The Exmouth Harriers in a group shot before a recent training session

Just five Exmouth Harriers raced on the Sunday before Christmas, writes Dave Eveleigh.

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Dawn Teed and Jenny Raynor-Wood were at the Torrington Christmas Caper in North Devon a multi-terrain event of just under 10-miles.

There was no rain during the race but plenty of water underfoot, knee deep and more in places and of course lots of mud.

Marathon training saw Teed finish just outside the top half of the field, not bad for a female runner in the 45-49 age category, her time being a highly respectable 86:38.

Raynor-Wood was 197th in 1:47:31.

There were 215 finishers with runners from Cornwall, Colchester and (giving the race international status) the San Domenico club (although based in Cardiff rather than say Central America), Germany and the Coogee Tri club in Australia.

There was also a Welsh presence at the Wellington Monument race.

Unfortunately for Exmouth runners Ray Elston and Jim Wyatt this was in the person of a very talented runner from Pontypridd who stormed to victory in the men over-70 group, though Elston and Wyatt did collect the prizes for second and third in that category.

This particular Wellington Monument is the obelisk atop the Blackdown Hills you can see on your right just before you reach Taunton when driving north on the M5.

The race climbs to the monument from the village of Hemyock on the other side of the hill before returning to a final nasty little drag up through the village which the overall descent leaves the runner unprepared for.

The event weighs in at just over 10km and this year’s winner was former Exmouth runner Tom Merson who covered the distance in 32:49, in the process beating a course record only a little younger than Tom himself!

There were 157 finishers. Ray Elston was 112th in 52:52, Jim Wyatt 138th in 61:04 while between them was Dave Eveleigh, 117th in 53:43.