Marathon Mad Trotters' North Dorset Invasion

It was a busy Bank Holiday weekend for Teignbridge trotters who found races far and wide including the North Dorset Village Marathon which attracted 25 Trotters, the most ever to run a single Marathon Race in the Club's history.

A very early start greeted 25 Trotters who went up to Dorset on Sunday 6th May to run the “North Dorset Village Marathon” which kicked off at 8.30am in Sturminster Newton. The weather had been predicted as cold and rainy but turned out to be warm after a chilly start and the beautiful countryside complemented the sun.

The race was run around quiet country lanes on a slightly undulating course and through quaint villages. With plenty of marshals and water/feed stations on route 343 runners completed the course with many of the trotters using the race as a “training “run for the forthcoming Dartmoor Discovery on 9th June
First trotter over the finishing line and obviously still fresh from London two weeks ago was Wavell Vigers in 2.57.37 and 8th place. Ellie Sutcliffe who was wearing her Teignbridge trotter vest for the 1st time ran 3.02.54 which claimed her 1st female in the event and 16th overall. Gary Clark who has been contending with a knee injury surprised himself by not only finishing the race in 3.12.36(PB) and 25th but that time gained him a good for age place at London next year which he missed out on in the Taunton marathon a month ago by seconds. Alan Boone having a strong race was 29th and 3.13.54(PB) also qualifying him for a good for age.

In 44th place came Wilfred Taylor in an amazing time of 3.19.39 to record a new V60 Marathon Club Record. Travis Wood did 3.20.09 knocking 7 minutes of his last marathon time and was 46th and being chased by Nick Stevens in 3.21.51 and 50th. Mark Hutchins was 63rd in 3.26.25 and John Tweedie did 3.28.48. Roger Hales was 100th in 3.37.07 while Mark Becker completing only his 2nd marathon did 3.41.10 and was 107th. Next trotter ladies across the line, once again running together as they did two weeks ago, were Emma Sidebotham and Tracy Elphick posting 109th and 110th in 3.41.20 and 3.41.21 respectively. Along with Ellie’s fantastic run these three girls picked up the 1st female team prize for the event.

Roger Hayes running with Phil Perry did 3.45.55 and 3.45.56 and were 130th and 131st. Daniel Wride was 165th in 3.51.37 but he was being chased by Peter Blakesley who only took a place very recently and finished in a personal best time of 3.51.45 placed 166th. Chris Wride trying to catch his son Daniel did 4.04.24 and was 209th with Eleanor Taylor having a really good run in 212th and 4.05.19. Peter Royle who had run a marathon last week in Manchester ran 4.09.29 in 220th place. Sharon Bowman struggled in the last 10km but still completed in 4.13.47 and 231st with Caroline Clark popping over the line in a PB of 4.15.11 and 241st. Sally Ingledew who is used to being the only Trotter in many marathon events completed in 4.22.17 and 258th while Angela Blakesley wearing her trotter vest for the first time as she now becomes a fully-fledged Trotter did a PB in 4.22.34 in 260th. Meanwhile Stuart Moulson struggling from early on completed the trotter team in 4.39.01 and was 293rd. Stuart Parkes who is a second claim Trotter did 3.23.32 and was 57th.
Thanks to Fizz for this report

Four Trotters took part in the Saltash Half Marathon hosted by the Saltash May Fair committee in association with Tamar Trotters. Billed as a tough road race the runners set out from Warfelton Field and followed a route through Lower Burraton and Trematon.

Daryl ‘Tarquin’ Milford is still running relentlessly well as, despite his arduous recent race programme, he claimed 3rd prize in an impressive 1.20.25. Lance Mason’s form defies the injuries he is suffering as he was 5th overall in 1.26.53. This bagged him the 1st M50 prize. Tina Caunter also made light of the tough course as she finished 132nd in 2.03.02 and Guy Roberts, back on song following his marathon in Rome was 142nd out of 176 finishers in 2.06.49.
 

There were just four Trotters at the Great West Run in Exeter as yet another ‘Big City’ event fails to capture tha imagination of local runners. The ever consistent Mark Hamling led the four home 204th in the Half Marathon race in a time of 1.38.25. Noel Fowler posted a good time of 1.47.15 to finish 464th and Jess ‘Perky’ Parkes had a fine race to notch up a PB, 547th in 1.49.31 and Derek Blackford, another of our consistent race regulars, was 1,039th out of 1,920 finishers in 2.03.58.

Glenn Jarvis following a long layoff through illness and injury made a very happy return to racing in the Great West Run 5k where he was 1st MV65, 41st out of 114 finishers in 26.51.

Three Trotters were amongst the 383 who took part in The Glastonbury Road Run, with its main event the "Round the Tor 10K". The 10K event, one of the largest races in the county of Somerset, is a mainly rural course that undulates around the ancient and mysterious Isle of Avalon, starting and finishing within a stone’s throw of the alleged burial place of King Arthur within the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey.

Neil Pallant following his drenching at the Milton Keynes Marathon the previous week enjoyed the fine weather and 20 mile shorter race distance as he finished 124th in 47.31. Now living in Taunton but happily retaining his association with the Club, Trotter exile Chris Rogers was 206th in 51.42 and Rachel Pallant, on a difficult course was 367th in yet another sub hour time of 59.57.
 

On Bank Holiday Monday Mark Wotton crossed the Irish Sea to Belfast where he took part in the Deep Riverrock Belfast City Marathon. Mark takes up the story, ‘The race starts at the City Hall and finishes in Ormeau Park running in and around the City and along the estuary. The weather was awful as it rained non stop with a strong wind blowing which made conditions very difficult and icy cold. I did a time I was very pleased with, official results are not up yet but I did a sub 4 clocking 3.56.58 on my watch. A very well marshaled race with a great atmosphere - definitely one I would come back to.’
 

Report compiled by Rod Payne
 

Pictures; Top: Team Trotter before the North Dorset Village Marathon. Middle: Job Done for Peter and Angela Blakesley, both recorded a PB. Bottom: Neil and Rachel Pallant at Glastonbury