The Grizzly

Some time last year in a fit of madness Jill and I decided to enter the 'Grizzly', so on Sunday morning we set off picking up Richard on the way and headed for Seaton. Richard was doing the 20ish mile, but we had decided it was not a good idea, as we hadn't put in training and would just do the Cub run, 9ish miles, instead. We arrived at Seaton, and the sun was shining, ("what happened to the bad weather report") just after 9 o’clock, found a parking space and headed for the HQ to change our numbers for the Cub race. In the HQ we bumped into Tony, but no sign of Ian or Jo, but as you will see from the results they did run with very respectable times too.

Then it was down the beach, not for a swim, but tried to keep warm before the start, after the mandatory photo-call, we were off. A nice slow start, well for me and Jill anyway! no sign of Jo, Ian, Tony or Richard, they were gone! sprinting away at the front of the field. We struggled against the wind out along the beach for about half a mile then turned back, a bit more beach, then back through the start with some people already walking, (a long walk if your doing the 20! we thought). We headed up the first hill out of Seaton and made are way down into Bere, then another hill climb out of Bere, at the top we ran through a campsite and to are surprise there was a loan piper. So of course we had to have a photo, on we go a few more hills, along the ridge with a very strong wind, making it very difficult to run in a straight line. Then it was down into Branscombe and to our relief we turned back along the beach, while the full Grizzly runners carried on up the very steep climb out of Branscombe and disappeared into the mist and sleet which had just started by this time, but didn’t last very long. We ran along the beach for a half mile, then up the stairway to heaven! or as Jill called it, the stairway to hell. When we eventually got to the top there was a very strong wind which blew my most important piece of kit, (baseball hat) across the field, which raised a few laughs! as I raced after it, the quickest I run all day. At this stage Jill was running really well, so I said you go on and make up a few places and get a good time, which she did and really enjoyed it, as you can see from the results, finishing well ahead of me. Jill reckoned it was easier than the, "Terminater".

We both enjoyed the race very much, but maybe we wouldn't be saying that if we did the full Grizzly, as Rich pointed out the 20 miles was very hard this year, he was suffering and he had put in the training. Well done to everyone who took part from the club a very enjoyable day, (see results on the website), we even had time to have a lovely roast dinner in Trotters Duncan.

"Keep On Running"

Chris