From Cornwall to Catalunya – A Six Race Showcase of Trotter Talent

From Cornwall to Catalunya – A Six‑Race Showcase of Trotter Talent

It was a bumper weekend of racing for the Teignbridge Trotters, with members competing in six different events across Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire, and as far afield as Spain. From coast‑path epics to fast city marathons, ultra‑loops, and sun‑soaked half marathons, our runners delivered a brilliant mix of grit, speed and spring‑season ambition. This week’s round‑up brings together an impressive spread of performances that truly showcases the depth and spirit of the club.

Barcelona Marathon 

Roger Moss took on the 2026 Barcelona Marathon on Sunday, enjoying the glorious Spanish sunshine and the famously vibrant atmosphere, where he reported being spurred on by excited Spanish crowds. His run unfolded against the backdrop of a historic race in which Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay delivered the fastest women’s marathon debut in history in around 2:10:51–2:10:53, while Uganda’s Abel Chelangat won the men’s race in 2:04:56–2:04:57. With Barcelona’s fast, urban loop and electric crowd support adding to the occasion, Roger completed the marathon in 4:31, cheerfully noting that he “could do better”—a characteristic bit of modesty on a spectacular day for running.

Full results available here: Results - ZURICH MARATÓ BARCELONA

Fission 20 - South Gloucestershire 

Jon Pressling continued his marathon preparations with a trip to South Gloucestershire for the Fission 20, a popular spring‑marathon training race that starts at Hamfields Leisure Centre, just down the road from Berkeley Nuclear Power Station. The event offers runners a choice of a fast, flat 20‑mile course or a half marathon, both largely run on quiet country lanes near the River Severn - ideal for testing pacing ahead of a spring marathon and well‑known for its PB potential. With only a couple of small hills “nothing of Devon standard,” Jon kept superbly on pace throughout, experiencing no “meltdowns” even when facing the open headwinds on the second lap. The race is renowned for its friendly atmosphere, environmental focus, and post‑run cake - features that help leave runners with a “positively radiating” runner’s high. Jon finished in an excellent 2:15:25, securing 38th place out of more than 422 finishers, rounding off a strong long‑run effort in perfect marathon‑training territory.

Full results available here: Individual Results.pdf - Google Drive

Malaga Half Marathon

Julian Scanes was chuffed to bits after storming through the Málaga Half Marathon on Sunday, an event renowned for its fast, ultra‑flat coastal course and ideal spring racing conditions. Set in the sun‑drenched streets of Málaga, one of Europe’s premier and flattest half marathons, with only around 4–7 metres of elevation difference, the race draws thousands of runners each year to its scenic route along the Costa del Sol and past iconic landmarks such as the port lighthouse and Paseo del Parque. Despite warm but breezy conditions typical of Andalusia’s mild March climate, Julian delivered a superb performance, clocking 1:28:27 after more than two years out with knee injuries and only five months back running. A brilliant comeback run in one of Spain’s most beautiful and atmospheric racing cities.

Full results available here: TotalEnergies Classifications MALAGA HALF MARATHON 2026 — Sportmaniacs

Pi & Pasty Challenge

Jo Randall and Caroline Clark stepped up to the two-day challenge of one of Devon running’s classic no‑frills endurance staples, the Pi and Pasty Challenge, where runners complete as many 5K ish laps along a traffic-free cycle path from Budleigh Salterton in Devon. Both competing on Mother's Day (supposedly a treat...) Caroline finished her day on six laps, just under 20 miles, in an excellent time of 3:36:53, and was very happy with that strong early‑season effort. Jo went on to claim 3rd place overall in the Sunday marathon, finishing in 4:34:00, and securing 4th place overall for the entire weekend (18 finishers men and women). They enjoyed the relaxed, mileage‑building atmosphere the event is known for, even as the temperature dropped steadily throughout the afternoon. 

Full results available here: Pi & Pasty Challenge 14th & 15th March 2026 Re.pdf

Polruan Shuffle 

Sue Tremlett took on the Polruan Shuffle on Saturday, a beautifully rugged A‑to‑B coastal event organised by Purple Gecko Events. Having run a few of their 10Ks before (but nothing this long or this recently) Sue found the Shuffle to be a welcoming, well‑organised race with a small enough field to feel enjoyable rather than overwhelming. The route travelled from Looe to Polruan along the South West Coast Path, with just one aid station and a single marshal point in Polperro, leaving runners to self‑navigate with the simple instruction to “keep the sea on your left.” Despite having run the Grizzly only six days earlier, suffering with a cold all week, and getting just four hours’ sleep the night before, Sue pushed on through the demanding mix of steep climbs, endless steps, and plenty of mud that made progress even harder. Thankfully the day delivered perfect Cornish running weather—bright blue skies, sunshine, and barely any wind—even if it meant she was slightly overdressed. Sue completed the challenge in a superb 3:21:45, a gritty and impressive performance on a tough but stunning stretch of coastline.

Full results available here: Results Base - Polruan Shuffle 2026

Weymouth Half Marathon

Kevin Besford headed East to the Dorset coast for the Weymouth Half Marathon on Sunday, tackling his third half marathon race of the month. He woke to a bright, blue‑sky morning, ideal running conditions, and set off on what had been advertised as a very flat course. That description certainly applied to the first half, but the second half proved a different story, serving up a few short but sharp climbs that even met Kevin’s definition of a hill. Digging in, he pushed steadily through the “uppy bits,” picking off runners on the ascents and keeping strong to the finish. Kevin crossed the line in an impressive 2:05:16, a solid performance and perfect momentum as he now sets his sights on Tiverton next week.

Full results available here: weymouth 2026-hm.pdf

Submit your race reports by Sunday 7pm each week to Jo Randall - press@teignbridgetrotters.co.uk