There’s a Spring in Trotter’s Heels

On another quiet weekend with races hard to find, only a handful of Teignbridge Trotters ventured out into the spring sunshine at Exeter for the last in the series of 5 and 10kwarm up races for the GWR Half Marathon in May and one lone Trotter crossed the border into Cornwall for the inaugural Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Half Marathon.

Sunday dawned bright and sunny and a total of 8 Trotters joined the field of 76 for the last in a 3 race series of races billed as warm ups for the GWR. This latest event, organised by Ironbridge Runner, was run over a 4-lap 10k course on footpaths and cycle paths alongside the river Exe flood relief and around the Flower Pot children's park in the centre of Exeter. The course is flat and fast and is an opportunity to post some good times. The intimacy of the course provides ample opportunity to monitor and encourage team mates at numerous points en route.

None of our runners disappointed with some sharp times being recorded. At the head of the field Dave Tomlin is back to his sparkling best after a slow start to the year through illness and posted a magnificent 35.15 to take 3rd spot. Ian Langler is another of the Royal Blue Clan who has had an early season hiccup with a back problem but he also proved that this is now behind him finishing a fine 6th in 39.16. Craig Chuchill continues to move up the ranks in the club and was 3rd Trotter across the line 29th overall in 45.16 and just one place behind him was Gary Watson in only his second race after coming out of winter hibernation in 45.49. Richard Varley is another consistent runner swelling our club ranks and providing some great midfield rivalry. Richard posted a 34th place finish in 47.02. Next home in 40th place in 50.26 was lone Trottette Sharon Fizz Bowman. Unusually for Fizz she is currently not training for a specific race and seems to be enjoying a more low-key approach to the sport with her times still far from shabby. Derek Blackford, 45th in 52.25, is another name cropping up more and more on the Trotter race scene. Recent club recruit Chris Rogers, 48th in 53.58 has used the series to gain race experience and has consolidated his times. Chris is working hard at his running and can surely look forward to significantly reducing his times as we move into the 10k season.

The Dragon Leisure Centre in Bodmin, Cornwall was host for the day for the inaugural Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service Half Marathon and the multi-terrain course was predominantly run within the grounds of Lanhydroc House, owned by the National Trust. The hilly race attracted 226 runners and the course was afterwards described by lone Trotter Graham 'Inky' Pen as 'VERY undulating'. The severity of the course was reflected in Inky's time of 2.04.37.

Some recent news on our members is that cross country captain Debbie Pocket Rocket Clark was taken ill at training recently and is a bit under the weather at the moment. She is undergoing tests before being allowed to resume her running activities so we wish her well and hope to see her cheerful smile back in the corridors at Dyrons soon.

Club Treasurer, kit man, race director and all-round stalwart John Caunter suffered a nasty fall last week and has had a spell in hospital where he has undergone surgery on his arm. John will clearly be off for a while and our best wishes go out to him for a full and speedy recovery.

Report by Rod Payne (Contributions by Sharon Bowman and Graham Penn)

Pictured Top: Richard Varley, Craig Churchill, Derek Blackford, Ian Langler, Sharon Bowman, Chris Rogers, Gary Watson and Dave Tomlin at Exeter. Middle: Thumbs up from Craig by the Exe - leading club mates Gary Watson and Richard Varley. Bottom Graham Inky Penn in action. Thanks to Fay Churchill for the Exeter pictures.