ON Saturday Bere Alston Trekkers Andrew Bowden and Heather Lee travelled to Combe Martin to take part in the Exmoor 50, a 34-mile run on the South West Coast Path.
Starting at Combe Martin and finishing in Minehead, this section is more sheltered than other parts of the 630-mile path and boasts the longest. Its highest point on the coastline is at Culbone Hill (433m) and the highest sea cliff, Great Hangman (244m). It also offers dramatic views across the Bristol Channel to the Welsh coast and Lundy Island, Hollow Brook — one of the highest waterfalls in Britain which drops 200 metres to the sea and passes through Lynmouth and Lynton. Andy finished the gruelling race in 8 hours 35 minutes.
On Sunday BATs were involved in the Plymouth 10k followed by the Plymouth 5k. The race started and finished in the city centre with a route out along Exeter Street onto the Embankment and back again.
Five BATs ran in the 10k, several securing personal bests, including first two BATs home Jim Medhurst in 52 minutes 16seconds, Tanya Argue 53.18, followed by Debbie and Paul Ashton 59.55 and Teresa Vincent in 1.19.56.
Kelly Shaw ran in the 5K finishing in a time of 35mins 42secs, but more importantly finishing the Couch to 5k that she started in January. Kelly’s journey to this 5k has seen her take part in the London Marathon (running for the Teenage Cancer Trust), a half marathon and several 10ks, including the BerePen10.
Donations can be made to Teenage Cancer Trust on Kelly’s virginmoneygiving page https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/KellyShaw9
Also on Sunday, Andy Cowden took part in the Congleton Half Marathon around the lanes of Cheshire. Known as the ‘Sting in the Tail Half’ — it features a nasty short sharp shock of a hill near the end.
Andy was helping to pace another runner to a successful sub two hour PB target and they finished in a time of 1hr 59mins 51seconds.