ft of total climb involved, with 3 main short, sharp hills and some longer, highly runnable, downhill stretches in-between to allow recovery. The event, organised by the Haldon Trail Runners, was in the third year of its running this year and it continues to attract a good mix of club and unattached runners seeking out the ever-popular off-road running experience.
This year, London 2012 Olympian and local Exeter Harriers athlete, Jo Pavey, started the runners off and presented the prizes, which added an extra special dimension to the event.
This year, London 2012 Olympian and local Exeter Harriers athlete, Jo Pavey, started the runners off and presented the prizes, which added an extra special dimension to the event.
With a recent dry spell, the going underfoot was most definitely good to firm (to coin racing terminology due to the location of the event). There were 164 male finishers and just 29 female this year, with the winning man, Lee Turner of Torbay AC, completing in a time of 49:15 and the first female, Rebecca Mingo of Bere Alston Trekkers, in 35th place overall with a time of 59:25.
Jon Garrity, coming back into some good form just in time for the summer season, was the first Exmouth Harrier to finish, in 58:02, for a fine 24th place overall and 6th man aged 40 - 44: an ever-competitive category. Chris Dupain was 43rd, just over the hour, in 60:46, a very good result for someone who only races occasionally and fits in training around a busy lifestyle.
Jon Garrity, coming back into some good form just in time for the summer season, was the first Exmouth Harrier to finish, in 58:02, for a fine 24th place overall and 6th man aged 40 - 44: an ever-competitive category. Chris Dupain was 43rd, just over the hour, in 60:46, a very good result for someone who only races occasionally and fits in training around a busy lifestyle.
Luckily there were plenty of marshalls and no trig points to locate in this particular race, so Scott-2 Trigs-Jordan was in his element. The downhill stretches will have also allowed him to unleash his phenomenally fast downhill running technique and gain some ground on his more cautious rivals. Scott finished in 62nd and 13th man aged 40 - 44 in a time of 63:29.
Ben White would have had Scott well within his sights, crossing the finish line just a few furlongs (sticking with the racecourse theme!) behind in 67th place with a time of 64:02. The only filly in the race, Emma Dupain, was 80th and 7th female overall in a small but select women’s field that represented just 15% of the total number of entrants. Perhaps the thought of 8 miles of hills put all the other ladies off!
Ben White would have had Scott well within his sights, crossing the finish line just a few furlongs (sticking with the racecourse theme!) behind in 67th place with a time of 64:02. The only filly in the race, Emma Dupain, was 80th and 7th female overall in a small but select women’s field that represented just 15% of the total number of entrants. Perhaps the thought of 8 miles of hills put all the other ladies off!
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