Bank holiday races bring out the trotters......................

The August bank holiday weekend was certainly busy for the trotters as they made themselves felt in several local events.
On Friday 26th August up at Haldon forest, 23 trotters took on the new course of the "Forest Flyer 5" miles organised by the Dawlish Coasters. It took place on the cycle paths and walk ways around the park and started at 7pm by which time the heavens threw down torrential rain! The course was all traffic free and the first few miles were downhill. The race had a nasty sting in the tail as the last mile was all uphill really testing the runner’s out.129 people completed the race.

First trotter and coming in 3rd place was Daryl”tarquin”Milford in a splendid time of 29.18.Next trotter was Ian Langler in 16th place with a time of 33.11.John Crocker was next with 36.22 and 31st place.Roger Hales did 36.42 and 36th closely followed by Wilf Taylor in 36.52 and 37th.Tracy Elphick brought the trottettes home in 37.02 and 39th followed by Andrew”monkey”Ludlam in 37.25 and 40th.
The other trotters came in as follows-Gary Watson 38.01- 45th,Craig Churchill 38.54- 53rd,Mark Wotton 39.03 55th,Stuart Moulson 40.10- 59th,Anna Caunter 40.34- 60th,Roger Hayes 40.35- 61st,Nigel Penwarden 41.01- 62nd,Sarah Schutte 41.35- 64th,Sharon Bowman 42.01- 65th,Sally Ingledew 42.34 -71st,Mary Goulden 45.04- 85th,Derek Blackford 45.56 -90th ,Eleanor Taylor 46.17- 92nd,Lucy Payne 46.20- 95th,Steve Rawlinson 47.32-102nd and Chris wride 50.10- 114th.

On Sunday 28th August Craig Churchill and Mark Wotton ran the “Battle of Sedgemoor 10km” organised by the Langport runners.450 runners took part with Craig finishing in 45.34 and 151st place and Mark 46.34 and 168th.

Also on Sunday husband and wife Gary and Caroline Clark celebrated 14 years of marriage in style by running the “Pewsey half marathon” This is a great event organised by the Pewsey Vale Running Club which attracts an entry of around 300 runners. The setting is an area of outstanding beauty and the course is run along pretty country lanes and through the villages surrounding Pewsey. The first part of the race is quite undulating, building up to the biggest climb of the race at around 4 miles. Once you reach the top of this though you are rewarded with a sweeping downhill section with a great view of one of famous Wiltshire hillside White Horse. The remainder of the course is reasonably flat but some strong headwinds and a few more climbs in the last mile or so tested those tired legs! This was there 2nd year of entering the event and they both very pleased to have beaten the times for last year, (Gary by about 6 mins!). Gary did 1.33.58 and Caroline 1.52.06(Thanks Caroline for the report)

Bank holiday Monday dawned dry and bright and enticed more trotters out to partake in a run at the “Lustleigh Show 10km" in the village of Lustleigh.Some of them racing again for the second time in a few days. Our own Graham”Inky”Penn was the race organiser and, run in conjunction with the local show, it takes the runners around a very undulating and tough course on local woodland paths and through the “chocolate box “village of Lustleigh.167 people completed the course and 20 of them were trotters.

David Tomlin raced to the finish in 5th place with a strong time of 36.04.Lance Mason did 39.28 in 11th place. Michael Eveleigh was next trotter in 42.01and 18th closely followed by Ian Langler in 42.22 and 19th.
Other trotters came in as follows-Roger Hayes 45.05-29th,John Crocker 45.45-37th,Stuart Moulson 47.43-51st,Phil Perry 48.02-52nd,Noel Fowler 49.28-64th,Chris wride 51.26-74th,Rex Barnes 52.26-77th,Sharon Bowman 53.54-88th,Roger Hales 55.52-103rd,Graham Pann 55.53-104th,Sue Hewings 56.37 -109th,Lucy Payne 57.42-115th,Julie Crocker 57.47-118th,Jess Whitehouse 1.00.54-135th,Stella Imong 1.03.03-144th and Vicky Hales in 1.07.32 and 159th

Lone Trotter Wavell Vigers decided to try out the "Peter Tavy Plod” which is part of the Peter Tavy village fair (which was very good said Wavell!). The 5 mile race described as a scenic and undulating course over Moorland Tracks and Woodland Trails with stunning panoramic views. Despite the first 1.5 miles being pretty much uphill and steep, it's a cracking course and the downhill sections more than made up for that long slog uphill. Well marked and marshalled he did 31.38 and was 8th.Around 80 runners took up the race. (Thanks Wavells for the report)

Report written by Sharon (Fizz) Bowman

Photos-TOP-The boys line up at the start of Lustleigh…or are they going to leap frog Tommo MIDDLE-Graham enjoys a pint in the beer tent with his helpers Jean and Buzz Terrill.BOTTOM-Some of the trotters straight after the Lustleigh! (thanks Jessica Parkes for the 1st two photos)