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

Garry Smart is victor at the Surf n Turf Duathlon and the Chudleigh Taylor duo scoop category wins!

Races are like buses: You wait for one and then a load come along at the same time.

And when there are races on, you can pretty much expect to see a Trotter or two in their distinctive Royal Blue and green vests weaving in and out the length of the field, picking up prizes, category wins or just having a blimmin’ good time.

Trotter Garry Smart was crowned champion at the Surf n Turf Duathlon on Sunday 14 June 2015.

Smartie and Mike Hooper travelled over the Tamar for the duathlon which consisted of a 13.1 mile trail race around the Rame peninsular and Mount Edgcumbe estate and an out-and-back one mile kayaking sea challenge from Cawsand Beach.

All surf and turf events are age/sex graded which means the finishing order is adjusted according to age and sex with prizes awarded accordingly.

On this tough and demanding course Smartie, who is enjoying a superb period of form, was first home in 1:55:49 and Mike Hooper was fifth in 1:57:14.

*Jim Donovan and Emma Pearcy completed the Burrator Horseshoe Run on Saturday 20 June. The six-mile off-road race skirts Burrator Reservoir demands runners reach the summits of Sheepstor and Gutter Tor with open moorland running, bog navigation, a leat crossing and fast descents in between.

The sell-out race started and finished in the pretty village of Meavy and is part of the annual Meavy Oak Fair - which means a beer and a hog roast and loads of cake on completion of the race. Jim clocked 58.10 and Emma finished in 1:14.45.

*A fair few Trotters conquered the Great Lanhydrock Run at the National Trust’s Lanhydrock House on Sunday June 21. The 10-mile off-road race takes runners around the estate offering a fantastic opportunity to explore the area on foot and at speed. This year the start line was changed at the last minute and, separately, a bunch of runners found themselves adding on distance following what appeared to be a marshalling error.

But it was not all lost because some great runs meant well-earned accolades. Wilf Taylor was 1st M60-64, Graeme Baker was 1st M70-74 and Eleanor Taylor was 3rd FV 55-59.

There were 256 finishers in the race. Garry Smart led the Blues home recording 1:07.22 and 11th place overall. He was followed by Peter Blakesley 1:21.09 59th, Martin Randall 1:21.50 65th, Hannah Walsh 1:22.22 75th, Derek Skinner 1:23.11 78th, Wilf Taylor 1:23.21 79th, Craig Churchill 1:25.42 92nd, Jo Randall 1:27.17 97th, Paul Johns 1:29.21 113th, Neil Skinner 1:35.42 151st, Graeme Baker 1:40.02 182nd, Eleanor Taylor 1:40.39 186th, Ruth Johnson 1:42.25 198th, Kat Zaple 1:54.44 234th.

*Graham Penn represented the Royal Blues at the Over the Hill & Farway 10k race at Farway near Honiton on Sunday June 21 2015. The figure eight undulating course was challenging with a long brutal hill less than a mile from the start. Conditions were ideal with a welcome breeze blowing. Graham finished in 1:02.34.

*Mark Wotton keeps on keeping on. He completed another marathon, this time in Cheltenham. The 26.2miler starts at the racecourse and is two laps mostly through fields and tracks for the first 4 miles then up a Cleeve Hill - the highest point in the Cotswolds hill range - along the top over stony tracks and back down through woods and into the race course to the finish. Mark said this was a really tough off road marathon and he did it in a time of 5:12.55 coming 93 out of 184 finishers.

*Massive well done to all the club members who swapped trainers for a bit of pedal bashing in the Dartmoor Classic cycling race on Sunday 21 June. While there are too many to mention by name and individual achievements, it’s great to see so many of you out there giving the legs a good turning over. You’re all a bit good. And by that, I mean awesome. Enjoy your 'rest' and see some of you for a few beers at the summer social.

Report by Emma Pearcy.

Photos show Garry Smart and Mike Hooper surfin’ and turfin’, Emma Pearcy (that’s me! - Ed) at the Burrator Horseshoe Run and Graham Penn at the Over the Hill and Farway 10k.

Images supplied by EP, Mike Hooper and Graham Penn.