Black Dawg Ultra
On Saturday morning 12 ORC’s took on their first challenge of the day of finding Black Dog, a tiny village near Crediton, before taking part in the Black Dawg Backyard Ultra. The event was organised by ORC Rob Gooding for the third year and is going from strength to strength, raising vital funds for North Devon Hospice.
Participants took on as many 6.2km laps as they could, only being able to complete a maximum of 1 loop per hour, every hour until they were either timed out (not back within the hour) or the offering from the on-site pizza van became more appealing than running!
Any time not spent running could be used for recovery back at the farm. Given the nature of all starting together on the hour, the ORC’s got to know each other extremely well and some will never look at each other the same way ever again!
There were some phenomenal distances achieved by the ORC’s: Claire Watkins (6 laps), Lucy Gooding (6 laps officially- timed out on 7th), Paul Trace (7 laps), Matt Grint/Rob Russell (9 laps; longest run for Matt and Rob), Rob Kelly (11 laps), Emma Jewell/ Izzi Davison/ Rob Gooding (12 laps; longest run for Emma), Chris Turner (15 laps, his longest run), Ian Duffield (14 laps-timed out on 15th), Deane Andrew (18 laps- timed out on 19th lap) and 3rd place overall.
Sticklepath Horseshoe Fell Race
Also on Saturday, several ORC’s, Paul Crease, Claire Thompson, Lorna Critchlow, Chris , Danny Heggs, Lou Duffield and Keeley Phillips, ran in the Sticklepath Horseshoe, a 9.6-mile self-navigation fell race across the moorland of North Dartmoor.
Runners need to pass through 6 checkpoints (Skaigh Warren, Belstone Seat, Belstone Tor, Steeperton Tor, Cosdon Beacon, and Skaigh Warren again), however they may take any route they wish to get to those checkpoints.
Claire said it was a great fell run with stunning views and some tough climbs. She said ‘it was quite a change from previous years as there were no wet feet this year! All the Marshalls were so lovely and encouraging. And as a reward at the finish, we were offered yummy flapjack and cider’.
Paul was the first ORC home in a time of 1:38:42 followed by Danny in 1:57:53, Claire in 2:13:19 and Lorna 2:38:58. Thanks to Lou and Keeley for sweeping.
City Runs 5k
On Tuesday evening, Sophie Casavieille-Lacaze and Paul Evison competed in the 5th race of the Exeter City Runs series. Consisting of 6 races, one each month starting in April, runners take on great flat, traffic-free 5km course consisting of footpaths and cycle tracks around Exwick Playing Fields and the River Exe Flood Relief.
Any runner who completes 4 or more of the races receives a series medal, with their fastest 4 times determining the winners of the series. Sophie and Paul both had amazing runs with Sophie gaining a new PB of 19:50 and Paul finishing in 24:06. The final race of this series is on the 1st of September.
Snowdonia Horseshoe via Crib Goch
This week, in preparation for the Dragons Fire (a challenging 2-day event covering over 100km), Emma Brock hiked and ran 50.5 miles, with 13,800+ ft of elevation over three days. Day one look her over knife-edge Crib Goch. Day two and three took her over the less visited, but equally as stunning and rugged Rhinogs and South Snowdonia.
Devon Open Track
On Sunday, Sophie was competing again, but this time on the track at the final Devon Open Track meeting. Sophie put in yet another outstanding performance to win the U16 1500m, setting a new PB of 5:02.
