Truro Running Club

Sunday, 20 May, 2012:
- St Austell Half Marathon (MTRS) (10:30 am)
- St Austell Marathon (10:30 am)
Saturday, 26 May, 2012:
- Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2012 (8:00 am)
Tuesday, 29 May, 2012:
- Cubert 5, GP (7:20 pm)
Wednesday, 13 June, 2012:
- Bude Lifeboat Run (MTRS) (all day)
Saturday, 16 June, 2012:
- Sticker 5, GP (6:00 pm)
Wednesday, 20 June, 2012:
- Meet Your Max (MTRS) (7:00 pm)
Sunday, 24 June, 2012:
- Lanhydrock 10m (MTRS) (10:00 am)
Wednesday, 11 July, 2012:
- Summer Turkey Trot, GP (7:30 pm)
Saturday, 28 July, 2012:
- Tywardreath Trotter (MTRS) (6:30 pm)
Monday, 6 August, 2012:
- Truro Ultra Sprint (6:00 pm)
Friday, 24 August, 2012:
- Trelissick 10k, MTRS (6:30 pm)
Sunday, 16 September, 2012:
- City of Truro Half Marathon 2012 (GP) (9:30 am)
Sunday, 14 October, 2012:
- Race for Wildlife 10k, MTRS (all day)
Saturday, 20 October, 2012:
- Rave Run - Goss Moor (9:30 am)
Sunday, 11 November, 2012:
- MBH Remembrance Run, MTRS (11:02 am)

The Grizzly 2012

This year’s 20m race over the steep cliffs and hills of Seaton in Devon was a memorable one for sure: Izzy bagged a hat-trick with her third win in 3 consecutive weekends and Andy, well, read on to find out why Andy won’t forget his first Grizzly in a hurry!

Living up to its name in more ways than one!

Sunday morning 5.50am and the alarm rings. A few bits of toast, bowl of cereal, early walk for the dogs and let the chickens out. My bag was packed last night and the number is already pinned to my vest. Collect Rob Pope just after 7.00am and a foggy trip to Seaton making excellent time. Park up, stroll to see where the start is and bump into a few well known faces along the way. The sun is coming out, the wind light and on the sea front the backdrop is spectacular. Shame we left the cameras in the car! Back to get changed, enjoy a cup of coffee, last minute pit stop and back to the start. Fearon, Mark and Lizzie are there, but Izzy is nowhere to be seen. Probably at the front. A theme for the day.

Andy Goundry and Rob Pope, The Grizzly 2012

Andy and Rob. (Photo courtesy of Mark Trebilcock)

The run has a reputation for steep hills, beach crossings and bogs so I claim I am just going to plod round and enjoy it as it is my first attempt. Many runners utter this at the start, but once the claxon goes it usually goes out the window. A few thousand at the start for the Cub and Grizzly races together so it’s a gentle jog along the road before being ushered onto the shingle beach for a half mile or so, then up the first of many hills to head out along the coast.

Let’s see how I feel after 5 miles and decide whether to push or not. 5 miles and no hills I have had to walk yet, this course isn’t all they crack it up to be!! Time to step it up a bit. 6 miles and a steep dewy decline with a sharp left turn. Lean forward, small strides and let yourself go. Ah, unexpected left turn, 2 summersaults, sharp pain to left knee and various calls of “9 out of 10 for artistic presentation” then carry on and look to enjoy the steep run down to the beach at Branscombe. Look down and spot a red shin trying to match my red new balance trail shoes. Good news, we run through the stream so a chance to wash it out. Cold, slight sting but excellent anaesthetic qualities. Cross the beach and wave at Mark Trebilcock and Fearon as they cross just behind me.

Now the hills inland start to increase and soon it’s into the woods, up and down various valleys and then at about 13 miles they finally send us through the bogs. A female Mud Crew member is screaming stuck up to her waist, several men are struggling but somehow I manage a fairly quick transition and off I go. Back to the coastline. The hills are getting steeper and the silver lining is definitely the descent the other side. The stairway to heaven feels exactly like that and explains my 14 min and 48 seconds last mile before a level run across the top and down into very sunny Seaton and a strong finish across the line.

Andy's Grizzly wound!

Izzy there to meet me and I find out she has won again in a magnificent 2 hours and 50 minutes which puts my 3 hours 16 minutes into perspective. Still I am delighted.

Now go to collect my cake, T shirt and get hosed off. So I thought. Instead a lady calls me over to the massage table. Ah Ha I think. Then she makes me sit down and goes to get the St Johns Ambulance people. I am whisked off to the medical centre but not before I get the fire brigade to hose off my leg and I grab my survivor T shirt! I am very well looked after, but not allowed to go back to the finish line as I need to let Rob know what’s happening. I am asked to leave my key and a message sent to Rob over the PA system. I am whisked off in an Ambulance to Honiton Hospital along with a poor spectator with a nasty looking head wound. Fortunately it’s not busy so I am stitched up quickly and after 5 trips back and forth to my car Rob eventually gets the message to collect the car key and rescues me from the hospital. A 2 hour drive home and the end to a very eventful day. Will I do it again?? You bet I will and hopefully next year. The course (which varies each year) is stunning and very tough, the marshalling superb and extremely friendly. A great day out.

Andy

Results

Open Competition

Men

2:25:44 Ceri Rees, Wildrunning
2:29:23 Allen Smalls, Colchester Harriers AC
2:32:38 Chris Sellens, Bideford AAC

Women

2:50:27 Isobel Wykes, TRC
2:59:43 Maria Powell, Clevedon AC
3:00:03 Clare Prosser, Wells City Harriers

Overall Results

Please find the results on-line on the Axe Valley Runner’s website

TRC Results

Position	Name	Time	Category	Position in Category
36 (1st lady)	Isobel Wykes	2:50:27	F	1
161	Andy Goundry	3:15:41	M45	40
469	Fearon Kelly	3:43:20	M40	89
670	Rob Pope	3:57:35	M50	82

Gallery

Official photographs

CTS South Devon Marathon

Home. Been sleeping. 27.6 miles, more than 7 hours and 2nd from last. Embarrassing? No. My name’s on the list – and there were about 7 DNFs. That’s the boring bit over with – as someone recently said “it’s about the journey, not the time it takes”, so what was my first marathon like? In one cliched word: awesome!

It was a very cold morning in Beesands with 20 mph winds – and heavy rain forecast for later in the day. I sheltered in the Endruancelife event marquee, looking around at all the lean and lithe runners around me. I was already wondering if I was out of my depth and the sea of muscly filled lycra did nothing to reassure me. At most of the races I’ve been to people are quite literally all shapes and sizes, and frankly you wonder how some of them ever manage to run at all (but they do – and, irritatingly, much faster than me). In the marquee at 8.30 that morning everyone appeared to be of a particular physical type: athletic. Pretending not to be intimidated by this I stuffed a couple of the free Cliff Bars on offer into my rucksack and headed back to the car with my ‘support crew’, aka my son Kim and his aunt and uncle!

Before I knew it the pre-race instructions had been given, one visit to the portaloos taken and we were off. I shuffled to the back, but being at the back of only a hundred or so people felt uncomfortable – I’m not used to seeing the way ahead, only crowds. The start seemed fast and by the time we came to the first steep hill, about 2 minutes away, I was already red faced. I hung on to the back of the group for a while, but the tightness in my achilles was already slowing me down on the hills and it wasn’t long before I realised I’d be running this race on my own.

The first 11 miles along the coast were difficult, people soon snaked off into the distance and I was yelping in pain on every tussock of grass or rock I trod on (lots). Soon I was asking myself if I could do this at all, then I was telling myself that if my ankle didn’t shut up I couldn’t. (Interestingly though I never once asked myself why I was doing this!) I made a decision: just walk when you have to, enjoy the incredible views and decide whether to go on or not at the first check-point (at around the 11 mile mark).

Rugged cliffs along the south Devon coast near Beesands, 2012

One of the 'easier' parts of the coastal path

The coastline in this part of Devon is especially rugged, the mud paths are red and the rocks often looked ochre. Every now and again I’d see glimpses of white sandy beaches being washed by the waves and kestrels hovering. It was just beautiful. Then, as I turned around a headland, suddenly I couldn’t see a thing. My eyes filled with water and continually streamed as I was battered by the full on head-wind, literally being blown off my feet at one point. My nose was streaming just as much as my eyes. Then the rain started to come in. I kept reminding myself of something Izzy had said to me “you’ve got a true grit and determination which many people don’t have”. Eventually I turned under a canopy of trees, where the path was soft and gentler on the ankles and the wind dissipated.

It was a relief to see the check point, but I was anxious that they’d tell me I couldn’t go on as I was taking so long. Reassured after a couple of cups of water and a 10 minute discussion with the marshals, I decided to try and make it to the next checkpoint as it was only 5 miles away.

As I headed on up a long bridle-path all the anxiety just dropped away. I plugged myself in to my ipod for the first time that day and enjoyed the softer, rain soaked paths under foot and the feel of the rain and wind on my face. Inexplicably life got much easier from here on in and I enjoyed every single minute of it. I had no more ‘can I do this?’ moments, no more ‘someone turn off the damn wind’ moments and finally seemed to settle into a rhythm that went with the flow.

Horizon gone - and I couldn't keep steady in the winds!

The rain was coming in hard, ice cold and horizontal, painful. Visibility had gone and I seemed to be shrouded in mist. Being alone on the course with no one in sight, trudging through appalling weather and with so many miles still ahead of me, you might expect morale to fall through my boots, but it didn’t. I was in a world of my own, calm, determined, in control (?!), but as I neared the next checkpoint my anxiety rose again, would they tell me this time I couldn’t go on?

Running past The Pigs Nose Inn at East Prawle, South Devon, UK

Passing The Pigs Nose at around 14 miles

As I came towards the village of East Prawle someone stopped and asked if I wanted a lift – no thanks! They pulled in next to the check point on the village green where a poor marshal looked soaked to the skin and freezing cold. She handed me a cup of water.

Out of nowhere I heard “come on Steph!!!”. My support crew had arrived, with beaming smiles, words of encouragement and one very big hug from Kim.

After another lengthy discussion with the marshal I declined her offer of a lift back and decided to head on to the next check point 9 miles ahead. My support crew headed a few metres away for lunch by a glowing fire at The Pigs Nose. The least we dwell on that the better!

At some point in my lonesome journey, I think after East Prawle, there was a very steep, very muddy field to go down. Hundreds of people had been down it before me and I could see their slide marks in the mud. It would probably have been easier to ski down than walk.

I’m always falling over and I like mud, so it was no surprise I was soon on my backside, laughing my head off like a child as I slid down. Then I realised there were two walkers sitting and eating a picnic, sheltering close to a bush. Needless to say they had full view

Up a narrow steep track I was passed by a couple of the Ultra runners as they neared the end of their 35 mile race, when I still had about 8 miles to go! I was, as ever, in awe; in my dreams I’d like to be just like them, strong, lean, tough and able to go on for miles and miles. (I’d better cut out the chocolate then…) I reached another check point where the marshal was frozen solid and sheltering from the heavy rain in the lee of his van. He directed the Ultras to the right, telling them they only had a mile and a half to go. After mucking about with water and getting more reassurance I went straight ahead, alone into the gloom.

“Do you know where the check point is?” a voice asked. I had no idea where I was (so was really grateful for the well signed route!) and told the man in the orange top I didn’t think it could be that far away. We jogged on together. I could hardly believe I’d caught someone up and that he appeared ready to hang around and chat with me. He was called Steve. He had an impressive marathon history. He’d done four last weekend. Yes. Four. Last weekend. He has a goal to be in the 100 marathon club, and expects to be close towards the end of the year. He completed 40 odd last year. I may have had to scrape my jaw up from the mud at this point.

I didn’t notice when, but the path had levelled out and we were running alongside a still lake under trees, protected from the worst of the weather for a while. Up at the next check point there was the first mileage sign I’d seen all day “congratulations 25 miles!”. Steve and I headed off knowing there was only one more steep cliff to climb before the finish. Steve could feel a blister coming, so I went on ahead along a sandy, gravelly path beside the lake before I reached a flight of steps that would take me up to the cliff path. I can’t quite believe it, but I was still really enjoying myself, and when I saw this I couldn’t help laughing…

As if!

Over the top I could see the marquee and the finish line, but it was obvious there weren’t too many people around by now. Jogging along the sea front I was greeted by the crew and a few marshals as I got close to the finish, encouraging me across the line. Kim suggested I should crawl across for a photo finish, but I was happy with this one thanks!

Crossing the finish line at Beesands, South Devon Marathon 2012

Woohoo!

It was an amazing run, obviously I wasn’t racing (chance would be a fine thing!), but there’s something deeply satisfying knowing that you have got the determination to carry on when so many others would have given up, if they’d even started in the first place. It makes you feel like you can do anything. Someone must have known that because when I finally got back home to Cornwall (and could stay awake for more than 5 minutes) I signed up for the 32 mile RAT race on the South Cornish coast this August!!!! Well, what’s another 4 miles or so?!

Won't be hanging these up for a while!

Saturday confirmed for me that I love running trails, not roads; that I want to run longer distances (10m +), not shorter; that I need to improve (substantially!) and need to avoid injuries… Maybe it’s about time I spoke to Rob or Kev for some proper advice!

Endruancelife were brilliant and I’d definitely run another race organised by them. But I especially appreciate the support that everyone at the club gave me, from sponsorship to kind and encouraging words - thank you so much!

Stephie x

Isobel runs for Cornwall

Isobel Wykes - superstar!!!

Isobel Wykes consistently takes prizes at everything she enters and has recently been selected to represent Cornwall in this year’s Peninsular Challenge.

The challenge is between Cornwall and Devon At the Plymouth Hoe 10 mile race on 19th February and Izzy will be part of the 4 woman team, which requires 3 to score. Other members of the ladies team include Emma Stepto of CAC, Naomi Tier also of CAC and Anne Luke of TT. The men’s team consists of Dan Alsop STA, Dan Nash ECH, Peter LeGrice MBH, Noel Kindon CAC , Colin Snook CAC, Justin Thomas CAC.

No doubt our very talented Izzy will make Cornwall, and of course TRC, proud – we wish her a fantastic race and will be supporting her all the way!

Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2012

Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th May 2012

Description

“On Saturday 26th May 2012 we will stage a 10km, 5km, two Junior Races, an International Breakfast Run, Mascot Race, a 5k wheelchair and 5k hand-bike race. On Sunday 27th May 2012 the full marathon, half marathon and team relay take centre stage. We are expecting over 30,000 entrants across the Edinburgh Marathon Festival weekend.

“The Virgin London Marathon ballot has been announced. If you were unsuccessful in the ballot you can get a guaranteed entry in the Edinburgh Marathon. Guaranteed entry is available until the entry limit of 12,500 is reached.”

Booking a place and Entry fee

See the EMF website for full details.

Tavy 7

Hana and Julie go to Devon!

Julie Johns and Hana Clitherow

It’s Sunday 23^rd October 2011, it’s not raining but it is blowing a gale….a very strong gale force wind, the sort you really don’t want to drive in, let alone run in. So what am I up to on yet another Sunday morning, I’m off to Tavistock with my good friend Julie to run the “Tavy 7”.

This is a special event for me personally, and I had desperately wanted to run it last year when I first got hooked on road races, but due to a fall out with someone or another, the race was cancelled. (Local politics I believe, that’s best left undocumented on our web page, as we can’t afford litigation!!)

The Race HQ was on Plaster Down, an area that was a Second World War army camp, but is now open grass land, where the public, sheep, ponies and cattle can mingle at ease. The setting is beautiful with gallons of unpolluted air and a stones throw from where my mother still lives, where I was married 27 years ago, where both children were christened and where my father is buried.

Anyway. Having popped into mother’s for a quick brew and two ginger cream biscuits, we drove up to the down where the instructions on the internet had said there would be plenty of parking, which we may have to share with the sheep and ponies……they were wrong there, the sheep were very wise and cleared off out of the way.

Then there would be a marquee for men’s and ladies changing, and safe baggage storage. Either I was going blind or I was in the wrong place, but I couldn’t see any marquees only an old Landrover with baggage written on a piece of card in it’s window. There was a table with large rocks on and piles of running numbers. The rocks being the only thing stopping the race numbers from blowing away. And guess what, that is what the marquees must have needed, because by all accounts they had been blown away.

Thank god it wasn’t raining!

Whilst waiting for the start, we happened to bump into several familiar faces from Hayle running club, and as it’s Julie’s second club, and I’ve sort of been adopted, we were then dragged into their team photo. We could really start a new category in the race prizes, for the person who manages to appear in the most team photo’s……that’s teams they don’t belong to. I did manage to sneak into Falmouth’s photo at the Launceston 10 earlier this year. Has anybody else tried this game and if so which team’s photos have you managed to infiltrate?

After a short wait in the Porta Loo queue, (They must have been nailed down thank goodness) it was off to the start (a 12 noon start) in the field next to where we parked our cars. There was a proper “Brooks” sponsored arch way to our left for the finish, but just a good old fashioned piece of tape to mark the starting point. After a countdown from 10 we were off.

I had chosen to stand towards the front of the crowd at the start line with Julie going further back, which for me maybe wasn’t the best idea as I kept being overtaken. This was so demoralising but to be honest what had I got to prove?

It was a left turn out of the field along quiet country lanes, most of which are hedge free, so the views if you dared to look were/are magical. The rain was still holding off, the wind was getting stronger, but it was behind us or to our side at this point. At Warrens Cross we turned right with a slight pull uphill past the base of Pew Tor, which I have to say is a great place to walk and to take in the views of the surrounding countryside. On a clear day, you can see right out into Plymouth sound.

We passed the kennels of the local hunt, which were not smelling too high today or sounding too noisy. At this point I saw my good friend Kevin (Best man at my wedding and god father to my daughter). Of all the places he had to stand, he chose the one, where I must have looked as if I was dying.

It had been a hard slog to this point, my body was protesting for no good reason and my stomach was demanding FOOD…I started to wonder if I would last the race. I waved at him pathetically, pulled a funny face and almost sprinted off.

It was then down hill slightly to the back of Sampford Spiney Church, where Kevin’s wife Jill cheered me on and where I said a quiet Hello to my Dad (he is buried in the grave yard there and I’m sure he was giving me a little push at this point). Must pause to wipe the tear away that is forming….silly me!

The Alpaca’s to our right had their heads up looking over the wall wondering what the hell was going on, and I expect hardly any runners would have even noticed they were there. Past Jethro’s fields we ran, still going gently down hill and I then spotted Alex my God Son out on his bike, obviously scanning the runners to see just how badly I was doing.We then took a sharp right turn by the common and before the cattle grid. This is where I knew we would have to suffer a hill. So a slow trudge up the hill followed by a large tractor and back to Plaster down and mile 5 was approaching. Thank god.

We then retraced our steps back to Warrens cross where we hit a wall so to speak. We were running into a head wind…head gale actually and it felt as if I was running on a treadmill/ in a wind tunnel, as I wasn’t getting anywhere fast. This was also a dangerous place to be, spittal wise, trust me, when the wind is blowing everything in your face, the last place you want to be is down wind of someone clearing their nose or throat!

There was only a mile to go, but by god it was hell.

I had wanted to do the 7 miles in under an hour and Belated birthday Garmin showed me I could, if the bl—dy wind would just ease. Mind you if it did, the whole field of runners would have fallen straight over onto their faces along with me.

I could now see the finish line in the field, the end was nigh and I crossed the line in 57: 36, a whole 38 seconds faster than my previous PB over this distance, so I was well pleased. I had achieved my target. If there hadn’t been the gale force wind, I think I could have finished at least 2 minutes quicker…….next year maybe or just in my dreams.

Goodie bag collected, cheered Julie across the line, then it was off to wipe down with a wet wipe or two…….NO showers when your race HQ is a field. Tea and cake, plus Snickers bar, and I was feeling a lot happier, but no race prizes for us girls I’m afraid….too many good runners out there. I did see Sharon Daw at the start, and even she didn’t get a mention, so I don’t feel too bad now.

So would I run this race again?……………YES, but then it is my home turf.

Would I recommend it to other runners…………Yes, you really don’t know what you missed. The scenery is wonderful….but I’m biased. All the sights of an off road event, without the mud.

Facilities………Porta loos very clean and no queues as such.
Parking…………Plenty, but should it have rained, Sidney Skoda with low profile wheels may have struggled to get in and out.
Goodie bag……I’ll keep the plastic carrier as it has Tavy 7 printed on it, and inside, it contained a “Brooks” technical T (fits nicely, looks good), a pot of “Ambrosia” custard, a bottle of water and a banana.

Only down point is the distance travelled to get there, but all in all, it was worth the effort, so come on TRC, give it a go next year!

Hana