Exe-rated runners!

Exe-rated runners!
The successful Harriers team, en masse, at the Erme Valley Relays, July 2013

Monday 12 March 2012

What a great Grizzly!!

Harriers looking fresh and care-free before the start of Grizzly 2012... enjoy it, that won't last!!

One of the most popular events on the South West running calendar is the Axe Valley Runner's organised 'Grizzly'. More than just a race, this event has developed an almost cult status for itself, inspiring people to write poetry and produce artwork based on their experiences of participating in it. This year its popularity surpassed all expectations as the 2000 entry limit was reached in about 3 hours!!

So what is this Grizzly lark? Well, it's an offroad run of about 20 miles in length and its route changes slightly ever year. Each year there is also a slight twist to the theme, with last year's being 'Valley of the Bogs' - needless to say, lots of the sticky-icky brown things featured on the course - and this year's 'Stairway to Heaven' - a reference to the jacob's ladders that the runners must climb on the cliff paths around Seaton and Branscombe. So this event is offroad but we are talking the most hard-core offraod imaginable and, as such, it always attracts the crème-de-la-crème off the trail running contingent.

It is also an event that is popular amongst the Exmouth Harriers and no fewer than 13 of them took part across the main Grizzly 20 mile event and the shorter 9 mile Grizzly Cub race. Here's how they all got on:

GRIZZLY (1523 finishers):
Dave Stone: 20th overall; 6th MV40 in 2.45.45
Jon Croome: 88th overall; 21st MV45 in 3.03.31
Richard Bishop: 190th overall; 46th MV45 in 3.18.59
Scott-2 Trigs-Jordan: 193rd overall; 68th senior male in 3.19.13
Lorraine Croome: 379th overall; 51st female; 14th FV45 in 3.35.32
Terry-the Dark Destroyer-Oldham: 510th overall; 23rd MV55 in 3.35.44
Katie Comer: 557th overall; 81st female; 43nd senior female in 3.49.21
Jean Cooper: 665th overall; 101st female; 21st FV40 in 3.57.28

CUB (473 finishers):
Caroline Pleasence: 12th overall; 2nd female in 1.10.08
Dawn Teed: 234th overall; 126th female; 30th FV45 in 1.48.04
Lorraine Gilson: 235th overall; 127th female; 17th FV50 in 1.48.08
Nicola Crook: 236th overall; 128th female; 45th senior female in 1.48.10
Jenny Wood: 237th overall; 129th female; 46th senior female in 1.48.12

Well done to Caroline: an excellent result on a tough course.
And as for these last four... well, they ran together, as you might have guessed, and made several "pit-stops" en-route to take photos, hob-knob with musicians and to generally not take the affair too seriously!!






Where's wally? ... Actually, there are 2 of them to spot!


They're away! Just 20 miles of hills to go!







Aerial action shot of Caroline Pleasence storming to the finish to claim 2nd female spot in the Cub race

Here come the girls!






Life's a beach for our Katie!

Jean Cooper proudly shows off muddy war-wounds at Branscombe!






Musical interlude... no, really, they did stop off mid-race to listen to and take photos of this band!












Jon Croome pushes on through Weston village






Dave Stone still looking strong 17 miles in at Branscombe






Rich Bishop prepares to tackle yet another hill!

"Medic, medic"!!







Job done: cheers!

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