Teignbridge Trotters take on Gloucester 20 in warm conditions

The Gloucester 20 was part of the Teignbridge Trotters Club Championship and two minibuses went up to the event full of Trotters eager to take on the course, with 33 Trotters completing the event. Gloucester Athletic Club organises the event, which was sold out and 444 people finished the race. The course is gently undulating and comprises of a 2.2-mile leg out, 3 loops of 5.5 miles and a 1.3-mile run home. The event is ideal for those preparing for a spring marathon but the conditions were warm which did create problems for some runners in the final miles. Non-the-less, many achieved great times.

Daryl “Tarquin” Milford led the Trotters home in a time of 2:07:36 for 8th place and claiming second V40 prize overall. Lance “Skippy” Mason continued his great form and came in at 2:15:06, claiming first V50 prize and was 24th overall, with Chris Cleave claimed third V50 with a time of 2:17:05 (31st). Peter Kirby was third V60 finishing in 2:39:36 (136th) and for the ladies, Helen “Zippy” Anthony was third V35 with a time of 2:27:03 and was 68th overall.

Full results are:
Daryl Milford (8, 02:07:36), Lance Mason (24, 02:15:06), Geoff Davey (29, 02:16:26), Chris Cleave (31, 02:17:05), Helen Anthony (68, 02:27:03), Tracy Elphick (101, 02:34:27), Gary Clark (117, 02:36:45), Bruce Campbell (118, 02:36:56), Peter Kirby (134, 02:39:36), Rob Cowling (136, 02:40:10), Jacki Woon (138, 02:40:33), Travis Wood (143, 02:42:02), Laura Cooper (162, 02:45:33), Tim Hassell (164, 02:46:04), John Tweedie (173, 02:47:54), Nathan Elphick (201, 02:51:56), James Ayling (202, 02:51:57), Stuart Moulson (203, 02:51:58), Abigail Blee (208, 02:52:47), Keith Anderson (223, 02:55:38), Roger Hales (236, 02:57:31), Emma Pearcy (265, 03:02:38), David Dunn (288, 03:07:53), Michael Jones (301, 03:10:49), Eleanor Taylor (310, 03:12:27), Derek Blackford (331, 03:18:02), Kirsty Bowman (337, 03:18:47), Dennis Milstead (341, 03:20:02), Ruth Johnson (354, 03:24:56), Sharon Hutchins (359, 03:25:55), Mark Hutchins (360, 03:25:56), Sharon Bowman (393, 03:35:04) and Mark Wotton (401, 03:39:44).

Before completing the Gloucester 20 on Sunday, Mark Wotton ran in the Shakespeare Spring Marathon on Saturday 15th March. The race takes place at Long Marston Airfield in Stratford-Upon-Avon and consists of eight 5K loops plus one 2K loop. There were also 5K, 10K and Half Marathon options. 64 runners completed the marathon and Mark finished in 4:40:03 (56th).

Sally “Marathon Queen” Ingledew went over to run the 35th edition of The Barcelona Marathon in Spain, which took place on Sunday 16th March and 14230 runners completed the event. The route is mostly flat and runners start and finish below the green hills of Montjuic Park in front of the Magic Fountain. They then race thorough the city enjoying many of the sites of the Catalan capital. Along the way they see Camp Nou (home to FC Barcelona), Gaudi's magnificent La Pedrera and his cathedral masterpiece Sagrada Familia as well as the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On a rather warm sunny day Sally finished with a PB of 4.03.32, knocking 24 seconds off of her previous PB from 2010.

Fianlly, Lucy and Rod Payne took part in the Cranleigh 15/21 Road Race on Sunday 16th March. In excess of 600 runners set out from the centre of Cranleigh into undulating country lanes for a 9 mile loop back to the village centre then followed by a 6 mile loop. The runners could then decide to stop and collect a 15-mile medal or do the 6-mile loop again to claim a 21-mile medal. With London looming and in cloudless spring-like conditions both opted for the 21-mile option. The results are posted as men's and women's races and Rod was 218th in the men's race in 3.01.20 and Lucy was 123rd in the women's race in 3.23.16. As with the Gloucester 20, this race was a great indication of fitness, with both being pleased with their results.
 

Top picture:  Some of the Glos 20 crew.

Bottom picture: at the pub afterwards.

Report by Graydon Widdicombe