On Saturday ORC’s Robert Kelly and Andrew Vallance headed to Exeter to compete in the Exeter City Community Trust Half Marathon. This two-lap race is a great, traffic-free, relatively flat route run along the footpath and cycle track of the River Exe and Exeter Canal. Traditionally timed to help with training for a spring marathon, this event is the perfect way to test your training or simply challenge yourself.
Conditions were a little breezy at the start, but generally very good for February. Rob was looking to build on his brilliant effort at the Storm Force 10 miler a few weeks ago and Andy was racing for the first time this year.
With official results not yet confirmed, Rob was delighted to come in with a watch time of 1:17:29, an improvement on his PB by over 2 minutes and in 7th position overall. Andy’s watch didn’t record from the very start, but he came in at around 1:21, making good progress in his training.
The event also took place on Sunday, open to all with an extended maximum completion time of 3 hours. Garry Letheren took part in this race, with the weather taking a turn for the worse from the day before with wind and rain. He was happy with his time of 1:45:41, not his fastest, but he was using this race as part of his training for a marathon in April.
On Saturday night Angus Farrelly headed up to Saunton to take part in the Dark Skies Night Running Series. The winter 2021/22 ‘Dark Skies’ series consists of seven events spanning from Brean Down in Somerset to Baggy Point in North Devon.
Angus was competing in the Assault on Baggy Point, which is a long 10k taking in 2 loops of Baggy Point. It was very wet and windy, but Angus ran well and came in 35th place in time of 1:07:16.
Sunday also saw ORC’s Joe Lane, Stuart Page and Stan Wood headed to Redruth for the latest and penultimate in this series of Westward League Cross Country events, held at Redruth School. This is a series of six cross country events which take place at various locations across Devon and Cornwall throughout the winter.
Joe finished the 4.4miles in 34:03, a career high for him in 47th place. Stuart was not far behind in 71st place.
Stan finished in 6th place in the U15‘s, an excellent result, especially with the amount of mud on the course (and taken home!)
Excellent running from the ORC’s again – well done to all.
