The Bicton Blister and Bicton Lite multi-terrain races are always a challenge but last Sunday the challenge began just trying to get to Bicton College as roads were flooded and some were closed.

Ten Honiton Running Club members managed the initial challenge and took part in The Blister which is 10 miles long whilst four members took part in The Lite which is about 4 ½ miles long. Both go over sandy, stony and muddy paths across Woodbury Common. There was plenty of mud and water to wade through and runners were diverted across a field close to the start and finish to avoid running on the road with the water level at thigh height.

Bruce Strawbridge was first back for Honiton in 41st place in 1 hour 19 minutes. Steve Davey couldn’t quite keep up and came 49th in 1:20 although he did manage to win his age category. Richard Harvey followed 5 minutes later to come 79th and Judy Davey was next back coming 153rd in 1:33. Judy also came first in her age category. Mark Dallyn found the going tough and when Judy sprinted past him within touching distance of the finish, he couldn’t respond. He finished 2 places and just 15 seconds after Judy. Nick Thorpe had a good run to come 189th in 1:37 ahead of John Burgess who ran out of steam after about 3 miles. John came 241st in 1:41. Wayne Spiller doesn’t race very often but he’s not afraid of the tough ones and he was pleased with his 311th place finish in 1:50. Sandra Thorpe is still coming back from injury but had a great run finishing 333rd in 1:52. This was Clare Melbourne’s first time of tackling the Blister and she did find it tough but came 349th in 1:56. There were 397 finishers and the race was won by Stuart Hall in 1:04.

Three of the older Honiton juniors took part in the Lite with Henry Riddle coming a fantastic 6th place in 35:40. Findlay Fuller was hot on his heels finishing 2 places and less than a minute later. Florence Swan had a great race finishing 17th in 40:17 and the only Honiton adult representative was Wendy Le Masurier who came 48th in 50:16. There were 80 finishers and the race was won by Christian Hewitt in 30:14.

For Children-in-Need weekend Honiton Running Club organised a Duathlon to raise money for this worthy cause. It was based at the Payhembury Village Hall and the event comprised of a 2.3 mile run followed by a 10 mile bike ride and finally the 2.3 mile run again. There were nine individuals who completed all 3 legs, but also several families joined in with children participating in one or two of the legs making a total of 23 participants. The weather was perfect for November with clear blue skies. The winner by a long way was Alex Todd from Axe Valley Runners in a time of 1hr 59secs followed by last years winner Richard Harvey in a time of 1:12:53, four minutes slower than last year. Helen Davy successfully defended her title as first lady in a time of 1hr 17mins 51secs coming third. Other Honiton participants were Nick and Sandra Thorpe who came 4th and 8th and Tony Whiteley who came fifth. Sue Jones also rode the bike leg which included an out and return from Honiton and Maggie Dillon did the first two legs but couldn’t face the final run. The event raised just over £150 for Children in Need.

Ten Honiton RC members took part in South West Road Runners’ Castle Drogo 10 mile off road run on Sunday. This race boasts two particularly tough hills with the first as runners come to Fingle Bridge for the first time after about 3 miles. This is followed by a nice downhill section but then a long gradual leg sapping climb before a long stretch beside the River Teign. Just after runners reach Fingle Bridge for the second time, they are directed up Hunters’ Path which is a half mile climb that no-one will forget. The race was won in 1 hour 1 minute by last year’s winner, Ceri Rees. Bruce Strawbridge was first back for Honiton coming 62nd in 1:17 with Steve Davey not as close as usual in 76th place in 1:19. Howard Bidmead was next back in 141st place in 1:26. He was followed by new member Mark Dallyn who had a good run to finish 201st in 1:30. Judy Davey was the first of the Honiton ladies home in 219th place in 1:33. Lesley Crocker soon followed in 272nd place in 1:38. Nick Bradley-Carter was just four places ahead of Steve Briggs finishing 328th in 1:42 whilst Steve finished just a few seconds later in 1:43. Clare Melbourne has been putting in some hill training and it showed with her 420th position finish in 1:55. Tracey Strawbridge completed the Honiton line up finishing in  470th place in 2:06. There were 486 finishers.  

 

On the same day, Graham Reeves and Sam Shute took part in the Old Deer Park 10k in Richmond. The course is very flat starting in the Old Deer Park, then out onto the roads of Richmond with the runners then following the river Thames before heading back into the park for the finish. Graham was first back in 37th place knocking 32 seconds off his pb in a time of 39:53. Sam also managed a pb finishing in 496th in a time of 56:38.

Honiton runners were certainly well spread out over the weekend as Stephen Boyes took part in the Luton Marathon. This is a three lap course through Luton and the immediate surrounding countryside on roads and pathways. Stephen was a bit disappointed as he only managed 3 hours 42 due to cramp in his leg at 23 miles which slowed him up. The race was won by Neil Aitken in 2:42. 

It was a beautifully cold but sunny Saturday when nine Honiton Running Club members took part in Axe Valley Runner’s Yarcombe Yomp last weekend. The route is made up of a 5 mile loop of mud, hills, water and fields and runners can choose to run it twice completing 10 miles or finish having completed one loop. Alex Todd of AVR lost a trainer at a particularly muddy field gate near the beginning of the race. He unsuccessfully tried to retrieve it but not to be outdone by something as insignificant as a shoe; he decided to continue with just one trainer. At the end of the first loop he decided to pull out but was quickly persuaded to continue with the help of the loan of a shoe from a marshal. He swiftly put this on tying the laces tightly and continued for the other 5 miles with odd shoes. He continued in style as he won the race convincingly with a time of 1 hour 12 minutes. This is definitely a first for the Yomp and for Alex himself.

Steve Davey was first back for Honiton finishing in 7th place in 1:24 winning a prize for first male over 50. Howard Bidmead had a great run finishing 19th in 1:31 and Graham Rooms managed to knock about 5 minutes off last year’s time to finish 25th in 1:34. John Burgess managed to stay on his feet for the second year running finishing 33rd in 1:43. Gerry Evans usually enters the 5 mile race but gets sucked in to running the two laps but this year he decided to go straight for the 10 miles to finish in 40th place in 1:54. It was Kathy Layzell’s first time of running this race but she enjoyed it, especially the views, completing Honiton’s line up in 48th place in 2:16.

Honiton junior member, Henry Riddle, won the 5 mile race in 42:26 and Val Hales walked the short distance to the start from her home in Yarcombe to take part finishing 13th in 1:10 winning the first local resident’s prize.

Many thanks to Robin Carter, AVR and all involved in organisation as well as the friendly marshals and landowners but special thanks to the ladies responsible for the delicious soup and cakes awaiting runners upon their return.

A small band of runners from Honiton RC crossed the border into Somerset on Sunday to run the Ilminster 10k. The race is all on road, but heavy overnight rain interspersed with a little snow meant that part of the course resembled a river. The route can best be described as undulating with a mile long hill just before the half-way point. But what goes up must come down, and so does this race with a long downhill section. A couple more undulations and it's back to Ilminster for the finish.

The nature of the course doesn't normally give many personal best times, however nobody told Graham Reeves who recorded his best ever 10k time of 40.25. It can't be long before Graham gets under the magic 40 minute mark. Next home was Nick Thorpe, a very unusual placing for him, in 49.10, his best 10k for some time. Sarah Warren was close behind in 51:00, after leading Nick at the half-way point. Claire Melbourne and Sandra Thorpe came next and were separated by just 2 seconds in 56.09 and 56.11 respectively. Claire is regaining her pre Edinburgh Marathon pace and Sandra was delighted after recently returning to running after a year's absence due to injury. Special mention must go to Val Hales who not content with running the Yarcombe Yomp on Saturday, turned up and raced again. She finished in 67.41.