Soon be Galsto
Summer 5k Series
Don't for get this week we have the AGM 5k Handicap followed by the AGM on Tuesday and then on Wednesday the Summer 5k Series so please help if you can, there will be more to do with us having no use of the building.
Chew Valley 10k
From Claire: Hot and hilly was todays Chew Valley 10k. Nice early run at 9.30am and we thought we were in luck with the weather as it was overcast and not too hot at that point…..soon changed! Running started along fairly flat roads..and the sun made an appearance. All were looking for shady sides of the road. The route should have felt easier than it did (weather was totally to blame ). Then we all new ‘the hill’ was coming up. Yep, about 5k in…there it was, and then there it was, and then still there it was, and then a little extra in case we missed any! Marshalls were amazing but need to stop lying and saying ‘downhill from here’ mmmm..not quite! Once hitting 8k there was the much spoke about downhill and boy, was it downhill….thought someone was going to have to catch me at the end…lovely medal, nice t-shirt, great organisation…fantastic event…..I am NOT doing it again!
Gold Omnium Challenge
From Matt: Race report only to be read while listening to the Rocky theme "Eye of the tiger" on repeat!
Relish Running Cheddar Gold Omnium Challenge - bit of a mouthful just to say it...BUT, you're ALL gonna want to do this next year!
Start with a Cheddar Trail Half Marathon. 13 miles of uphills so steep you have to walk, and downhills so steep you have to walk. Any flat ground you may find is littered with rocks the size of your fist, or bigger. Only one trig point to get to, but you have to do that twice after going to the bottom of the valley - did it in a watch-timed 2hrs 24 mins...worn out I was hoping Eleanor Ellie Damon and Gemma Murley were doing well, as they were also running and no doubt will have their own report.
Now you all know the weather from today, but we started with fog drifting across a field of thousands. It tried to clear up but remained muggy and the small spots of rain were only a tease.
Anyway, next was the 100m dash! Done in pairs with young whippersnappers from Somer AC doing their best to intimidate the rest. Oh to be young again. 100m on grass, dodgy footing, against the wind, and other typical excuses... Blitzed my pair partner in 19 seconds!
Next, the 1km sprint! In the same pairs but on undulating ground, and more than slightly uphill! The first 200m went well, then the legs said they'd had enough. Argument from the brain who said just to get on with it, meanwhile the body was getting the job done. Overtook one of the pair in front (30 secs ahead) and smashed 5mins 12secs.
Last event is the Hill Climb. 50m steep uphill, then 450m to the finish. 40metres and everything said enough was enough. Small voice from the guts said I could do it, so my battered body and I toughed it out for 2mins 21secs. Even the emoji is too tired to smile
I know people have done Relish Running events before, but its my second event with them this year and I'm VERY impressed with the organisation. Marshalls were brilliant and had well stocked and well varied refreshments, and at the finish. Thoroughly enjoyed my day and on the trip home even bought strawberries to round it off (the picture shows I've eaten at least a third of them!
Official results to come...
The Big Sea Ultra Marathon
From Taryn: The Big Sea ultra marathon around the isle of Purbeck done with Katie Stokes- very challenging but scenic and too many steps UP!!!
Sunday Runs
From Mags: Nice little trail run this morning. Great to see Tim and Honey on route, and we found Bungy half way in!
From Kev: Great Sunday social.
Morecambe 10km
From Terry: And so after the hills of Crewkerne the Exile headed back north for the latest Lancashire Races event, The Morecambe 10km. Great turnout with superb organisation as always. It was very hot humidity high but a slight breeze off the sea. I enjoyed it but the heat did impact the last few km as the breeze vanished. Finished in 55.43, , happy in the conditions.
Swansea Half Marathon
From Margarita: Oh my god! So last year I did Swansea Half Marathon and I thought I'll do it again this year and improve on my time. So I took my club vest to Swansea Half Marathon 2023 . It was hot, it was undulating, it was fun and I did it I got my second fastest half marathon! I'm so happy, as well as that I achieved my second fastest 10km and 5km alongside my fastest 10 mile. So happy considering it was a very hot and sunny race.
Park Runs
From Jo: Massive congratulations to Taryn on her 200th Parkrun today.
From Donna: She's also taken on the role as race director, and marshal etc, so has attended more than 200 parkruns!
From Kev: Lovely to Trevor Strelley at Poundbury parkrun and several YTRRC members.
From Lesley: International tourism this morning at Donaupark parkrun, Vienna. Three laps in a lovely local park, followed by coffee and scrambled egg.
From Adam: Hot Weymouth Park Run today.
PUB RUN – GALHAMPTON (8TH June 2023)
Fom Mark: On a warm and sunny evening we had seven in the not so fast group (Sue, Louise, JC, Elie, Lindsay, Rachael, and myself). Due to overgrown vegetation the fast group (Guy, Steve, and Gareth) ended up being slower than Phil. Leaving the pub we ran through the village and out past the manor house. Continuing, we ran on to Yarlington Mill farm. We turned left and then right, and ran up to Hill Ash farm at Woolston. Due to it being fairly warm, we decided on a shorter route than planned, so we made our way back via Corkscrew lane. Turning right at the end, we continued along Sandbrook lane and back into Galhampton. Afterwards we all sat round one large table out the back for the meal. It was good food. Thanks Phil for organising. The moral of the story is that off-road running this time of year can benefit from a recce run, as the vegetation goes into overdrive.
From Steve: Well tonight’s fast group pub run from the lovely orchard inn started promisingly as we headed out into the wild Somerset countryside and everything went very smoothly as we ran past some rare white English cattle on our way through the newt farms and popped up onto the top of the A359 near the wincanton castle Cary crossroads. After this things went slightly downhill after coming across a gurka security patrol and bungy gurka Bungy Williams wanted to stop for a chat but fortunately we ( Gareth Davies and I talked him out of this )and we continued on our merry way when we came across our first nettle strewn track which slowed the pace considerably, bungy gurka Williams ploughed on seemingly unaffected by the nettle’s while there was a lot of oohing and ahhing mainly from me I may add but after losing touch with our run leader I threw caution to the wind and made a dash to catch him up . By now I would imagine we had been stung around fifty times but then things went really downhill hill as we came to a field with no visible escape but deciding to take the lead I escaped the field through a gap in a hawthorn hedge and then after much searching we spotted a break in the electric fence but rather bewilderingly no visible footpath gate at first any way well that was because there was about six or seven feet of four feet high stinging nettles obscuring everything ( at this point or maybe through the hawthorns bungy gurka Williams picked up a cut to the arm which bled a little which was a real shame)!Battling on up a slight incline we now began to look for our next way out and it didn’t disappoint as the stingers made up a solid impenetrable wall around six feet high and although it was gareths turn to lead us through this nettle jungle he decided enough was enough and we took yet another detour. It was at this point he declared we were on a22 minute mile pace and this was just before we encountered our second lot of quiet angry cows anyway I ducked under the electric fence to sprint linford Christy like to the kissing gate to be confronted by yesss you guessed more out of control stingers while attempting to get over these I heard bungy gurka Williams ask me if I could please herd the cows away from my gate so he could try and escape the field but I politely declined so he had to go and find Gareth who had escaped through another gate way further to my right I then popped out onto the road and sprinted into the pub car park to come in first in the fast but slow but hopefully faster group next week possibly. Now I thought I had better apologise to Ellie Morgan as I delayed her departure by blocking her in . I have tried to count my stings but honestly they have all grouped together so it’s impossible to count them probably around a couple of hundred at least and my legs and arms feel like they are getting continually electric shocked and tingling. I can honestly say this pub run lead by the intrepid bungy Gurka Williams will forever live on in my memory and never be forgotten. For the blog please ps I think we managed seven miles in around 1hour 25 minutes lol
Released On 9th Jun 2023