Didn't Nailsea people have a lovely day out in Weston at Tough Ten

By Carol_Deacon | Sunday, February 14, 2010, 19:28

NAILSEA people had a ‘love’ly day out on St Valentine’s day in Weston for the 19th annual Tough Ten multi-terrain race.

The pier at Weston is being rebuilt so the Tough Ten runners from Nailsea were re-routed
The coast road at Weston is being rebuilt so the Tough Ten runners from Nailsea were re-routed
The billboards along the front tell of two fires at the pier and from the ashes later this summer will come the new attraction. It uses a front front from the late Weston & Worle News edited by Nailsea People community publisher Carol Deacon

Nailsea Running Club members joined other athletes from the West Country and beyond for the 9.6 mile run along the seafront and up through Worlebury Woods on Sunday, February 14.

Mingling among the men in tights and ladies in leggings were a couple of super fit soldiers who ran the track in full combats carrying their military back packs.

There were no fancy dress runners this year but despite the chill one or two brave bare-chested souls scampered foolhardily across the wet sands.

Some tried to run around the murky puddles left by a retreating tide but for those determined to record a personal best time there could be no detour, their mud splattered legs a reminder they had raced along the exposed North Somerset beach.

The full results and race times will be posted on the official Tough Ten website by midday on Wednesday, February 17, but if you go to the Nailsea People Tough Ten 2010 gallery see it you can spot a local runner – email the name, race and photo number to nailsea@thelocalpeople.co.uk and we will caption the shot.

The weather conditions were perfect for the challenging circuit known among the runners as ‘the friendliest race in the calendar’.

Race director Michael Buckland said: “The Tough Ten is usually run along the seafront and coast and a section of the Promenade.

“In parts is it flat and fast; in others there are short climbs and long down hill sections.

“Parts of the coast road are closed to traffic due to the massive rebuilding work at Weston Pier and the installation of new sea defences the route had to be modified for 2010.”

Even the familiar pitstop of The Waves cafe was boarded up and billboards along the seafront told the story of the demise of the pier and the hopes of its owners to the future – it is due to reopen later this year.

The race raises funds to the RNLI, a charity formed in 1824 that saves lives at sea.

Since its conception over 137,000 lives have been saved.

The RNLI receives no government funding and is 100 per cent reliant on public support for its continuation.

Since 2001 Weston-super-Mare’s lifeboat has launched 344 times. The volunteer crew has rescued 215 people, including swimmers, leisure craft users, windsurfers, fishermen and people stranded by the rising tide.

Nailsea Running Club was founded in 1986 and is primarily a road and trail running club catering for all abilities based at Nailsea and Backwell RFC where all NRC members have social membership.

Club runs are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7pm, from the Nailsea and Backwell Rugby Club.

Both nights include steady training runs, either on or off-road depending on the time of year.

On Tuesdays there is also a more structured training session generally organized by club coach Jim Stewart.

On Sunday mornings there is usually a long run at 8.30am, starting at the Queen’s Road/Trendlewood Way junction, Nailsea.