Heat Is On At Haytor

As the temperature soared, Teignbridge Trotters turned up the heat for the summer running season, hosting one of the club’s showpiece events and putting in some shimmering performances at local races.

On Saturday evening (16 July), the club hosted the Haytor Heller, the annual yomp around Dartmoor of around six miles.

There was a high-quality field gathered in the shadow of Haytor, which saw Robert Ellis of Exmouth Harriers take a well-earned victory in 40:47 ahead of former international Ceri Rees (unattached), who placed second in 42:58. Louis Ratcliffe (Exeter University) was third in 43:16.

Former GB ultra-running international Jo Meek was the leading lady in 49:36. As it was a club organised event, most Trotters were deployed as marshalls, drink stations or at the start and finish operation. But a few did toe the line.

First up was the super consistent Susanna Goffe in 41^st with 54:23. Next up were Tim Pratt and Steven Major, 126^th and 129^th respectively in 1:08:13 and 1:08:40. Prolific racer Sue Tremlett came home 212^th in 1:22:39. There were 247 finishers in the popular and well-organised race. 

The previous evening a huge troupe of 31 Trotters turned out for the Chudleigh Carnival road race. The up and down race covers around 5 and a half miles and with a pub finish, has obvious appeal for the club.

At the sharp end of the race, there were five Trotters in the top ten. Led home by in-form Roger Easterbrook who crossed the line in 35:15 in 5^th place, just 17 seconds and one place of ahead of Hamish Rae. They were quickly followed by Sam Crowe, Julian Scanes and Ewan Walton in 8^th, 9^th and 10^th in 36:00, 36:29 and 36:38 in a blur of blue and yellow at the finish.

James Saunders put in a sterling display to finish 13^th in 37:48. It completed an impressive hat trick of male age group victories with Easterbrook first male 45-49, Scanes first 50-54 and Saunders first 60-64. In the female age group classes, there was also double delight for the ladies as Mandy Wheeler’s 28^th place finish in 40:50 gave her the 50-54 victory and Deb Hart’s 73^rd place in 49:18 made her top over 60.

The other Trotter finishers were Ian Langler (19^th, 39:33), Ben Elphick (25^th, 40:42), Alan Kember (26^th, 40:48), Duncan Knight (30^th, 41:14), Christian Robinson (33^rd, 41:38), Derek Skinner (34^th, 41:48), Jacki Woon (36^th, 42:46), Debbie Proctor (46^th, 44:48), Kathryn Steemson (52^nd, 46:01), Sarah Pike (58^th, 46:57), Thomas Oliver (59^th 46:57), Kim Knight (63^rd, 47:34), Tim Synge (64^th 47:58), Corinne Bright (69th, 48:40), Deb Hart (73rd, 49:18), Isabelle Cummins (77^th, 50:14), Laura Law (80^th, 50:39), Dermot Smyth (97^th, 53:46), Dominique Harcourt (101^st, 54:32), Eamon Crowe (103^rd, 55:13), Eleanor Taylor (110^th, 57:07), John Skinner (112^th, 58:58), Lucy Evans (115^th, 1:01:46), Zilpah Walton (120^th, 1:03:14), Teresa Holmes (122^nd, 1:06:53). There were 126 finishers.

Earlier in the week a trio of Trotters tackled the Exeter 10k following the flat road and canal paths on a quick course. Joe Hornsby took full advantage, nailing a personal best of 39:22 in 21^st place. Sue Tremlett finished 139^th in 57:54 and Bob Small was 154^th in 1:01:35.

Sue reported back: “It’s a flat course with a loop in the middle that you do twice. The outward parts were sheltered from any breeze so very warm, the inwards parts were on gravel path with a headwind - tough going! Well organised, good marshals. Quite enjoyed it …. But not as much as Haytor Heller last evening! That was fab!”

Further afield, Viks Ratcliffe took on the 10k at the Wye Valley Tunnel Run near Chepstow. She completed the course in 1:08:05 for 184^th. “Coming back from injury I was quite pleased with that.” Reported Viks.