They think its all over... Friday 25 March

So, who would have thought it?

Grizzly runners out on the road again.  Derek and Julian joined Dotty and runners training for the London Marathon, for a long (19 mile) Friday afternoon run!    

THE GRIZZLY - SUNDAY 13 MARCH 2011

Team Grizzly ready to go

Firstly, thank you to all who have followed Team Grizzly over the last few months. Your support and encouragement has meant a lot. 

So, we did it. The Grizzly, "Valley of The Bogs" 2011.  Described by the Axe Valley Runners as "Twentyish muddy, hilly, boggy, beachy miles of the multiest-terrain running experience you will find this side of the end of time":  This is no exaggeration!

The Grizzly Mud

The course was the hardest yet for the Grizzly event. The route took us along shingle beach, cliff paths, woodland, thigh deep bogs, farmland, river crossings, private gardens and through the front of a pub!  Encouraged by musicians and entertainers playing and performing all along the route.  





 



So what highlights then?  

• Dotty's disappearance into a bog only to emerge with mud appearing in places mud just shouldn't reach
• Hannah's slippery exit from the bog at mile 15

Becky striding forth

• Julian stopping at a water station then joining a folk band for a quick tune
• Becky's champion off-road performance
• Finish and hose down by the fire brigade!

Dotty nearing the end

All in all a completely bonkers run...











Sadly, two of the original eleven runners were unable to join us.  But, nine of the Grizzly Bears completed the race, with respectable finishing times.
Ben Wilcox             5:00:14
Derek Hicks           4:55:24
Dotty Allan             4:18:57
Hannah Colston      4:20:49
Jim Davis               4:36:58
John Bills                4:25:42

Julian Setterington   4:24:40
Martyn Williams     4:49:20
Rebecca Mingo      3:54:31

Who now wear their Gizzly "Survivor" T-Shirts with pride!

Julian makes it home

Special congratulations go to Becky Mingo, who was the second athlete home for Tavistock Athletics, with Hannah Colston taking third place for the Tavy Runners.  Dotty Allan was first home for the Bere Alston Trekkers with Julian and Derek following along.

Shower for a bear?

Bideford Half Marathon (Sunday 6 March)

So, today was Team Grizzly's last Sunday training run before the "main event".  Five of the bears, (Dotty, Rebecca, Hannah, John and Julian) caught up with the "smell of competition" by taking part in the Bideford Half Marathon.

Some fantastic times for the distance were recorded, with personal bests being acheived!

Two special messages of congratulation need to go to:

Rebecca - 1hr 32min 57secs - winning trophies for a category place and member of the fastest female team to be placed.

Dotty - 1hr 41min 25 secs - broke the Bere Alston Trekkers Club ladies' record by four minutes, achieving a simultaneous personal best!


This time next week?

Two Weeks to go...

Only two weeks to go.  John, Becky, Hannah and Julian were out at Burrator Reservoir this morning.  All completed 5 laps of the perimeter road, running just under 20miles in the process.  The four Bears were joined by members of TACs (Tavistock Athletics) and BATs (Bere Alston Trekkers) training for the London Marathon, the Duchy 20 and the Tavy 13 among other events.

Next week, Team Grizzly Bears will be taking part in the Bideford half marathon.  This will be the final big training event before The Grizzly itself, on 13 March.

Grizzly Bears play hard in 10 mile races (Sunday 20 February)

As an alternative to the Sunday training run, Derek, Becky and Nicole ran in the "Oh My Obelisk" and Plymouth Hoe 10 mile runs.  Well done to all three for acheiving good times in the off-road Obelsik and on-road Plymouth Race. 

12 Across and 2 Down ( a run across Foggy, Boggy & Soggy Dartmoor)

The Grizzly Three ready to go!

Three Grizzly Bears (Hugh, Dotty and Julian) joined the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Plymouth)'s 12 Across - 2 Down, walking / running event. (Click here for the DSRT Plymouth Home Page.)

Although the event is aimed at walkers, they're all a very friendly bunch and made us runners feel at home; even if we're considered a bit barmy.

The route follows a stretch of the Maltern Way, an ancient track from Buckfast Abbey to Buckland Abbey.  The Maltern Way is marked by a series of stone crosses. 

Today's efforts saw us running across Dartmoor from Venford Reservoir to Crazy Well Pool, thence to Princetown School to finish.  

We are proud of the fact that Team Grizzly were the first team home.  Mummy Bear (Dotty) is to be congratulated as the first to arrive at the final checkpoint.

There was no official timekeeping, but we recorded an "unofficial" time of 2:26 for the 12 mile route.  Conditions were hard, with a Dartmoor Fog keeping visibility down to 15 metres.  Accurate navigation was a priority. We avoided most of the bogs, including Fox Tor mire (Grimpen Mire for those Sherlock Holmes aficionados among you).  However, mud was knee deep at times and the water at the Hartor Brook was cold on the legs as we waded through.

The Grizzly Three at Childe's Tomb

Half-way around the route, we arrived at Childe's tomb.  This marks the kistvaen (burial chamber) resting place of Childe, a huntsman who lived in the 11th century.  He became disorientated in foul weather on the Moor, and knew he could die of exposure.  Sadly, despite killing and drawing his horse, into which he climbed for protection, he still died.  A ghostly tale for a ghostly day. Click here to see more about Childes Tomb!

We would like to thank DSRT (Plymouth) for staging the event.  The cup of tea at the finish was most welcome!

 

Muddy Sunday on the Bere Peninsula

With only four weeks to go until the Grizzly, five of the bears were out on the Bere Peninsula today.  Nicole, Derek, Julian, Dotty and Becky, covered sixteen and a half wet and muddy miles.  The route took the runners over footpaths and trails around Bere Alston and Bere Ferrers.  In spite of the damp conditions, and a total climb of over 2,300 feet (!) the five achieved a running time of around three hours.