Compared with recent weekends, it was a relatively low-key weekend of running for Exmouth Harriers to begin May, but there were still some great times, especially from Cathy Newman.
James Kelly kicked off the club’s running at Offwell Village Hall in the East Devon 1/2 Round Ultra Trail Marathon at 5.30am. After completing 35.5 miles via Axminster, Lyme Regis and Seaton with over 5,000 feet of elevation gain, James finished at Blackbury Camp (north west of Seaton) in 5 hours 53 minutes.
A further 33 Harriers started in eight different Parkruns around the UK with 25 of them running in the Exmouth event and nine volunteering for roles at Exmouth, including marshalling, time recording and results compilation, as it is only the work of volunteers that makes the Parkrun possible.
It was a perfect day for running 5km and a number of Harriers set personal best times but, once again, Cathy Newman’s performance was the ‘run of the weekend’, finishing in 20th position overall in a new Exmouth W60 record time of 19.17, giving her an age-graded percentage of 99.22%.
Cathy now leads the 2022 UK W60 Parkrun rankings and is only 13 seconds off being the fastest all-time UK W60 Parkrunner – a magnificent achievement.
Mum Nicola and duaghter Alice Kelly ran together to complete the Dubrovnik 1/2 Marathon in 2.08.19. The route took the runners along the historic main street ‘Stradun’ in the heart of Dubrovnik old town before they then explored the scenic Croatian waterfront, finishing this most picturesque of races back on the ‘Stradun’.
Three Harriers travelled to take part in a new 10km race in Uplowman, near Tiverton. The route was a single 10k road loop with approximately 100m elevation on a mix of fast roads and rolling Devon lanes, passing through the fabulous little hamlet of Craze Lowman.
Nathan Sheehy was first Harrier to finish in third position overall and in a new personal best time of 36.28, Jenny Reay was next to finish in 38th position in 46.42 and Jimmy Joy in 59th position in 51.15.
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