Seaview

Sunday 25th July saw the Westgates at the sixth running of the Seaview 17, and also my sixth time at this event. Weather forecast was promising – some clouds and not too hot. By the time we reached the comfort stop at County Gate we had made contact with the clouds and the start at Countisbury was shrouded in a ghostly mist.

Richard had prepared well with his camelback and energy drink. I decided to abandon the camera, as there wasn’t much of a view of the sea or anything else.

First half of the race went well and I ran for some with Ross Hale from Bitton Road Runners whose partner Linette Porter was up near the front. She was going for a good time, we were just chatting. Passed the usual jelly baby stops and managed not to get lost before Hurlestone Combe. Slogged up the steep bit and jogged along the top until the weary feet found an invisible rock and I went flying. Bent glasses, various bruises including a black eye and completely removed the scar and surrounding skin from where I had fallen on my hand three weeks before at Forde Abbey. Pretty painful!!! Was also winded for a few minutes, but thank you to all the runners who stopped to make sure I was OK. I blame the shock for what happened next. Having run this race five times before I should know the way by now but for some reason I found myself on a nice grassy downhill path which definitely wasn’t part of the route. Unfortunately for them some runners followed me along this path. The sight of others on the path above proved where we should have been. Half a mile later we were back on course and just about to start the long descent into Minehead.

As it was a cloudy day the seafront was slightly less crowded and as I crossed the road I spotted a figure ahead in a yellow vest and with a camelback – could it be Richard. It was. He was walking at quite a good pace as I gently trotted past. After a minute he managed to join me and we finished the last leg past Tescos and up to the Leisure Centre together. He managed to get ahead on the last 100 yards and I didn’t feel like a sprint finish, but he later confessed that he couldn’t have gone any faster if I had wanted to race it.

There was the usual excellent selection of sandwiches, cakes, teas etc. which one of us enjoyed straight away. And we watched and cheered as the rest of the runners came in. For the record we finished in 3:48:36. (A PB for me).

Richard says: I never intended to actually race this one, but even at a sedate pace my stomach kicked me in the stomach shortly past the top of Hurlestone Combe. I was forced to a demoralising walk and soon enough Eleanor Wood and Freddie Fox went past me. It was just too painful to run so I broke into a fast walk and luckily settled into a happy rhythm. Surprisingly not that many went past and I was completely on my own through Minehead until the Seaward roundabout when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Without turning round I called out well done and then as a white cap went past I realised it was Lesley. I had been hoping to walk the final mile but the wife had come past earlier than expected, and stubborn pride kicked in and I just had to run to the finish beating her by a second.

PS I was going to add some pictures but can't get it to work. See Minehead Running Club Website - Seaview - Photos