Trotters take on Taunton

Twenty six Teignbridge Trotters travelled up the M5 to Taunton on Sunday to compete in the 27th Marathon and Half Marathon. Starting and finishing at Somerset College of Arts and Technology, the events are organised by Taunton and District Carnival Committee.

The circular undulating route passes through the villages of Norton Fitzwarren, Oake, Bradford on Tone and Rumwell, with a section along the main A38 trunk road. Marathon competitors were required to complete a second lap.

Roger Hayes led the Marathon team of four to the finish in a spectacular 3:13:25, 23rd overall, in a field of 205 runners. Daryl Milford was close behind in 28th position, with a time of 3:16:57, and a 12:04 improvement on his Abingdon time. Mark Hamling (71st) and Sally Ingledew (173rd) completed the line up in 3:36:52 and 4:21:21 respectively.

Meanwhile the Half Marathon competitors were running alongside in the brilliant sunshine and racking up some fine results of their own. Dave Tomlin in 9th overall position, in the field of 1208 finishers, was first Trotter past the post in a blistering 1:17:06. Roy Brown (24th) was next in 1:22:18, with Wavell Vigers hot on his heels, 25th in 1:22:31 and shaving 1:06 off his recent distance PB at Bideford.

Next was Tom Burman (1:30:27), followed by: Chris Cleave (1:32:09), Eyvoll Aston with a distance PB and 2nd FV35 (1:34:10), Tracy Elphick (1:40:13), Ewan Walton (1:40:21), Stuart Moulson (1:43:13), Nigel Penwarden (1:45:31) and Charlotte Crump, running her first such event in an impressive 1:48:44.

Remaining runners were: Sharon Bowman (1:49:37 PB by 6 seconds), Graeme Baker (1:49:46), Peter Blakesley (1:51:20), Craig Churchill (1:52:27), Marsha Garrard in superb form, with a time of 1:55:15 (PB by 2:38), Stephen Wallace (1:56:14), Graham Penn (1:59:04), Lisa Thorne and Ann Jones (joint 2:02:21), Derek Blackford (2:19:03) and Amanda Milverton (2:22:12).

Also on Sunday, husband and wife team Rod and Lucy Payne ran the Frimley Park 10k in Surrey. The charity event in aid of the British Heart Foundation started at Frimley Park Hospital, with both runners crossing the line in 1:01:08. This was Lucy`s first race since joining the Monday night beginners group.