News

Three Musketeers attended the new races – the Exeter Leukaemia Fund women’s 5k and men and women’s 10k at Bicton, near Exmouth.

Neil, Guy and Caroline had been kept waiting since before Christmas for this race when it was postponed due to the snowy weather until Saturday 22nd January.

However, the races were worth the wait. Caroline, in only her second race after the Plymouth January Jaunt through Saltram, was very pleased with her race and enjoyed it highly. She came 18th out of 61 finishers in 32min 37s – the winner finished in 18 min.

Neil was also very pleased with fantastic place (23rd out of 123 finishers) and his time at 50.37, (only three minutes or so slower than his January Jaunt time) – the winner finished in 40.29.

Both the 5lk and 10k race routes were trail races with a mixture of road and woodland and open tracks. The 5km had more road sections and the 10k only small sections of road.

The 10k would be familiar to those who have completed the infamous longer Bicton Blister race in the same area, but not as challenging.

All three of us would recommend more Musketeers take part as it is easy to get to, takes less than an hour to reach and is a pleasure to run.

We all said we were enjoyably distracted from the heat of competition by the scenery. Although many runners are not attracted to off-road races, these races do have the advantage of seeming to speed by faster than road races. This is because of the need to pay close attention to where you place your feet and to avoid tripping and to go in the right direction and due to the attractive rural scenery.

Running coaches also recommend taking part because they strengthen many parts of your body, legs and stomach, due to the need to keep a balance and for the ever-changing terrain and extra effort for harder surfaces such as mud or streams, stones and even crops!

By Guy

One of the harder off-road races to kick off the season took place in Dawlish – called Oh My Obelisk!

A lone Musketeer took part aiming to equal his previous time and managed to just about do it.

Guy joined about 150 hardy souls who ran through boggy and muddy woods, along muddy trails and about two miles of road out of about 11 miles in total to reach the Obelisk high above Dawlish and back.

The terrain is ever changing and never allows you to rest or get into any routine for long.

For those who like off-road (also called multi-terrain) this is a challenge or tough, but not extreme.

Although, muddy, it was the driest for a few years and also the warmest, despite a gale blowing in your face in the last hundred metres at the start/finish at the leisure centre.

There were few runners who had travelled further than South Devon, but clubs were represented from Cornwall and west Devon.

It is a well organised race with water stops and helpful marshals. There are numerous prizes awarded at a presentation and changing rooms at the leisure centre.

Maybe Guy might have some company next year?

By Guy

A flying start to the new running year from a good turnout of getting fitter Musketeers for the January Jaunt 10km.

Getting those rusty legs into gear were Bryan, Sharon A, Chris Andrews, Neil Williams, Guy, Darren, Louise, Michael, Kev, Caroline Errickson and Lynsey Wilson. The latter two completed their first ever races and seemed to enjoy the experience which bodes well for the future – they deserve congratulations.

This is not the fastest race and the route is largely what might be called a trail run. The course is rarely flat, with a short road section and had a slippery uneven surface with added ice and frost on a cold but dry day and a steep hill at half way.

But it is a good first race of the new year with scenic river and woodland scenery – if you can appreciate it while running and trying to keep your footing and not running into anyone and recovering your breath.

Sharon was again accompanied by her minders/bodyguards or coaches Darren and Bryan. She seems to be on course for her ultimate aim of completing her first ever marathon. Neil continues his fast progress with a typically committed 47.56min finish – only ten minutes behind the winner who finished in 37min.

Chris missed the start, having gone off on a long warm-up, but caught up again and used the event as training for his Dartmoor Discovery 32-mile run, having run to and from the race via home, so a long run for him.

Michael enjoyed his run in just under one hour, supported selflessly by Kev, another marathoneer in training. This caring sharing running is catching (well for some) with Louise helping Caroline on her debut race to a very good 61.45min finish. Her next 10km will be under one hour.

Then Lynsey finished in 67.42min which should encourage her for future races.

There is nothing like entering a race for giving you confidence. The atmosphere and competitive environment is stimulating and shows you how far your training is taking you and usually very rewarding physically and mentally.

By Guy

The all-conquering Musketeers triumphed again at another challenging race when they scooped prizes at the Eller race.

The ten-mile race in SE Cornwall is recognised as one of the toughest ten-mile races in the SW and therefore, only attracts a relatively small field.

Obviously, when the going gets tough, the tough get going – and set the standards.

Three trophies are now added to the Musketeers packed silverware cabinet – won by Sharon S (the beginners’/improvers’ coaching guru) and Rodney and Guy in their respective age categories.

The race is famous for its bad weather where rain and wind add to the challenge. Wind is the biggest foe because the route goes onto the high point of the Rame Head Peninsular and along exposed Whitsand Bay.

The race starts at Milbrook and runs along the estuary, the only truly flat part of the course, before climbing steadily for more than a mile and then mostly climbs until a steep descent round Cawsand before another long climb.

For once this race was blessed with fair weather and a moderate wind. Recent rain had, however, made the down-hills on the latter three miles of the race quite testing on the knees.

Runners who know the course would have been prepared for the last killer hill which should really be walked up as it is very steep and is very close to the finish – for which reserves of energy should be saved for a final burst over the finishing line.

Sharon did very well considering she is sacrificing her training to coach her prot̩g̩s Рnow they will be looking up to her even more star-struck.

Rodney seems to defy age and is putting his past injuries behind him. One his tips is to take a week off – resisting the temptation to continue to race beyond the body’s limits. He says the rest do him the world of good and this result proves that. It has also been a revelation to him and me that these so-called tough races seem to bring

best out of some of us – with times that compare very favourably with the Plymouth Half. If only we could replicate the grit and determination on that race.

Kev is also doing well, proving that being more selective with races is the best policy with him also. Having previously taken his dogs on races, this time Chris A left his dogs Bill and Ben with partner Tania for a walk and was able to post another success on his growing list of races without the hindrance of an extra eight legs.

The Musketeers are well established on the current racing scene and now the future looks bright with increasing membership and the stamp of approval for Sharon’s coaching and our training from the athletics authorities.

By Guy Boswell

Sharon the beginners’ and improvers’ guru escorted Julie Rhodes while Tracy also joined in the Seaton Valley 5 miles.

There had been worry the weather would hamper us because bad weather was forecast, but although it was wet and muddy on the five miler, this was no problem.

Sharon’s disciple Julie enjoyed her race and although she went off like a scalded cat was obedient enough to slow down under her coach’s wing and finished 35th out of 47. The muddy path along the river was picturesque, but did make it harder work than expected. So Julie not only has her first race under belt but also her first multi-terrain race.

Sharon’s aim was to allow her charges race experience, but within a training regime, ie take part in a race environment without the pressure and stress of competition that many of us feel sometimes holds us back in races. I know Sharon herself treats races like a training run in a mind game to avoid the pressure – and it does work, seeing her results!

Coming in just one second in front of the scalded cat was Tracy – not sure if she is a beginner or an improver.

Meanwhile, Chris Andrews and his two dogs Bill and Ben and I did the on-road ten miles. The honorary four-legged members had far more energy than the whole of the Musketeers combined and had to be allowed a run on Seaton beach while Chris rested his weary legs.

Speaking from my experience the ten miles is a tough course with little on the flat, but is scenic and enjoyable in an area of SE Cornwall little explored.

The race is well organised and the results were on the internet the same day – courtesy of Colin Bunting’s (Tamar Trotters) guest help. The café also provided free drinks before the race.

I would recommend it for anyone fancying their first off-road race – not too far and not too tough.

By Guy Boswell

Intrepid Musketeers Chris Andrews, Darren, Bryan and Guy tackled the new version of the Truro half Marathon.

All the talk in Darren’s car on the way down to the race was of the promise by the race organisers that the course would be less hilly.

However, that would not be saying much considering it is one of the most undulating races in the SW – ie very little flat and lots of hills throughout the course.

I and Chris were worried the organisers had taken the ‘fun’ or challenge out of the course, but the others were pleased at the prospect of an easier route.

However, after all this speculation Chris and I agreed at the finish that we had not been deprived of a challenge. Personally, I thought the course was probably even more of a test than before because of the major climb from the start.

The new course takes you up and up and up for several miles with little flat. Of course that does mean there is the respite of a downhill section on the way to the finish – so there were compensations.

Runners are also treated to lovely scenery along the river, just reward after the climb.

I guess the scenery might also have been a little therapeutic for Chris who was looking very pale and not his normal self in the car. It appeared he had been boozing the night before as part of his pre-race training.

Amazingly, whatever Chris had been taking seemed to have done little harm to his running and we were all amazed how well he did – which of course begs the question would he run even faster if we were stone-cold sober or would he benefit from a swift pint on the start line.

The organisers must have know his special dietary needs because the post-race goodie bag contained a tinnie of the local brew and before you ask — no it did not last long.

If beer is Chris’ secret then I’d like to know Bryan’s secret to his success. He did very well yet again and was a good example to the younger up and coming runner of the season – Darren, who was on form and could have done even better (his own words).

Truro is a lovely city and a good location for runners and supporters with good services at the beginning and finish and was well marshalled with a welcome bag of race treats. It would be good to see more than four Musketeers next year – sober or hung-over.

By Guy Boswell