Tommo triumphs at Taunton

Taunton Marathon and Half-Marathon 6/4/08
Paris Marathon 6/4/08
Bournemouth Bay Run 30/3/08

Sixteen Teignbridge Trotters took part in the Taunton Marathon and Half-Marathon on Sunday (6/4), producing the overall race winner and a host of category placings and personal best performances. Dave Tomlin was the hero of the hour, coming 1st overall in the marathon event. His time of 2.40.24 just missed breaking his own 11-year-old club record and gave him a whopping 7.34 margin over the second-placed runner. Bridget Scholfield (4.14.09), Paul Scholfield (4.18.35) and Steve Rawlinson (4.31.18) provided admirable support on the marathon trial.

In the Half-Marathon, Howard Cotton (1.29.21) and Gary Watson (1.29.48) were 2nd and 3rd MV50 respectively. Bryan Hayes, meanwhile, secured 2nd place in the MV65 category with his time of 1.40.48. Andy Pepperell (1.26.06), John Tweedie (1.31.52) and Stuart Moulson (1.40.03) all scooped personal bests. Also running were: Mark Hamling (1.34.25), Dave Dunn (1.38.14), Steve Wallace (1.51.52), Julia Proctor (1.53.21), Sharon Bowman (running for the first time in Trotters colours, 1.53.22) and Bob Alford (2.08.06).

Further afield, two Teignbridge ladies recorded excellent personal best performances at the Paris Marathon on Sunday. Turning aside from the delights of Left Bank café society for a few hours, Sue Brown produced a searing run to post 3.35.48 - a 10-minute PB. And Michelle Willocks-Watts dragged herself away from the Louvre to romp home in 4.05.01, knocking 20 minutes off last year's time.

Also on Sunday, several Trotters took part in the Blackenstone Bruiser at Hennock. We'll publish a full report when the official results become available.

The previous Sunday (30/3), a trio of Trotters travelled to the south coast for the Bournemouth Bay Run. David Lickman took advantage of the sunny weather to finish the 10K course in 43.59. Helen O'Malley clocked 48.01 and Cindy Brookes crossed the line in 57.13.