With a prize on offer for the most festively dressed runner on Wednesdays’ club run, Sidmouth Running Club members excelled themselves wearing Santa hats, tinsel and fairy lights.
The bottle of wine went to Alexa Baker, who was leading the three-mile group dressed as an Elf; a naughty Elf as it turned out as she got distracted by the lovely light displays, especially around the Bennett Hill area and it turned into a four-mile run!
Luckily, the runners enjoyed the route and sang an impromptu rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, only to be mistaken for carol singers! Taking the 4-5 mile group, run leader Yasmin Salter had planned ahead and the group ran a perfectly well executed reindeer on Strava, as well as enjoying the festive lights along the way.
The Boxing Day run is a great opportunity for visiting family, friends and dogs to join the club runners and run off some of the festive food. Thankfully, the rain cleared before we set off by the Sailing Club, and ran up through the Byes to Fortescue, up Soldiers Hill, down into Salcombe Regis, back up to the Frog stone and gathered at the top of the grass of Salcombe Hill to get into formation to ‘Dambuster’ down the hill-quite a sight to behold as arms flap, goggles are worn, and the tune is loudly sung! The views were stunning in the sunshine and some hardy runners went on to have a Boxing Day dip!
Membership for Sidmouth Running Club is open for 2023, a friendly, supportive club with runs on Monday and Wednesday evenings with 3, 4-5 and 6 mile options and on road/off road options too.
There is a programme of Sunday morning runs in place for those wishing to increase their mileage ready for upcoming races like The 4 Trigs, The Blackdown Beast, The Grizzly and our very own Sweetcombe Scramble Marathon and JP’s Exe to Axe in April.
The SRC Juniors return from their Christmas break on Wednesday, January 11 and would welcome any child interested in joining the 8-11 or the 11+ year old groups.
There are a few spaces still available on the upcoming Beginners course, which starts on Wednesday, January 4 at St Johns School at 7.15pm. Who knows, next Boxing Day it could be you ‘flying down’ Salcombe Hill!
For further information on the Juniors, Beginners course, club runs, Sweetcombe Scramble marathon and JP’s Exe to Axe please go to www.sidmouthrunningclub.co.uk
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