Seaton Bay

The Grizzly run is organised by the Axe Valley Runners (website www.axevalleyrunners.org.uk) who organised the first 8 mile long race in 1988 starting at Beer Head.

With runners from all over the country wanting to take part in the Grizzly and the race now lengthened to 20 miles, the start was moved to Seaton Esplanade and Lyme Bay Holiday Village became the race headquarters, social events and accommodation centre.

Each year the Axe Valley Runners deliberately change the route of the course although entrants can be certain it will take in hills, a bog and stretches of shingle beach.

In 2005 the Grizzly course started on the Esplanade turned back on itself along the beach to Axmouth Harbour and back along the road to Beer. From Fore Street in Beer the course ran through the Beer Head Caravan Park and over the Hooken Cliffs to Branscombe Mouth.

The race ran on across the Bulstone Road, woodlands and fields to the infamous Bog at Hole down to the Fountain Head and back to Branscombe Mouth along the Coastal Path.

It was then a punishing stretch along Hooken Beach to where the steps begin at the foot of Hooken Cliff, up through the Under Hooken Landslip to the top of the cliffs and South Down Common back along the Coastal Path to Beer over the White Cliffs to Seaton Hole and back along Seaton Beach to the finish line on the Esplanade

Along the route besides the drinks and sweets offered by the Grizzly volunteers there are various musicians playing, a lone bag piper in the field above Beer Head caravan park, the Shingle drummers by the Sea Shanty at Branscombe Mouth and the Grizzly Band ‘Rooting Around’ at the Fountain Head Pub.

On the beach at the foot of the steps leading up the Under Hooken Landslip there is usually a driftwood ‘shrine’ where runners can tie a ribbon or place a pebble in memory of someone who is dear to them or just stop for a moment to reflect on a thing that really matters to them.

The Grizzly is open to runners over the age of 18 and such is the demand for running places the organisers have limited the entry to 2,000 runners with entry forms available for the 2006 Grizzly available from Axe Valley Runners from mid September 2005.

Each year the Grizzly Run is given a legend, for 2005 the Race was sub-titled ‘A Thousand Steps for Mankind’ which ties in with Seaton’s celebrations for the town’s millennium year commemorating the granting of the Town Charter in 1005.

Previous races have been called:

• 1988: Unnamed Runners
• 1989: Torment Tenners
• 1990: Grizzly 12ers
• 1991: Hillockers and Rowlockers
• 1992: Eye of the Stormers
• 1993: Sting of the Butter-fliers
• 1994: Magical Memory Joggers
• 1995: Nightmare Returners
• 1996: Lemming Revengers
• 1997: Apocalypse-Yes!
• 1998: Flight of Fancy
• 1999: Insanity and in Health
• 2000: Another Brick
• 2001: A Race Oddity
• 2002: The Jokers in the Pack
• 2003: Jurassic Jaunt
• 2004: Infinity and Beyond
• 2005: A Thousand Steps for Mankind

The 2006 Grizzly is called: O'limpiyak Dilemma

The Grizzly raises monies for charity and this year, £10,000 was donated to the Tsunami appeal with a further £7,000 being given to local groups and charities.