Sidmouth Running Club chairman Terry Bewes has laid down the gauntlet again for the latest lockdown and this time round over 70 members have risen to the challenge.
Alongside Terry’s challenges, which are based in the vicinity of Sidmouth, run leader John Chesters has devised the OGLE (Ottery Group Lockdown Exercise) challenges for running club members living in the Ottery area.
These challenges involve check points and trig points, and it has been great to see on the running club’s FB page where the runners have been and what they have or haven’t found.
If you happen to look on the Sidmouth web cam early in the morning or later in the evening, you might spot a Mighty Green completing the lamp post challenge as set by club runner Christine Hellier. The challenge is to start from the flag pole, run to the first lamp post and return, run to the second lamp post and return etc, all the way to the end, approximately10k.
There is also an artistic challenge to run a route of 4+ miles that makes a recognisable picture on their Strava/Garmin. Entries so far include one from Yasmin Salter, an upside down outline of South America from David Welsh and a heart by Carol McManus.
This month sees the start of the beginners and improvers courses, which, despite the current restrictions, have commenced (virtually) with everyone signed up recording a bench mark run. The supportive club spirit is with them and we look forward to running alongside them when allowed.
The latest off-road route took in the Bowd, Harcombe Woods, Fire Beacon and Core Hill, and some realised reading instructions wasn’t their forte but Tim Swarbrick and Derek Blackburn did it perfectly, as did Bex McDonald and her intrepid family. Jenny Kay and Alexa Baker ran the route on Saturday morning following the heavy rain, which added two river crossings and a lot of mud.
Spring tides meant an opportunity to run along the sand in front of the Bedford Steps rock groyne, all the way to Lade Foot in the Chairman’s Special, running on the firm sand and in the invigorating sea.