Trotters Turn Out in Force for a Muddy Masterclass in Axminster

The Minster Challenge

The long‑standing Axminster Minster Challenge 12K once again delivered a true multi‑terrain adventure, complete with mud, hills and a lively turnout from the Teignbridge Trotters. A crisp and chilly spring morning greeted the runners on the school‑ground start line, where the familiar mix of tarmac, fields and farm tracks awaited.

The opening 2km offered a friendly introduction to the route, with smooth tarmac and a pleasant downhill that helped runners ease into their pace. This early comfort soon gave way to a steady climb into the Axminster countryside, where the terrain shifted to farm tracks, bridleways and twisting field paths. Trail shoes proved invaluable as the course revealed its muddier personality—especially at the now infamous bog beneath a low‑hanging tree. Several Trotters found themselves briefly one shoe short and had to perform emergency retrieval missions from the mire, much to the amusement of watching marshals.

Around the 9km mark runners were finally freed from the clutches of the fields and returned to flat tarmac, allowing tired legs to stretch out before the final descent back toward Axminster. The race ended with a sting in the tail: a final 200‑metre uphill push back to the school grounds and over the finish line.

The Trotters dominated the men’s race with the 12K won in style by Teignbridge Trotters’ own Donald Brooks, who looked composed from start to finish and crossed the line in 49:16.6. Not far behind, teammate Roger Easterbrook produced an excellent late surge to secure second place in 51:12.5, completing a commanding one‑two finish for the club. Further down the field, Ewan Walton ran strongly to claim 10th place in 59:04.5, while Duncan Knight delivered a brilliant performance to finish 17th in exactly 1:00:52, taking first M55 honours. Steve Weeks followed in 20th place in 1:01:24, with Frank Reay and Christian Robinson close behind; Reay finished in 1:02:17 to clinch first M60, while Robinson crossed just fifteen seconds later in 1:02:32.

The middle of the pack saw more strong Trotter performances. Chloe Weeks was the next Trotter home, delivering a superb run to finish in 1:03:19, which earned her third female overall and first Senior Female. She was followed by Ben Tampkins, who completed the course in 1:04:15. Kathryn Steemson came next with a fine run of 1:09:14, securing first F50, with Alan Kember close behind in 1:09:53 to claim first M65. Allen Taylor finished in 1:11:09, while Adam Doherty recorded a determined 1:13:15, and Jayden Taylor crossed the line in 1:14:30, taking first M Under 20.

There were excellent times still to come towards the end of the race, including Andrew Morton, who clocked 1:18:44 and achieved third M60, while Patricia Atkins finished in 1:19:20 to become first F60. Neil Tampkins crossed the line in 1:21:08, followed by Peter Aston in 1:27:01. Last but not least our last Trotter home of the day was Michelle Doherty, finishing in 1:32:47.

In total, the race welcomed 87 finishers, with the Trotters turning up in strong numbers for this the third outing of their Club Championship season.

For full results see: 2026 Minster Challenge | Race results | Webscorer

Yeovil Half Marathon

The Yeovil Half Marathon once again delivered an uplifting and scenic challenge, drawing a field of nearly 1,600 runners to the heart of Somerset. Starting and finishing in Yeovil Town Centre, the event enjoys fully closed roads, a lively atmosphere and cheering spectators lining the streets from the very first stride to the final push back into town.

For Trotter Kevin Besford, Yeovil marked his fifth consecutive half marathon, and with a 6.30am departure it was an early start to the day. The conditions were favourable—overcast but cool, with none of last week’s heat to contend with—which helped Kevin settle into a confident rhythm.

He reported a strong first nine miles before the reality of Yeovil’s climbing began to bite. As Kevin put it, “the climbing kicked in” with the three climbs out of Montacute Village, which left already‑tired legs even more fatigued. With Ball’s Hill looming as the toughest of these, it was then a case of hanging on and pushing through to the final miles. Despite the challenge, Kevin crossed the line in a very respectable 2:05:25, a finish he described as “pleasing” after the hard work of the middle section.

Kevin praised the race for being very well organised, and noted that crowd support was excellent all the way around, something echoed by the event organisers and spectators each year. With Yeovil complete, Kevin has now finished all five of his planned early‑season half marathons and will be spending April recovering before building up again for Plymouth in May.

Further race details here: Races - RaceNation Events

Feighan Fury

The Feighan Fury, hosted by South West Road Runners, is known for being a tough but rewarding ten‑mile challenge around the rural outskirts of Tiverton. The route is predominantly trail, with the first half taking runners through muddy, hilly woodland and the second half opening into short stretches of quiet country lanes. There’s no shortage of climbs throughout the course, and early miles feature plenty of mud, puddles, and even a ford crossing to keep things interesting.

Taking on the event for the second time, one Trotter runner found it a demanding outing, largely due to the fatigue that comes with marathon training, but still enjoyable in its own rugged way. Despite tired legs and a niggle in her calf early on, Trotter's Sue Tremlett completed the course in 2:07:18 (Garmin time), a few minutes quicker than her 2024 run.

The event was well supported, with excellent marshalling and a friendly race HQ offering hot food and drinks. A free post‑race massage proved especially welcome. Conditions were chilly but dry, making it a good day for running. While the Feighan Fury doesn’t provide medals, finishers did receive a smart red vest as a memento.

Further details of the race can be found here: Races - The Feighan Fury - SWRR

A huge thank‑you to everyone who contributed to this week’s race report. These write‑ups are brought to life by the voices of our runners and supporters - it’s your stories that make them such a great read.

If you’ve taken part in a race, supported from the sidelines, or even just soaked up the atmosphere, we’d love to hear from you. Your experiences help enrich our reports, celebrate our club’s adventures, and inspire others to get involved in these brilliant local events.

To help keep things running smoothly, it’s really helpful if contributions can be sent in by 7pm on Sunday.Please send all photos and reports to Jo Randall at press@teignbridgetrotters.co.uk.

Thanks for helping us share the spirit of the Trotters every week!