City Runs Summer Series 5k
The Second Round of this series took place in Exeter on Tuesday evening. There are six races held throughout the summer months with the best four counting towards final placings. The two lap course around the Exwick Flower Pot Playing Fields runs North along the river, rises sharply to the turning point and travels back to the start to begin the second lap. Well known to regulars at this race the wind along the waters edge is quite often an issue. This time however conditions could only be described as perfect.
The two ORCs representing the club took full advantage of the weather. Claudine Benstead’s 100% age graded run stood out on the results list. Her time of 20.17 gave her F60 1st place. Well done to her! Paul Evison also had a fantastic run, achieving a time of 23.03 which earned him 1st place in his age category and a new M70 Club Record. Congratulations, Paul, and well done.
Bideford 10k
There were 837 finishers at Bideford for the annual Spring 10k on Sunday. Starting at the Quay the course crosses the Torridge over the historic Long Bridge and turns left up the short hill then onwards with mild undulations to Instow. Here at the Water Station the runners head for home along the Tarka Trail beside the river. It was certainly a warm one and sultry to boot. The Marshall’s at the Water Station were kept very busy.
Luke Stannus was 22nd overall leading home the clubs runners in the brilliant time of 36.43. Claudine Benstead took the F60 1st place in the very quick time of 41.08, Paul Evison came next in 49.05 M70 3rd place age category Club Record. Ged Fitzgibbon who battled with the heat followed soon after in an excellent time of 51.32. Vicky Bond followed her recent success in London with a very credit worthy 57.21 and Chris Fulford-Brown ran really well, off running for a month with knee trouble, to finish in 59.20.
Good running by all concerned.
Couch to 50km
Sunday saw the penultimate event in Robert Richard’s Couch to 50km programme. 10 ORCs took on the marathon which started and finished in Belstone car park. Running along the Oke Tor ridge, the first checkpoint at West Mill Tor gave the team a chance to rest and refuel before climbing to the summit of Yes Tor and High Willhays before the almost-vertical climb up Kitty Tor. The route passes Bleak House before heading down to the second checkpoint at the car park behind the Dartmoor Inn near Lydford.
The route continued over Great Nodden and over Sourton Tor before heading to the final checkpoint at the Meldon Reservoir. Runners then made their way back to Belstone through the bluebell woods, over the golf course, up to Culliver Steps and into Belstone village.
This was a first-ever marathon for Nick Marvin and Matt Grint and the first marathon in ten years for Simon O’Neill who has recovered well from injury, having completed the Couch to 5km with the club. Congratulations on a fantastic achievement.
Well done to the following runners who took part in the event:
- Robert Richards
- Ben Law
- Lucy Gooding
- Simon O’Neill
- Sarah Marvin
- Molly Marvin
- Nick Marvin
- Eddie Bragg
- Matt Grint
- Kathryn Volkelt-Igoe
The group would like to thank Robert Richards for organising the event and for his continued support and encouragement. The group would also like to thank Jacqueline Shields for supporting the event by providing much-needed food and drink for the runners at two checkpoints.
