What great race last weeks Grizzly was, even seemed like the start of summer. Having been invited to do the race commentary this year I was in the PA enclosure at the start and was surprised to see a number of people walking when they came back through the start after their jaunt along the beach. I did think “ I’m going to be here for a long time!” However, all the CRC runners crossed the line at the finish in respectable times and looked very fresh, and clean!
I’ve been ‘involved’ with the Grizzly one way or another right from the start when we were all road runners in the mid 1980’s. After one of the Chard Road Runners 10K races on new years day we were having a drink in the bar when Paul Morgan and Dave Kelf from the newly formed Axe Valley Runners invited us to join them in a muddy 10 mile cross country fun run at the end of January. Several of us did the run from Beer Head. No number, no entry fee, no timing and running over what has become traditional Grizzly country between Beer and Branscombe. We were hooked. Running cross country over tough terrain takes your mind off the time and allows more enjoyment of the scenery. I did the race for many years and still have my tatty blue Grizzly 12 tee shirt from the 3rd year. This was the first year that tee shirts we given out and I think as late as 1987 you had to buy your London Tee shirt if you wanted one! It didn’t get called The Grizzly until the third year when the Grizzly Energy Bar company sponsored the race and it became “The Grizzly 12”. One abiding memory I have is the year we started on Beer beach in late January and ran up to Beer head, what a start! As the sleet came at us horizontally from the sea the starter said ‘ It’s only fair to tell you we think this is more like 18 miles than the 16 we advertised’. That was a hard year. We finished wet, cold and muddy with only the car park to clean off and get changed.
More recently I’ve run in the Cub Run and marshalled in various places, all enjoyable.
Next year is the 30th Grizzly and AVR have donated over £300,000 to charity from the race, which is from us of course.