Castle Drogo 10 mile Fell Race Sunday November 16^th 2008

Laurie Phippard 1^st senior woman at Drogo

At Sunday’s Castle Drogo 10 mile Fell race on Dartmoor there was a sprinkling of the Club’s seniors out competing at this tough event. The Castle is reputed to be “the last Castle to be built in England” and provided a great Race HQ.

What a fantastic course and event this is at this time of the year. All of the autumn colours were on display as the runners left the National Trust property to start their down and up and down and up course criss-crossing the Teign Gorge on the edge of Dartmoor. The course this year was slightly shortened from the standard 10miles, at about 9.6m and took the 438 competitors on forest tracks for a total ascent of 1760 feet. It is a category BM race in fell-running terms. The steep forest tracks were slippy in places and choice of studded footwear was a big debating point before and after the race.

First home for the Harriers was Laurie Phippard in an excellent time of 81.44 for 92^nd place, just ahead of Paul Chadwick 82.07 and Aiden Phippard’s 82.39. Sue Cook was next in with 98.38 despite suffering Achilles problems and then Alice Knight came home in 106.43 to close the Harrier squad. Laurie was 4^th woman overall, and 1^st senior woman with the first three all veterans.