The first four were:-
- 1 02:27:31 Frank Zimmer
- 2 02:33:00 Neil Holmes
- 3 02:35:33 Mike Feighan
- 4 02:36:45 Lee Turner
The first four women were:-
- 1 02:52:57 Donna Mcewen
- 2 02:54:38 Fay Cripps
- 3 02:55:39 Jenny Moore
- 4 03:03:20 Sharon Coyne
The 2008 Grizzly will take place at 10:30am on Sunday 9th March. The route will be based upon 2007's but could be just a teeny weeny bit tougher in March ... you have been warned!
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.
It is number three on the ranking of Britain's most popular running events just behind the London Marathon and the Great North Run
The Grizzly is different from the London Marathon and the Great North Run because it really does go 'cross country' for a distance of 19 to 20 miles, or round about 31 kilometres.
The 2007 Grizzly started on the Esplanade on tarmac just like the London Marathon, but after a few hundred yards runners were directed onto the pebble beach where the course took them towards Axmouth Harbour.
After this first section of beach it was back on the road passing the start line for the second time with the first climb coming up very soon.
Back on tarmac and heading west, the runners left Seaton running into the village of Beer.
The running surface after leaving Beer varied between open fields, sometimes passing over loose stones, pebbles, water and mud going either uphill or downhill with a fence to cross and two jumps in between.
The run is famous for its muddy bog, where everybody sinks in up to her or his knees
But the toughest part came just after the bog, with a climb on a field that went up almost vertical with runners using their hands and feet to reach the top of the slope
Reaching Branscombe mouth where the container ship MS Napoli was beached January, the race became extremely tough with another long section on the pebble beach leading into the "stairway to heaven".
After reaching Seaton Hole the runners ran along the beach finally reaching the Esplanade and crossing the finish line.
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
- 2006: O'limpiyak Dilemma
- 2007: Armageddon NowHere
The Grizzly raises monies for charity and the 2006 Grizzly has raised £18,000 which has been shared between 31 organisations.