Record Trotter turnout at Chudleigh Carnival

On Friday July 19^th, The Chudleigh Carnival Bishop Lacy road race took place. A 5.6 mile challenging course that took the runners through the town and out into the quiet country lanes, and along the ridge high above the town. A fast downhill stretch followed, before being greeted by a large excitable crowd at the finish.

Conditions were warm & humid for the runners as they set off. The atmosphere in and around the streets of the village were friendly and supportive. The marshals also encouraged each runner especially on the steep ascents. The Trotters were out in force with a total of 57 entrants, a record number of Club runners for a single race. This race was also a Club championship race.

Tim Pratt ran a superb race to finish in 3^rd place. Tim’s time was 00:33:24. Chasing him home was Roger Easterbrook, who clocked a time of 00:34:35 to finish in 5^th place.

Louise Gentry, fresh from her great run at Ashburton, finished in 26^th place, and 2^nd placed female. Louise clocked a great time of 00:38:10. Annabelle Evans also ran well, to finish 27^th in the standings and 3^rd female finisher. Annie crossed the line in 00:38:42.

The evening proved to be a very successful one for many of our Club runners.
Female age category results: FV40- 44: 1st Louise Gentry, 2nd Annabelle Evans, FV45-49: 1st Mandy Wheeler, 3rd Kim Knight, FV55-59: 1st Jacki Woon, 3rd Sue Tremlett, FV60+: 3rd Lucy Payne.

Male age category results: MV45-49: 1st Roger Easterbrook, 3rd Matthew Steele, MV50-54: 1st Bruce Campbell, 3rd Roger Hayes, MV55-59: 1st Gary Smart, MV60-64, 1st Alan Rex Kember, 2nd Peter Blakesley.

Teignbridge also won both team events. The winning female team comprised of Louise Gentry, Annabelle Evans and Mandy Wheeler. A great team effort. The victorious male team featured 3 of the first 8 finishers. They were Tim Pratt, Roger Easterbrook and Gary Smart.

The first locale male finisher was Sam Crowe, who incidentally took the honours last year too.

The other Trotters positions and times were:

Gary Smart (8, 00:34:59), Tim Dodwell (00:35:55), Matthew Steele (15, 00:36:32), Sam Crowe (16, 36:40), Ian Langler (17, 00:36:57), Christian Robinson (19, 00:37:23), Jason Trevenen (00:38:58), Mandy Wheeler (32, 00:39:12), Duncan Knight (34, 00:39:17), James Saunders (00:39:21), Andrew Fox (38, 00:39:38), Susanna Goffe (44, 00:40:01), Bruce Campbell (46, 00:40:03), Graydon Widdicombe (53, 00:40:50), Alex Rex Kember (54, 00:41:02), Max Conroy (55, 00:41:27), Bon Rymel (58, 00:41:38), Jacki Woon (00:41:48), Roger Hales (64, 00:42:07), Tim Hassell (65, 00:42:08), Nigel Barnett (66, 00:42:09), Roger Hayes (67, 00:42:09), Peter Hayward (68, 00:42:20), Hannah Jones (70, 00:42:39), Kim Knight (73, 00:43:03), Gavin Parrott (75, 00:43:10), Derek Skinner (76, 00:43:14), Kathryn Steemson (78, 00:43:27), Rachel Steele (87, 00:44:25), Travis Wood (89, 00:44:43), Rebecca Harvey (108, 00:46:19), Paul Johns (109, 00:46:25), John Tweedie (112, 00:46:32), Peter Blakesley (116, 00:47:22), Eamon Crowe (118, 00:47:42), Richard Keatley (123, 00:48:04), Caroline Clark (127, 00:48:36), Robert Faulkner (128, 00:48:40), Corinne Bright (134, 00:49:17), Lucy Evans (135, 00:49:38), Scott Knight (138, 00:49:45), Philip Norden (140, 00:50:14), Sue Tremlett (143, 00:50:28), Lucy Payne (154, 00:51:22), Stuart Moulson (160, 00:52:01), Eleanor Taylor (162, 00:52:19), Ed Hounsell (167, 00:52:53), John Skinner (171, 00:53:48), Susanne Westgate (172, 00:53:53), Graham Baker (173, 00:53:54), Suzie Mills (182, 00:55:16), Neil Rutley (186, 00:55:30), Zilpah Walton (206, 01:00:25).

There were 216 finishers.

Tom Merson won the race in a fantastic time of 00:29:07

On the evenings of July 17^th & 18^th, The Exeter 10K races took place.

The route took the runners along the footpaths and cycle tracks around the River Exe & Exeter Canal. The pan flat course meant that personal bests were very achievable, of for runners taking part in their first race. Conditions were hot and humid and the main path running through the Riverside Valley Park was particularly bumpy and dusty.

Three Teignbridge Trotters took part on Wednesday. Joe Hornsby set himself a new PB for the distance, slicing off 1 minute 22 seconds from his original best. Joe finished in 37^th position in a great time of 00:39:59. Hannah Jones & Caroline Clark also ran very respectable races. Hannah finished in 100^th place in a time of 00:46:44, and Caroline posted a time of 00:52:00, to finish 161^st. There were 269 finishers.

The race winner was Phil Wylie, representing Cheltenham Harriers. His winning time was 00:31:45.

On Thursday evening, Kay Shillabeer, Kris Ward, and Andy Distin travelled the short distance up the A38 to take part in the second instalment. A headwind meant that times were slightly affected.

Kris led the trio home, posting a very respectable time of 00:40:52. Kris will admit to not liking this race distance, but going on his time, he is pretty quick!! He finished in 21^st place.

Andy Distin ran very well to finish in 289^th position, in a time of 1:10:08, and Kay completed the course in 1:19:54 to finish 327^th. Kay ran with a friend, who has just completed the couch to 5K running programme.

The race was won by Liam Storey, winning in a time of 00:34:46. There were 334 entrants.

On Sunday 21^st July, Suzie Mills, Graydon Widdicombe and Mark Wotton travelled to East Somerset to contest the 8^th running of the Frome Half Marathon. There was also a 5K, a 10K and a family fun run on offer.

The Half Marathon course was a single loop, starting at Frome Town FC. The runners headed out through two residential areas, before running up through the town centre. They then travelled along quiet countryside lanes towards and into the idyllic Nunney village, with its thatched buildings. A water station here signalled the return back towards the city centre. The legendary 1K Egford Hill awaited the runners, a steady climb taking them to the highest point of the course. All the runners’ times were taken separately for the hill climb, as there were prizes in all age categories for this part of the course. It was from the top of the hill that the athletes swooped downhill into the heart of Frome to the finish at the football ground. The weather conditions were warm, with some light rain in certain parts of the course. There was plenty of support long the route, which helped while climbing some of the hills!

Graydon, on his way back to fitness, finished in 90^th position, in a time of 1:41:48. The ever improving Suzie Mills, posted a new PB, with a new mark of 2:19:28, to finish 455^th. Unfortunately, Mark picked up an injury during the race, and so completed the 10K race route instead. Mark hobbled across the line 1:08:19.

There were 548 runners. Race winner was James Bellward, posting a time of 1:11:48.