Achievements come thick and fast for the Royal Blues

I'm sitting in front of my flickeringly bright computer screen and although I often know exactly how the article will flow, the words trickling down the page like a tinkling waterfall, tonight I don't know where these little bundles of vowels and consonants will go… They may well chart a course into unknown territories. It’s a bit like a big race or a long run - you’re never quite sure where it’s going to take your mind but your body does what it needs to do.

There is a good reason for this writers block (or verbal bile - take your pick). It’s been a pretty busy and an emotional few days for the club. Lots has happened in the space of a few days. Highs, lows, laughs, tears.

I'm thinking: How do you put emotion into words without the use of emojis and without sounding pious or insincere? So I’m just tap, tap, tapping away at the keyboard. The words are speaking for themselves. No smiley faces, no banter. Just some passion, a lot of support and club unity.

First up was the Dartmoor Discovery on Saturday June 6. This significant undertaking for the longest road ultra marathon in the country is run by this club under the stewardship of Chairman Rog, the committee, a legion of marshals and helpers - many of who are Trotters and volunteers from our sister club the Dawlish Coasters - and sponsors.

The sell-out race plays out in the open air theatre of Devon’s biggest and most brutal moor and demands that runners tackle steep climbs, long roads and winding, leafy country lanes. Boy, did Dartmoor let her hostile beauty be known!

Helen Anthony was the first Trotter home and first lady in a fantastic 4hours 18mins and 29secs for an incredible ninth overall. She was followed by the in-form Hannah Walsh in 55th place in 5:12.52. Paul Sharples Snr was 78th in 5:24.11, Martin and Jo Randall (both smiling from start to finish) were 5:35.10 respectively for 105 and 106th, Derek Skinner 5:37.03 111th, Ewan Walton 5:45.13 125th, Mark Hutchins 5:46.26 128th, Peter Kirby, in his first ultra clocked a superb 5:47.46 133rd, Roger ‘Smokes’ Hales 5:55.33 135th, Stu Moulson 5:55.58 141st, Travis Wood 6:00.25 149th, Shaz Bowman 6:06.14 158th, Mark ‘Wurzel’ Wotton 6:06.14 159th. There were 194 finishers.

*East Allington played host to a beautiful and fitting tribute to the late Claire Widdicombe, wife of club member Graydon. The village primary school, where Claire worked as a much-loved and enthusiastic teacher, organised a 10k and 3km fun run dedicated to her memory.

It was an emotional occasion and a swell of Trotters turned out to take part and support Graydon, the school and Claire’s family in remembering her. The route was challenging - or ‘a bit lumpy’ as Graydon described it - and conditions were hot although cakes, coffee and bacon butties beckoned from the finish line. The support for the inaugural run was very touching with 71 people running in the 10k and a huge 120 runners took part in the 3km including many children taught by Claire.

Full results are: Dermot Smyth 46.31, Peter Blakesley 46.47, Tom Besford 49.26, Neil Pallant 50.33, Keith Anderson 50.53, Evyoll Aston 51.39, Sarah Schutte 53.01, second claim Hylda Stewart 53.49, Graydon Widdicombe 53.51, Jim Donovan 54.16, Derek Blackford 54.54, Pete Aston 57.17, Kevin Besford 58.25, Graeme Baker 58.57, Emma Pearcy 1:00.19, Rod Payne 1:00.41, Lucy Payne 1:01.10, Angela Blakesley 1:02.06, Caroline Clark 1:02.06, Mark ‘Wurzel’ Wotton 1:02.49, Ruth Johnson 1:02.57, Graham ‘Inky’ Penn 1:03.16, Tim Hartley 1:07.31, Kat Zaple 1:08.48 and second claim Sarah Ross running in her first club Tamar Trotters 1:08.48, Maggie Garrett 1:10.36. There were 71 finishers in the 10k and 120 finishers in the 3km.

*A few days earlier a lumpy tide and a fair few beached jellyfish made for challenging if somewhat unusual conditions for the Dawlish Dash. There was plenty of Trotter support for those running the Dash (known in Trotter parlance as the ‘mini-DD’ with it being so close to the club-run ultra Dartmoor Discovery three days later) on Thursday June 4.

The four-mile race took competitors along the Blue Flag award-winning Dawlish Warren beach and back, along the sea wall, crossing the railway bridge to go ‘up and over’, returning via the coast path past the Langstone Cliff Hotel, over the railway bridge and ending outside the Boathouse. This perfect evening race attracted 139 runners with 36 Trotters in the field.

Garry Smart, Tim Pratt, Geoff Davey. Adam Johnstone and Roger ‘Chairman’ Hayes all ran a superb race to finish inside the top 10, Jacki Woon was third female and it was a big welcome to the competitive scene for Kevin Woodard and Charlie Rice both of who made this ‘mini-DD’ their first race. Maybe next year the big daddy DD awaits for them and others…?

Full results are: Garry Smart 21.28 fifth, Tim Pratt 21.32 sixth, Geoff Davey 22.00 seventh, Adam Johnstone 22.45 ninth, Rog Hayes 22.51 10th, Russ Wheeler 23.03 13th, Jamie Barnett 23.29 15th, Julian Scanes 25.09 21st, Tom Besford 25.33 24th, Craig Churchill 25.38 27th, Dermot Smyth 2539 28th, Roger ‘Smokes’ Hales 26.21 33rd, Kevin Woodard 26.42 37th, Dave McMorrow 25.45 38th, Wilf Taylor 26.57 40th, Jacki Woon 27.31 43rd, Keith Anderson 28.08 47th, Nigel Barnett 28.09 48th, Jim Donovan 28.19 50th, Neil Skinner 28.23 51st, Pete Hayward 28.26 52nd, John Webber 28.42 55th, Gary Watson 29.05 58th, David Bowen 29.49 64th, Kirsty Bowman 30.24 69th, Jennie Roberts 30.40 72nd, Shaz Bowman 31.21 77th, Donna Walker 31.43 81st, Eleanor Taylor 32.13 84th, Lisa Godfrey 33.07 92nd, Tina Caunter 33.23 96th, Charlie Rice 33.52 100th, Bev Dennis 35.04 105th, Steve Rawlinson 35.54 111th, Kim Nichols 35.59 112th, Richard Keatley 37.22 117th.

*Geoff Davey was first M40 and fourth overall at the Bradley Stoke 10k on Sunday June 7. Undulating paths, sharp twists and a course re-routing took the race over the 6.2mile distance, landing him a time of 38.25.

*Lisa Godfrey completed the Swithland 6 race on Sunday June 7. This one lap course took in quiet country lanes around Swithland which is between Leceister and Loughborough. On the back of a strong performance at the Dawlish Dash Lisa clocked 54.17 for 520th place out of 664 runners.

So what about those words 'passion', 'support' and 'unity' that fell from my mind to my fingers to my keyboard and onto this page moments ago?

Passion is the training and dedication to ‘make it happen’; taking that first plunge and running a bit further or doing a new race or tackling that horrible hill or wearing the club vest. Support is giving up precious time to marshal or lead a run or coach a session in the wintry cold. Support is encouraging, consoling at races or training sessions or just for life in general. Support is the unification and wanting to be there when a Trotter and a buddy is experiencing something - anything - from a race best or worst to a personal trauma.

It’s the friendships, the celebrations, the commiserations, the commitment, the camaraderie. That is what it’s all about.

Report by Emma Pearcy.

Photos show the Trotters at the East Allington 10k and Fun Run and Adam Johnstone taking a giant leap over a groyne at the Dawlish Dash. Photos kindly supplied by Lance 'Skippy' Mason and Graham 'Inky' Penn.