Dalwood 3 Hills Challenge

Honiton Running Club had an excellent turnout for the local Dalwood 3 Hills Challenge last Sunday. This is usually a very tough mainly off road run with not 3 but 4 significant hills. Last weekend’s race was made even harder with the relentless rain over the past few months. There was extra mud at every twist and turn and fields were at saturation point. The run up Dane’s Hill is usually a little damp but this year it was more like a steady stream. Once runners reached the top, they had to fight against extremely strong gusty winds threatening to blow people over or at least off track. The race was won by local Axe Valley Runner Patrick Devine-Wright in the fantastic time of 1 hour 13 minutes. Honiton’s Kevin Hawker was 2nd following 3 minutes later picking up a cup, a silver plate and a bottle of wine.  It was great to see Ben Stone back racing for Honiton in such fine form coming 10th in 1:21. Chris Entwhistle finished next in 15th place in 1:24 with Alasdair Moffett next coming 23rd in 1:28. Richard Harvey managed to keep on his feet until a mile from home but ended up in the St John’s ambulance after literally being blown over. He still managed a great time of 1:29 in 24th place. Steve Davey was next back 4 places later with Bruce Strawbridge hot on his heels 4 places after him both being given the time of 1:31. Tom Bornet came 35th in 1:33. Mark Dallyn in 45th place led the next 4 Honiton runners home one place after the other and all within the same minute of 1:38. The other 3 runners were Judy Davey who was 1st lady back for Honiton, Tim Wigram and Howard Bidmead. These 3 runners had swapped position several times throughout the race. Ceri Oak was 2nd lady back for Honiton having been out of the racing scene for a while. She was pleased to have been able to compete coming 55th in 1:41. Esme Wilson followed shortly afterwards in 1:45 and 68th place. Mark Andow has also been off the scene sporting an injury and he was happy with his time of 1:51 and 76th place. Louise Crisp is fairly new to the club and only just made it to the start on time due to a road closure and although she found the race tough, she enjoyed it to finish just after Mark. Lyn Pike always finds this race great fun and was next back finishing 103rd in 2:02. She was followed by Pete Lyus who also always enjoys this challenge. He came 110th in 2:05. Completing the Honiton line-up were Wendy Williams and Carol Turnham who finished in 2:23 both delighted to finish and cross the line together.

If runners were too young to take part in the full race or didn’t want to take on the full Challenge there was always the 3 miles Mini Challenge. This was won by Alfie Devine-Wright, the son of the full Challenge winner, in a time of 23:48. Honiton was led back by Iain Ross who finished 7th in 28:24. Arthur Heeler-Frood picked up an injury and limped home in 10th place in exactly 34 minutes and John Burgess, who isn’t too young to take part in the full Challenge, finished 18th in 42:13 before walking to the top of Dane’s Hill to take photos.  There were 32 finishers.

Some of the younger offspring of Honiton’s main Challenge runners took part in the Fun Run. Jasmine Stone has recently joined the junior section and finished 6th with her brother Harrison in 11:44. Siblings Ben and Charles Entwhistle enjoyed the run before watching their Dad finish his race coming 13th and 17th in 14:47 and 17:18 respectively. The Fun Run was won by Cameron Bryson in 10:14.

For many competitors it was ideal training for AVR’s Grizzly in 2 week’s time and thanks must go to AVR for supporting the Dalwood 3 Hills. Thanks also to the land owners for allowing runners to churn up their fields even more and, of course, the providers of wonderful food back at the Village Hall and not forgetting the marshals who stood out in the rain and cold, some for a few hours.