Please check back here regulary for the very latest race reports featuring Motcombe Runners in action!

Please click here to access the race diary for 2011.

Want to remember a favourite moment from last year? - well why not  look it up in the 2010 news archive  click here  for all the stories as they happened.

The North Dorset Marathon & Relay 2011

ROUGH N’ TUMBLE 2011

Hills, Mud and Bacon Rolls...

Last Sunday (January 16th) Motcombe Runners  took part in the Rough n' Tumble at Milton Lilbourne near Marlborough. the multi-terrain 10.2 miler billed as the toughest multiterain in Wiltshire, indeed featured the much advertised - ‘Mud, Sweat and Hills’ with some nice gullys full of running water included just for good measure.

Once again the homemade cakes, bacon rolls and coffee went down a treat with the Runners.

Dave C completed the race in 1:25, Alastair

1:35 Dave S 2:03.

Picture - after the race, wondering if the car will get out of the car park - which was also plagued by the mud!  

Longleat 10K

Stately Run

Jenny and Jane took part in the popular Longleat 10K race last Sunday 6th February.

Organised by 2:09 Events the figure of eight course runs around the Longleat estate in Wiltshire which includes the world famous safari park, but best of all the race ends with a spectacular finish right outside Lord Baths front door!

Race Times:  Jane 53.17 and Jenny 57.54

Happy New Year!

Off we go again in 2011

Another year of running has passed; but here we go again with 12 months of action packed running to look forward to!

Motcombe Runners are already gearing up to kick off with the Rough n’ Tumble on January 16th, ..in the first half of this year alone we have runners entered in 5K’s, 10K,s Half Marathons and even the prestigous Virgin London Marathon in April.

But please don’t forget the big team event the North Dorset Village Marathon and Relay on May 1st see the Events Page for further details.  

And whilst you are at it why not check out the Race Diary  for a list of the best races around Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset.

Frank at Portland in 2010

Sherbourne Castles 10K Race Replaced

http://www.yeoviltownrrc.com/greatwesten10k.html

Attention all fans of the old SHERBORNE CASTLES 10K sadly run for the last time in 2010.

Yeovil Town RRC have now organised a new run around Sherborne to replace it, the “GREAT WESTERN 10K” to be held on Saturday March 12th 2011 - another multi-terrain across fields, farms , and orchards! (just how we like them).

See the link below for further details....

Picture - Jenny and Jane

at the Longleat 10K

Ecofitness 10K

Stourhead Estate Run

Frank was invited to run a 10K multi terrain race last Sunday 20th February, organised by outdoor fitness bootcamp specialists ‘Ecofitness’.

The off road event was held at the National Trust’s Stourhead Estate near Mere in Wiltshire. Frank completed the race in 55 minutes.

Ecofitness are holding a series of walk, jog, and run events at Stourhead throughout the summer  - see the link to their website below for further details:-

http://www.ecofitness.co.uk/nationalTrust.html

Last Saturday 12th March, Dave and Frank took part in the frst staging of the ‘Great Western 10K’ organised by Yeovil Road Running Club and Sherborne Rotary.

This event replaced the popular Sherborne Castles race and proved itself a worthy and challenging successor.   

The multi terrain course  started and finished at Leweston School - the first  5K on the road the second 5K off road, including  a winding accent to Knighton hill, followed by a steep decent downwards to farmyards, and then up and down fields, tracks, woods and an finally an orchard!

Wel done to YTRRC and Sherborne Rotary for creating another ‘great’ run.

Last Sunday 13th March, Jenny, Jane, Jackie and Derek took part in the Ferndown Rotary 10K at Avon Heath Country Park near Ringwood.

This race features a two lap off-road circuit of the park, and all runners completed the race in excellent times.

Also well done to Charlotte, Jess, Declan and Tony who successfully completed the childrens 2.5K fun run.

Picture from left to right Jenny,Jane Derek and Jackie

On Sunday 6th of march Alastair and Dale hit the streets for the Bath Half Marathon.

The event is now in its 30th year with 11,000 competitors taking part in the 13.1 mile road race featuring two laps of the city.

The running field were treated to cold and windy conditions, this popular half marathon attracts runners of all abilities, including elites, club runners, and those running for fun or charity plus the odd celebrity - Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton ran he first 13.1 miler in support of a Breast Cancer Charity.

Nice T Shirts!

On Sunday  April 10th Jenny took part in the Pen Selwood 10K near Zeals in Someset.

The race started and finished at Pen Selwood Village Hall and featured a single loop on hilly scenic country roads. Jenny completed the race in 55 minutes

Last Sunday 17th April Alastair successfully completed his first London Marathon!

He joined the other 36,000 runners taking to the streets of London in the sun for the 26.2 mile route from Blackheath in South London across the capital to the finish in the Mall just outside Buckingham Palace.

Alastair completed the world famous marathon in an impressive 3:28:06 and many congratulations go to him from everyone at the club.

The Virgin London Marathon 2011

Picture - Alastair and Mary after the race

Frank took part in Stage 9 of the Endurance Life Coastal Trail Series at Exmoor on Saturday April 16th.  

He joined over 850 other runners to compete the off road Half Marathon with 805m of elevation along the coastal path of Exmoor in Devon.

Franks time was 2:42 - that’s 2 mins faster than last year and he has now completed 4 stages of the Coastal Trail Series.

Picture - Don’t look down Frank!

Thank you to all our runners who took part in the North Dorset Marathon and Relay last Sunday May 1st.

Motcombe Runners entered 4 relay teams  and 1 full marathon runner for this years race organised by Gillingham Trotters.

Once again the club collected a prize in the relay (well done Motcombe Team 2).

http://www.ndvm.co.cc/relay.php

Picture: Changeover point 2 at Stour Row Debbie and Wendy (running her first race) arrive to exchange batons after

completing Leg 2.

Nine Springs 9K

Yeovil Country Park

Poole Festival of Running 10K

Poole Park

On Sunday June 5th Derek  took part in the annual Poole Festival of Running 10K race held in poole park and organised by Poole Runners, this year the weather was back to normal with runners encountering warm conditions. Derek finished in a tidy 46:34.

Once again Motcombe Runners took part in the Ninesprings 9K run on Sunday 12th June organised by Yeovil Road Running Club.

The multi-terrain event features 2 x 4.5K laps of Yeovil Country Park including steps, gates, bridges, fields, roads and of course the obligatory hills.

Unusually this year the weather went from one extreme to the other with the usual heat wave being replaced with torrential rain.

Frank completed the course in 0:53:16, followed by Jackie in 0: 56:42 then Dave in 058:06

Pictures: A very wet Frank, Dave and Jackie  

(with gratitude to the YTRRC photographer!)

Race for Life 2011

Ladies run at Sherborne and Poole

Motcombe ladies and children have been busy once again taking part in the 5K Race for Life series at Sherborne Castle and Poole Park in aid of CANCER RESEARCH UK and supported by TESCO. 

Thousands of runners and walkers ran just over 3 miles to primarily raise cash to pay for research through sponsorship, to help those who are fighting cancer, those who have successfully fought cancer and  remember friends and family who have been lost to the disease.

Runners take part in Race for Life events all over the country in what has now become an established annual campaign throughout the summer. 

Motcombe Runners gave their customary support to the annual Tarrant Valley 10K race last Sunday 17th July.  

The predicted rain held off for the event , but runners still had to contend with a strong head wind out on the course.

The club entered four runners in the 10K as well as five children and accompanying adults in the 1 Mile fun run. All the proceeds of the race are distributed to local good causes.  A link to the TV10K & Fun Run results page can be found below.

http://tarrantvalley10.webs.com/2011results.htm

The Beast 2011 “Coming of Age”

12 mile run to the seaside and back

Tarrant Valley 10K & Fun Run

Tarrant Monkton

Last Sunday September 4th, Frank and Dave took part in the 18th running of  Poole AC’s infamous ‘Beast’ Race. Runners have to negotiate moores, valleys, gullys, stiles,  gates, cliffs, cows (I kid you not) and those bl**dy steps!  most of it up hill or down hill across the 12 mile course that runs from Corfe Castle to the Purbeck coastline along to Chapmans Pool and then back in to Corfe again.

Despite re-occuring injuries along the way Frank (calf at 7.5 miles) and Dave (hip at 9 miles) after those steps (sorry am I going on about them too much?) both ran together Frank finishing 30 seconds ahead due to a sprint finish at the end shouting “sorry I can’t stop or I won’t make the finish line” (or something like that).

A few thank you’s - to Poole AC for the brilliant organisation of the event itself, to Studland beach for being so close as cold sea water is very good for sore muscles - and finally to the dear lady sitting at the top of the last set of steps handing out  Fruit Pastilles to the runners, they were most welcome!

Frank and Dave after the race, T shirts were free flip flops and shorts were optional extras

Gold Hill 10K Race

Shaftesbury’s Annual Hill Fest

Last Sunday October 9th, Derek, Dave, Wendy Barney and Dale ran yet another Gold Hill Race.

The popular hill race up and down the hills around Shaftesbury included over 200 runners, plus some Nordic walkers too.

Well done to Wendy who completed her first 10K , AND an even bigger well done for picking one of the most challenging 10k’s in Dorset!

Picture - Motcombe Team before the race

BUPA Great North Run 2011

On the same day Frank made it nine consecutive Great North Run’s in a row,  finishing in 1:55:08 and raising money along the way for the Epilepsy in Childhood Charity.

The GNR Half Marathon course runs from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields on the coast.

UK’s Premier Half Marathon

Tormented!

King Alfreds Torment 7 Miles of Off - Road Madness

On the 8th September, Dave, Alastair, Jackie and Derek were “tormented” by Y.R.R.C’s “King Alfreds Torment” a seven mile off road race to King Alfreds Tower and back via the Stourhead Estate.

A nice collection of hills, tracks, fields, and stiles awaited the runners who were also confronted with sticky mud and the odd abandoned running shoe!

All runners were treated to a burnt cake at the finish for their trouble!  

Gilly Hilly Race

Gillingham’s 7.5 Mile Hill Race

Last Sunday 6th November, Derek and Dale took part in the Gilly Hilly a seven and a half mile run along scenic country roads with more than a fair share of hills along the way.

The race started and finished at Wyke Primary School in Gillingham and is an annual event organised by Gillingham Trotters.

Picture - Derek and Dale show off their well earned medals.

Motcombe Charity Fun Run 2011

Motcombe Runners and School Running Club Run for Charity

Last Saturday 26th of November, Motocombe Runners joined forces with Motcombe Primary School to raise funds for ‘Mosaic’ a charity that supports bereaved children across Dorset.

Over a five hour period, the children ran multiple laps around the school playing field while at the same time, teams of Motcombe Runners ran pre-set runs of 2, 4 and 6 miles around the village. In total over 80 miles were covered in the five hour time period.

Picture - Motcombe Ladies prepare to kick off the Fun run