Lemur Loop, Drogo 10 & Alton Towers Half Marathon

Lemur Loop

On Saturday, sole ORC Lucy Gooding took on the 10km Lemur Loop trail race based at the historic Cricket St. Thomas estate near Chard in Somerset. The 10km race is offered alongside a 12 hour endurance lap event. Lucy commented that the race was very hilly, muddy and wet underfoot but thankfully the sun shone throughout. As this was Lucy’s first run since the Cornish marathon last Sunday, she took it easy completing the route in 1hr 21.

The Drogo 10

On Sunday, three ORCs joined a field of over 400 runners at Castle Drogo in Drewsteignton for the challenging Drogo 10. This scenic 10 mile race is run mostly off road on woodland tracks and trails with stunning views of the Teign Valley; some brutal ascents; fast technical descents, and the infamous Hunter’s Path as the final climb! After the recent rain, the course was wet and muddy underfoot with further rain showers during the race. A heavy downpour at the finish sent the runners scuttling for cover! All ORCs had an enjoyable race and ran well with Claire Watkins first ORC home in 1:23:47 (first FV45), followed by Will Seviour in 1:36:45 and Claire Grubb in 1:38:44.

Alton Towers Half Marathon

On Sunday, sole ORC Jo-Anne Turner joined over 1500 runners for the half marathon at the iconic Alton Towers 500 acre resort in Staffordshire. The race is an undulating two lap course amongst the rides starting and finishing outside the ‘Towers’ and following paths and roads within the estate. After the race, the runners get to enjoy some time on the rides! Jo-Anne commented that the race conditions on the day were cold and very wet though the runners were spurred on by fantastic support from the marshals and supporters. She finished in a great time of 1hr 52.