Harriers embrace the club's track running roots!

With the Exeter Arena stadium due to be closed for refurbishment shortly, the Ironbridge Runner Winter 3K Series, now getting on for 30 years old, will be squeezed into just 3 events over six weeks this winter. The first races of the 2013 series were held at the arena track on Monday evening, 28th October, when there was an excellent turn-out of 90 runners, a dozen of whom were Exmouth Harriers.

There were five graded races, each with a field of 17 – 19, providing for a good level of competition for runners of all speeds. In the A race, Exmouth based youngster, Jason Drew (running for Sidmouth Running Club as we don't have a junior's section) set a fierce early pace, but it later transpired that he had been a little over-zealous and had over-cooked slightly, allowing Exmouth Harriers' man-of-the-moment in terms of current form, Rob Orton, to reel him in. Rob them finished a comfortable winner in a time of 9:08. Had he not run the a fast parkrun on the Saturday and a 38 minute 7 mile at the Tavy 7 on the Sunday then a sub 9 minute time would surely have been his for the taking. As it is, this makes for a useful taregt for Rob at his next outing over the 7.5 lap distance. 

In the ‘B’ race Cathy Newman was 5th overall and fastest female on the night, once again putting her younger rivals to shame, with a time of 11:00 dead. Richard Hawes flew down the home straight in his customary fashion to bag 6th place in the B race but started his finishing burst just too late to go under 11 minutes, his time 11:05, second fastest male over 45 on the night, was still a PB for this ever-improving athlete. Also in the ‘B’ race, and also running her second race in two days, was Hannah Bown, who was 11th in 11:27 and second woman. 

There were four Harriers in the ‘C’ race. Andrew Johnson enjoyed the close competition in the middle of a pack of runners and was hauled along to 9th overall in 11:52; he was second fastest MV50-54. Ben White could only recall school sports days in describing his experience of track running but he seemed satisfied to finish 15th in the ‘C’ race with 12:04. Dave Eveleigh was just behind Ben, 17th in 12:05 and second fastest MV55, in what will be his last outing in this category before next week's big 6-0! 

Carly Miller looks quite at home on the track now and she took 14th place in the ‘D’ race with a time of 12:37; a new Personal Best in what she describes as her 'best paced 3k yet'. Lee Russell though was a little disappointed with his time of 12:58 for 17th place in the ‘D’ race. 

 The ‘E’ race saw Nigel Dupain finish 7th in 13:17, just 6 seconds behind the winner of his MV60-64 category. There was then a bit of a gap to Dawn Teed who was 8th in the ‘E’ race in 14:01, on weary legs from her Tavy 7 exertions, but a valued part of the team as usual. 

The remaining two races in the series are at the Arena on 11 and 25 November. £5 entry on the night. Races start at 7pm.