Teignbridge Trotters Running Club
Newton Abbot, Devon
Established 1982
Born to Run

Club records tumble and Graham Penn honours those who fell in war...

Roger Easterbrook ran his way to a win, taking first prize at the Yarcombe Yomp on Saturday 7 November and it was a good day for the Trotters with Gary Smart gifting the Trotters the top 1-2 with Tracy Elphick first female too.

Full results from the race were: Roger Easterbrook, first overall, 1:15.05, Gary Smart, second overall, 1:16.23, Peter Heckles 1:22.15 seventh, Adam Johnstone 1:25.07 ninth, Russ Wheeler 1:26.30 10th, Tracy Elphick 1:29.20 14th and first female, Craig Churchill 1:31.18 16th, Richard Gentry 1:34.20 18th, Mandy Wheeler 1:35.41 21st, Matt Dunn 1:36.28 22nd, Derek Skinner 1:37.23 23rd, Stu Moulson 1:39,34 27th, Louise Gentry 1:44.14 33rd, Dermot Smyth 1:50.29 38th, Richard Keatley 1:55.49 44th, Emily Levey 1:57.21 45th, Ruth Johnson 2:01.08 48th, Lance Mason 2:02.50 50th, Sally Ingledew 2:02.50 51st, Tina Caunter 2:04.20 52nd. There were 57 finishers.

*Geoff Davey took the opportunity of having a run while on holiday, completing a sand dune race in Fuerteventura called ‘Quintillo’. He was sixth in the 8k race clocking 30.42.

*That same weekend two trotters went to Newquay for the latest round of the Westward League Cross Country. Jamie Barnett clocked 36.53 and Stephen Barker 39.37. Hylda Stewart did it in 28.24.

*A hardy bunch of 16 Trotters travelled to Cornwall for the chance to get a hoodie, I mean - run a marathon, in the popular Cornish 26.2miler.

The race takes in a scenic circular out and back route along the Draynes Valley, through the 'Poldark' country of Bodmin Moor, past King Arthur's Dozmary Pool, Du Maurier's Jamaica Inn at Bolventor and back along the Fowey Valley, taking in a few climbs and slogs along the way.

Lance Mason was first MV55 in 3:25.02 for 43rd overall, Chris Cleave 3:25.21 46th, Roger ‘Chairman’ Hayes 3:41.01 86th Paul Sharples 3:54.59 131st Matt Dunn 4:08.40 175th, Allen Taylor 4:08.44 176th, Steve Barker 4:08.44 177th, Neil Pallant 4:17.43 208th, John Tweedie 4:21.36 221st, Dermot Smyth 4:27.28 239th, Martin & Jo Randall both 4:32.59 260th and 261st, Sally Ingledew 4:38.44 272nd, Mark Wotton and Ryan Anthony both 4:41.59 284th and 285th, Sharon Bowman 5:26.47 336th.

*Craig Churchill headed to North Devon on Sunday 15 November for the first Combe Crawler, a multi-terrain 8.5-mile beauty of a race around the coastline of Ilfracombe and the surrounds. Craig clocked 1:17.08 for 30th overall. There were 131 finishers.

*Tim Pratt and Kim Bindon tackled the Teign Valley terrain in the Drogo 10, organised by South West Road Runners on Sunday 15 November. The race, which starts and finishes at Castle Drogo on the ceiling of the Teign Valley, is brutal and beautiful in equal measure. Tim came 19th overall in his time of 1:10.32. Kim was 387th in 1:56.10. There were 477 competitors.

*Championship race the Wimborne 10 saw club records tumble. Jamie Barnett knocked three seconds off the club’s junior record for the distance coming fourth overall, first senior male and landing a new personal best in 1:01.48. Lucy Payne broke her own club record knocking five minutes off the previous time at that distance and she also had the honour of being first FV60. Tina Caunter was second FV55, meaning it was a great day out for the Royal Blues.

All Trotter finishers were: 1:10.28 56th, Neil Skinner 1:16.12 113th, Stu Moulson 1:21.55 200th, Richard Keatley 1:25.04 238th, Tina Caunter 1:30.22 295th, Lucy Payne 1:31.01 301st, Lisa Godfrey 1:42.16 387th. There were 445 finishers.

*Ewan Walton joined the sub-three hour marathon running club in Valencia on Sunday. Ewan ran a time of 2:59.34. Well done Ewan we’re all really proud of you!

*On Sunday 15 November Graham Penn completed the Paras 10 event at Colchester in Essex - a 10 mile multi terrain event, running in boots, camouflage trousers and carrying a 35lb pack. Two river crossings and a bog added to the fun.

Organised by the Parachute Regiment in aid of their charity, it was well attended and conditions far from ideal with a very strong wind blowing. Graham clocked a time of 2:33.42.

A week earlier, on November 7, Graham ran (and walked) the Poppy Half Marathon at Bexhill in East Sussex which consists of three loops of the seafront. Graham ran in First World War uniform - it being the 101st Anniversary of the start of the War and wore his great uncle's machine gun corps cap badge, shoulder bars and dog tags as on three previous occasions.

He finished in a time of 3:03.49 and was 764th out of 773 finishers - not surprising considering the heavy kit and boots he ran in. Respect!

Report by Emma Pearcy

Photo of the Trotters at the Cornish Marathon contributed by Fizzy Bowman.