Three club records broken at the London Marathon 2013......

On Sunday 21st April in the Capital City of London the sun shone brightly on the running of the "Virgin London Marathon". The event is always oversubscribed and runners find it harder each year to get in on the ballot so either do a good for age marathon somewhere or get drawn in the club ballot (of which we only get 3 places) or opt to run for a charity and raise funds for their chosen charity.

It starts at Blackheath and winds its route around the Cutty Sark, Isle of Dogs and into central London taking in the London Eye, Big Ben, Houses of Parilement and Buckingham Palace. This year it was very hot out there and in some parts there were crowds 8 deep that cheered and shouted as the runners went by. After the cold and wet winter many runners struggled in the heat and many never got back to the finishing line because of the conditions. There were, however, plenty of water stations on the course for which the runners were really grateful. With hardly any space to run at times, it was hard to keep the pace going for many, although you were never on your own!

This year a 30 second silence was held in remembrance of the Boston Marathon the previous Monday, when three spectators lost their lives and many others  were injured when the bombs went off at the finish. All runners wore a black ribbon to remember them.

Eighteen trotters took part and Garry Smart brought them all home in a brilliant  time of 2.50.53 breaking his own vet 45 marathon record he gained last year at the same race by 89 seconds. Next Trotter over the finishing line up the Mall was Daryl “Tarquin” Milford completing in 2.53.43. Although he had been training hard over the winter months he knew he was in trouble from mile 12 and didn't get the time he had been aiming for. Lance Mason was next in 3.01.44 with Gary Clark knocking several minutes off his PB time finishing in 3.08.06.

Helen Anthony brought the Trotter ladies home in 3.21.35 shaving a massive six minutes off the record she set last year at Lochaber Marathon for the senior ladies. Jacki Woon ran strongly to finish in 3.31.15 and Katie Imong running her first marathon did 3.55.17. Tim Hassell only completed Paris two weeks ago and did 3.57.02.

Lucy Payne ran a real stormer in only her second such event and knocked over twelve minutes off her own record she set last year in the female vet 60 marathon category at Milton Keynes last year. David Taylor completed in 4.14.08 and then came Sharon Bowman in 4.31.30 running her 5th London marathon. While on the other hand, Dennis Milstead running his first ever marathon did a time of 4.39.02 and Graeme Baker did 4.36.18 and Keith Anderson in only his second marathon knocked 14 minutes off his first one finishing in 4.39.55. First-time marathoner Carly Cook completed in 4.46.30 followed by another three “virgins” - Joanne Haynes who did 4.55.44 but struggled in the latter stages with cramp problems, and then Ruth Johnson who did 4.56.44, and Derek Blackford completed the Teignbridge Trotters team in 5.13.07.

Last Saturday Wilf Taylor won the M60 category in the "Southern Orienteering Championships" that was held on Perran Sands in Cornwall.

While the London marathon was taking place, Eleanor Taylor ran the “Angus Half Marathon” starting and finishing in Monikie Country Park, a few miles north-east of Dundee. Her time was 1:57.00.

Report by Fizz

PHOTOS - TOP - some of the Trotters before the off MIDDLE - Carly showing off her medal after her 1st marathon BOTTOM - Keith enjoying his race (Sorry I cant put more photos on ...everyone did SO well )