54321 - Maps at the ready and off we go.

On Tuesday 7 August 12 Teignbridge Trotters took part in the 3rd round of the 4-race Run Exe 5k Series at Flowerpots Fields in Exeter. The flat 2 lap course and the ideal conditions resulted in a number of PBs being set.

In a field of 76 the first of these was by Lance ‘Skippy’ Mason who led the team home in 12th place and claimed 2nd M50 spot in a time of 17.44. Geoff Davey also ran an impressive PB of 17.57 finishing in 14th position. Mike Eveleigh claimed 1st M60 spot and 19th overall in 18.46 closely followed by Dan Wride in 20th spot in a swift PB of 18.59. John Crocker is by his own admission is not a fan of the short races but was 36th in 20.23, then came Gary Watson 43rd in 20.59. Chris ‘Smiler’ Wride was 46th in 21.18 then the first of our four ladies Jess ‘Perky’ Parkes was 55th in 23.18 with Jo Haynes just one place behind her and credited with the same time of 23.18. Tina Caunter was 60th in 25.03 followed by the husband and wife team of Rod and Lucy Payne who finished together in 26.12 with Lucy running a PB into 68th place and Rod following dutifully behind in 69th place.

On Sunday 7 members of our Club travelled to Wiltshire for the Salisbury 54321, a multi terrain event run in aid of The Fire Fighters Charity. The race is so-called because the 50K race includes 5 rivers, 4 hills, 3 large country estates, 2 castles, and 1 cathedral. The event covers a mixture of footpaths, bridleways and quiet country lanes and offers five distance options ranging from 10k up to 50k and the races are all self navigation. However the routes are also well marked and there were marshals along the way.

In the 30k race in a field of 123, Caroline Clark and Katrina Duignan, both new to this type of event, enjoyed the experience immensely and completed the course in 95th and 96th places in 3.38.36 and 3.38.37 respectively.

Here is Caroline’s very own account of the race: ‘The Salisbury 54321 events are very well organised giving the runners (and walkers!) a choice of a 10K, 21K (Half Marathon), 30K, Marathon and 50K (31 mile Ultra). Our hardcore band of Ultra runners, (Chair, Allen & Mark) set of 1st, followed by our equally hardcore Marathon runners, (Gary and Smokes) followed by Kat and I in the 30K “fun run”, using this as a training run for our Autumn marathons. The mixed terrain race is run in the beautiful Wessex countryside and is run on a variety of road, wooded track, bridle paths, gravel tracks and fields. The scenery throughout was stunning, a highlight for me being the lovely Longford Castle, in fact I liked it so much I took a photo! (perhaps I should apply myself a little more to this running lark!) The race is also billed as self-navigate, the thought of which I must confess I found quite daunting! In the event I need not have worried as a huge amount of effort was put in by the organisers to ensure that the courses were well marked out and checkpoint marshals were very friendly and helpful. I enjoyed the race so much that I have already pencilled it in to my race calendar for next year, praise indeed from a “tarmac” runner like myself! I just need to decide on the distance………’ Thanks Caroline, the next best thing to being there.

In the 42k (marathon) race which attracted 186 runners Gary Clark had a fine day and was 7th in an impressive 3.40.04. Marathon regular Roger ‘Smokes’ Hales was 46th in 4.27.44.

A total of 113 runners and walkers completed the top distance 50k Race. Allen Taylor and his Guru and Mentor Chairman Hayes worked well as a team and finished in 26th and 27th place and were rewarded with highly respectable times of 4.51.18 and 4.51.19. Mark ‘Wurzel’ Wotton was 59th in a time of 5.33.51. We can confirm that there is no truth in the rumour that at one stage he was chased by a farmer who thought that one of his scarecrows had escaped.

Report by Rod Payne
 

Photos: Top: Girls!! Katrina and Caroline are bemused by a map. Middle: Mark 'Wurzel' Wotton the Farmer's friend. Bottom: John Crocker likes them to be longer