RunThrough Battersea Park 5k
As she was passing through London for a day Jo Page decided to enter the RunThrough Battersea Park 5k. This race is well known for pancake flat fast route. It was a frosty morning but sunny which made for perfect conditions. Her aim was just to run as fast as possible and ignore her watch. She was shocked when she crossed the line saw her result. She broke her 5 year old 5k PB by 5 seconds running a time of 19:47! As well as a new 5K PB this is a new club V35 record and she placed second female V35.
Dartmoor Winter Traverse Run 30k
Lucy Gooding did not choose the weather when she entered the 30km Dartmoor Winter Traverse run by Climb South West. She had hail, wind, rain and glorious sunshine – the runners doing the 50km option even had snow!
There was also a 50km route that took runners from South Brent up to Meldon. Lucy picked the route up in Princetown up to Merrivale, taking in Roos Tor, Tavy Cleave and Chat Tor. Given the current weather conditions, it was very boggy underfoot.
The course was well guided but runners were required to self-navigate to an extent. Despite the difficult conditions she had a great day and came home after 5 hours and 28 mins.
Hameldown Hammer
Starting and finishing from Widecombe-in-the-Moor, the Hameldown Hammer half marathon is a challenging trail race, designed to be a serious test of endurance. With a total ascent of approx 750m, it takes runners over a series of well-defined, grassy, rocky and muddy tracks and through forestry glades. Most significantly, there is a double ascent of the Hameldown Ridge, renowned for being exposed and windy.
On a good weather day, the route offers spectacular views of the Dartmoor and its tors. Not so this time around! Runners were treated to driving rain and cold, windy and misty conditions and poor visibility throughout. After all the recent rain, the ground was completely saturated with standing water, flooded tracks and boggy, slippery ground. It was tough going!
This year, Claire Watkins was the only ORC running and was very happy to finish third female in 2:17.21 after what she felt was her most challenging race to date.
