AXE VALLEY RUNNERS: Golden Cap conquered

The event starts with a 3.8 kilometre swim, followed by a 112 mile cycle ride and finishing with the marathon distance run of 26.2 miles around very undulating routes.  

The weather added insult to injury, although beautiful for spectators the temperatures reaching high 20s was not appreciated by the athletes! 

Just to finish an ironman distant triathlon is a huge achievement, however both these veteran athletes seemed to thrive in their challenge.  

Swimming was their weakest event but Neil was out of the water in 1hr 11mins, well inside the two hour cut off time. The 112 mile cycle was Neil’s strongest event and he achieved an impressive 5hrs 46mins. Next, on with the running shoes for 26.2 miles.  Neil started the run in 18th position and had been anxious about a niggling knee injury. 

The undulating terrain benefited Neil; he was well up the field with a run time of 4hrs 52mins. For both Neil and David it was their first ironman distance, Neil had an amazing day out finishing in 11hrs and 49mins, 15th overall and first over 50.  David had also completed in a very impressive time of 13hrs and 44mins, 27th in his age category and 81st overall.

On a hot Saturday morning, the Otter Valley Rail and River Run 10K undulating multi-terrain run from Tipton St John attracted many good runners.  

At one point a Tesco delivery lorry blocked the lane, to the consternation of the fastest runners.  But this did not deter Axe Valley Runner Andrew Watson who, in his second 10K race, steamed home in 7th place in 41:11.  The only other AVR in the race was Harry Moore who completed in 1:53 winning the over 75 title.

The  Charmouth Challenge Fun Run was a circular 2.5 mile run which included the long hot climb up Stonebarrow Hill. The winner in the 150-strong field  was Ben Franklin from Southend on Sea AC.  

The first Axe Valley Runner home was Mollie Hansford  who came 13th in a speedy time of 19:42.  In 20th place was Liam McLean in 20:23.   Alex McCloughlin just pipped Joe Blackledge by one second, who was chased in by Max Bowskill in 22:56.   After a fast pace up the hill William Blackledge finished next in 24:28, followed swiftly  by his sister Chantel.

The 8 mile Charmouth Challenge includes an ascent of Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast. John Blackledge was the first AVR home, 54th in 1:10:09 followed by Simon Ratcliffe 76th, 1:14:25; Geoff Woodward 81st, 1:15:09; Clare Hansford 110th 1:19:05; Steve Reynolds 116th, 1:20:07; Mark Cary 125th, 1:21:07; Alison Bowskill 146th, 1:24:27; Emma Kiernan 162nd, 1:26:41; Anna McLoughlin 168th, 1:27:43 and Robin Carter 176th, 1:28:50.

Harry Moore ran the 3 mile Bovey Tracey Fun Run and was delighted to finish in 35:14, his best time for years. 

Following two enjoyable crossings of Dartmoor in the past year, Garry Perratt decided to up the game and go for a nocturnal jaunt. So at 10:30pm on Friday night, he left Ivybridge with Alex Todd and Kevin Hawker.

After leaving the old tramway near Huntington Warren, navigation along some of the moor's less distinct paths proved even more challenging at night and by Hexworthy they had made a couple of time-consuming mistakeswhich required bashing across country through long, tussocky grass to correct.

It wasn't a good night for Garry and by the time the trio reached Postbridge he was in a bad way and ready to call it a night but how do you get a pick-up from the middle of Dartmoor at 2am? You don't, so they took a break before heading on for the last ten miles. 

Being somewhat wobbly on his feet as well as exhausted, Garry only managed to walk the next stretch via Steeperton Tor and on to Hangingstone Hill but only lost the path once. 

Then it was almost all downhill in the daylight on good paths for which the three a half-decent jog to Belstone, glad to have completed the 32-mile challenge in just over their target time of seven hours, but not one they are likely to repeat in a hurry.

What’s Ahead For AVR

All runs 6.30pm unless stated otherwise.

Tonight (Friday 8th): Runfest Weekend. Absolute Beginners at the Manor Farm Camp Site. 

Tomorrow (Saturday 9th):  Blackdown Beauty, Culmhead 11:45 

Monday: Club Night. 

Wednesday: Improvers at Tramway car park. Speed Session Light Time Series Bovey Down. 

Thursday: Top of Park Road, Beer – off road.