Mounts Bay Harriers

The 2010 Cornwall Road Running Grand Prix kicked off with the newly named Stormforce 10, previously The Blaythorne, mostly the same course but the biggest difference had to be the Race HQ - 100% better.

I understand that The Blaythorne Club put up it’s membership prices and Carnies, fed up with sub standard conditions and shabby surroundings up and left! let this be a lesson to some who may try and extort the runner!

Our guest runners today were Andrew, who I haven’t seen for about 27 years (we were in the same class at school together before he moved to Australia) and Hugo, which is Becky Brooks other half.
The race HQ was laid out perfectly, tables and signage provided to all clubs with club entries, tea, coffee and refreshments on sale, a flashy computer screen thing, music, loads of toilets and changing - probably the best HQ on the GP circuit - Well Done Carnies
Onto the race…………..397 finishers, including 36 Mounts Bay Harriers (2 guest Harriers, Hugo & Andrew) quite a walk from the school to the start, which has always been the start! Young Geoff Letchford on hand taking a few snaps as he’s done his calf again and not running (or was it the fear of something over 10K that persuaded him not to run?!)

That first mile is soooo fast I tried to hold back as after my ‘broken’ ankle episode 5 weeks ago I was looking to do 13 miles (yep another 3! VLM training plan) at 8 minute miling, loads of pills and cream and I was OK. Coming up to the first mile mark I look to my left and there’s the Mrs! what a 7 minutes! we were both gonna pay for that. I eventually caught Charlie and shamefully sat on his shoulder for 6 miles (sorry Charlie) Everything was going well with the ankle, until we got to the Leedstown bypass! a branch off left, off road farm track, that cuts out all the village. The uneven ground played havoc with the weak ankle and I dropped the pace so I could concentrate and try not to turn the ankle.

Charlie and I caught Rachel and were soon into the last 4 miles, we were reeling a few in but looking at my watch we were running more like 7 minute miling than 8 - I’ll learn!

The finish was roughly the same, with that bloody hill before a nice downhill stretch to the finish (thank god that rabbit warren bit is no more) so how’d we do?…..

7 0:57:35 ROBINSON, Michael
31 1:04:17 WALKER, Jason
32 1:04:17 SANGER, Phil
34 1:04:35 MILDREN, Andrew
41 1:05:24 DOYLE, John (3rd MV 50-54)
46 1:05:44 HUTCHISON, Don
47 1:05:45 HICKSON, Andrew
73 1:08:58 TAYLOR, Nicky (2nd Female under 35)
74 1:08:59 STEPHENS, Alastair
76 1:09:12 OMORI, Mark
84 1:09:47 HILL, Nancy (3rd FV 40-44)
105 1:11:40 MATTHEWS, Ian
108 1:11:58 HOLDEN, Charlie
135 1:14:05 TRESIDDER, Rachel
146 1:15:34 PETTIT, Hugo
156 1:16:17 HOOPER, Paul
174 1:18:58 MARSTON, Jeremy
177 1:19:22 HIBBERT, Clive
182 1:19:41 TAYLOR, Sue (1st FV 55-59)
188 1:20:23 LAWLEY, Sam
215 1:22:53 BROOKS, Nick
222 1:23:42 MCNEVIN, Philip
231 1:24:46 PERKIN, Sam
247 1:26:50 WEBB, Helen
266 1:29:58 BURROWS, Robert
267 1:30:14 KANE, Duncan
270 1:30:23 ANGOVE, Paul
278 1:31:34 MASON, Zoe
279 1:31:42 PETERS, Trina
311 1:34:34 SQUIRE, Mark
315 1:35:42 JOHNS, Michael
320 1:36:09 TREWHELLA, Chris
336 1:38:00 MATTHEWS, Susan
343 1:38:56 JOHNS, Gillian
355 1:42:15 STONE, Jackie
369 1:44:10 KENDALL, Helen

(Full results HERE)

Special mentions to Mike for finishing once again inside the top 10, John Doyle, the only MBH male who won any silverware, Nancy Hill, Nicky and Sue Taylor for age group placings, but best of all, the MBH ladies team, a fantastic 3rd place!!! the previous three girls plus Rachel Tresidder. As a club we also achieved 18 new PBs for the 10 mile distance (Nancy by over 9 minutes) Cracking runs from Andrew, Phil, Jason and Don - I’m sure we must have got 4th male team?! Biggest respect of the day for me must go to Helen Kendall, who ran the furthest she has ever run and put in 110% effort - so much so she was physically sick at the finish - RESPECT!

I went on to do another 3 miles, (and a turbo session when I got home) so pleased with todays efforts - thanks to Sam Hill for his support, popping up on his bike to cheer us on at various points (he then went home and did his own 13 mile run!)

Thanks to Carnies for putting on a great race and an especially big thankyou from my Mrs who said it was the first race where she was able to have some cake as you put on gluten free!! that’s extra brownie points!

Marathon training continues next Saturday with a 14 miler from the school at 9.30am (has to be the Saturday as it’s our Awards & Presentation evening on the Saturday also)

3 weeks till the next GP, The Mounts Bay 10K, 7th February, club entry is in, if you’re not on this list there’s still chance as I heard Hayle say there are about 100 places still left, but get the entries in quick as it will fill this week.

Link to the Cornishman HERE

Results HERE  - Photos are now HERE (inc spectators!)

When we first arrived to set up registration the sea was just off high tide.  As the picture shows, the start line was under water!

Luckily the race didn’t start until 11.02am and so it had time to start going out.

We had  37 pre-entries and exactly the same amount entered on the day.  Seven no-shows meant that 67 competitors took to the start line.

When the whistle was blown for the two-minute silence to start, the competitors were spread across the beach.   There weren’t many on the actual start line (which had been raked on the beach).   An air horn was blown to start the race and this mass of red went off into the distance.

The runners had to run the length of the beach, as far as the tide would allow, crossing rivers and climbing outlet pipes, contending with soft sand, shingle and seaweed, on their way to the turnaround point at the wooden bridge near Penzance Station.  A distance of approxiately two miles.  A nice brisk head wind made life a bit more difficult for them!  Then they had to re-trace their steps back to the finish line.

Out in front for most of the way was James Waldie of Cornwall AC and hot on his tail was Mike Robinson of Mounts Bay Harriers, but by the time they crossed the finish line roles had been reversed with Mike winning  in 27:34, eight seconds ahead of James in 27:42. 

In  third place was James Trubridge finishing in 29:11, a minute and a half behind Mike and James.

For the women, Jenny Almey of Cornwall AC finished 14th overall and first female in 35:17.  Second, was our own Wendy Scott in 37:12, with Janet Ritchie of Carn Runners taking third in 37:32.

The event was organised to support the Poppy Appeal and all runners had a poppy pinned to their number.  The majority also wore an item of red ranging from t-shirts and shorts to Santa Claus hats, Union Jack shorts and Captain Invincible outfits!

Many thanks to all the local clubs that supported this event - Cornwall AC, Newquay RR, Truro RC, Carn Runners (REPORT), Falmouth RR, WRN and Tri Logic, who brought with them their support team who had cycled over from wherever to come and watch (and eat cake!)

A huge thanks to Mounts Bay Sailing Club who let us hold registration in their club house and who provided a vast quantity of tea, coffee and cakes!

Mel and Leanne were there taking photos on the finish line.  These will be available on their website later www.slamshots.com

Other Mounts Bay Harriers finishers were:
Geoff Letchford 30: 35 and second over 40
Kyle Kearey 30:54
James Taylor 31:07
John Doyle 31:17 and third over 40
Nick Brooks 36:12
Arnaud Ruetsch 36:26
Charlie Holden 36:40
Duncan Kane 38:11
Zoe Mason 38:40 and third female under 40
Rob Burrows 39:34
Phil McNevin 39:59
Mark Squire 41:13
Eve Lay 48:50

And not forgetting all the marshals that turned up!  It was great fun watching Mark O and Ronnie J trying to rake up all the seaweed so that the finish area was clear!!  Many thanks to all of you.

A flat, 10 mile (well, just under) multi-terrain race based at Kingsteignton in Devon, incorporating the picturesque Stover Park.

We travelled up the day before in the motorhome with the dogs and was allowed to stay, free of charge, in the car park of the Passage House Hotel who were sponsoring the event. 

At 3.30am the heavens opened and didn’t stop for the next six hours.  The wind started blowing a gale and we thought we were going to be in for a rough run.   By 9.30am everyone was dressed for winter running, with waterproofs, thermals, hats, gloves, etc - and then, at 9.45am, everything calmed down, the rain stopped and the sun came out - it was like a Summer’s day.  It was then a mad rush to take all the layers off and just get down to shorts and vest.

Graham and I were the only ones running with dogs.  Most others had looked at the weather when they got up and decided not to take their pooches with them.  The dogs thoroughly enjoyed it, and slept all the way home afterwards.

It was a lovely 10 mile run - 2 miles of road, 5 miles of fields including Stover Park, 2 miles of road and finishing with 0.7 mile off-road around Hackney Marshes (not the ones I grew up with, which were covered with football pitches!)

There were so many marshals - club members, police, cadets, family - very well organised. 

From the west of Cornwall, there was one Carn Runner (Janet Ritchie), two Harriers (Graham and myself) and three Hayle Runners (Frank, Paul and Dave).  There are other races out there apart from the Grand Prix that are well worth doing (like our Remembrance Run next Sunday!!)

Results HERE

Just over 100 runners turned up for this race today of which 5 were Harriers - Geoff Letchford (40.12), Andrew Hickson (40.53), Ian Matthews (43.04), Trina Peters (56.00) and Yvonne Turner (52.50) (and Graham Storer (48.52), although he was wearing that horrible yellow and green vest!)

Ideal conditions for running - there were even a couple of blokes carrying a Shelterbox, and they didn’t come last!

Adrian Ball of Cornwall AC took first place (36.35) with Sean Milford of Newquay Road Runners (37.32) in second place. For the women, Juliette Knowles of Cornwall AC (42.48) was first - finishing just in front of Ian!

There were only prizes for first in the age groups.  Geoff L picked up first in the 55+ and Trina first in the 40+.  The rest of us made up the numbers.

A nice, low-key event. One to put in your diary for next year.  The course is “undulating” but comfortable.

All funds raised went to the Shelterbox Appeal. 

Thanks to Sam Hill, who rode upon his bike and cheered us all on!

Wadebridge sprint triathlon, the last of the season, was attended this year by a few Mounts Bay Harriers but diminished numbers compared with other years due to the amount of events running on the same day, notably, Eden marathon and half marathon, Birmingham half marathon and the masters swimming.

The Mounts Bay team performed well. Results were Liz Prady 1st female in age category, Rob Burrows 2nd male in age category, myself 2nd female in age category.

Liz, Marie and Me 1st female team, and strong performances from Jason Walker and Phil Sanger getting in the top 10 in a competitive mens race.

The goody bag had a t-shirt, lucozade drink and I had a aquasphere holdall type bag which is great for a wetsuit bag so I thought it was pretty good really.

It was an enjoyable day, though there some problems with how the event was run and organised.

Everyone had to have there bike racked by 12 noon. However, due to the fact that they ran the swim in waves rather than filling the lanes as swimmers left, it meant that some of the later competitors were then sat around for 2-3 hours before starting. Not ideal for the nerves!

The course was fairly well signposted but there was a distinct lack of marshals and some of the lads taking finish times just weren’t even looking as people crossed the line! Maybe this, again, could be down to the fact that due to the swim waves the event was dragging on and on and they’d be stood in the rain for hours.

The weather on the bike was pretty awful with a strong head wind all the way out, rain and thick white mist and heavy traffic but speaking to most people, the rough elements were thoroughly enjoyed although it did cause the local police to have some concerns over safety as most competitors were without lights.

The run is great, down the hill out of transition along the Camel Trail and then a final hill back to the finish - quite enjoyable if not a little muddy.

The results, unfortunately, were a bit of a mess, down to the poor organisation, problems with swim waves and competitor numbers etc. Karen and Cris have tried to rectify these as much as possible.

This is the 3rd year I’ve raced Wadebridge in a row and I would definitely look at next year, though I do hope they sort out how the event is run.

Sam