Marathon madness in North Dorset ........

On Sunday 5th May, fourteen Teignbridge Trotters travelled to the village of Sturminster Newton in Dorset to run the 7th “North Dorset Village Marathon”. It was a very early start as the race kicked off at 8.30am but lucky it did because the sun came out and made the going very tough with hardly any breeze or shaded areas to run. It was a picturesque and undulating race along country lanes through the villages of Hinton St Mary, Marnhull, Stalbridge, Todber, Stour Row, Margaret Marsh, West Orchard, Farrington, Child Okeford and Hammoon and started at Sturminster Newton High School. The support was very good for such a rural marathon with good water and feed stations. 294 runners completed the course.

First Trotter home was Alan Boone in 10th position with a fantastic strong run in a new personal best time of 3.09.59 placing Alan as the 1st male vet 55 to finish. Allen Taylor was next to appear knocking 10 minutes off his previous best marathon time with 3.18.19 in 28th place.

Jess Parkes in her 1st marathon completed in 101st with a "good for age" qualifying time for London (Under 3.45 for a women up to 50) of 3.44.17 even though she struggled with a bad stomach. Neil Pallant did 3.58.27 in 148th but also found the latter stages of the race tough. Dave Dunn did 4.02.16 for 158th and Sarah Schutte was 163rd with 4.04.17 in only her second marathon, but she struggled due to drinking an electrolyte drink that didn't agree with her. Graydon Widdicombe did a pb of 4.08.12 in 174th. El Taylor was 182nd in 4.11.38 and Sharon Bowman did 4.18.45 for 199th having run London only 2 weeks ago.

Lucy Payne was 2nd female vet 60 in 4.26.27 for 220th, having also done London, and Guy Roberts did a pb in 4.37.10 for 238th. Angie Blakesley had a really tough run but was 242nd in 4.38.24 and Keith Anderson did 5.14.16 in his 2nd marathon in only 2 weeks, but found this one a real "emotional rollercoaster of events". Peter Blakesley had to pull out at around 20 miles after struggling with a few problems.

Down in Saltash six Trotters ran the very tough and hilly “Saltash Half Marathon”. Ewan Walton was 4th in a superb time of 1.26.35 and Gary Clark was 22nd in 1.36.20. Roger Hales tackling a half marathon instead of his usual marathon distance clocked 1.42.16 for 41st. Noel Fowler ran 1.52.56 in 80th place, while Sally Ingledew and Lance Mason ran together and crossed the line in 2.00.17 in 105th and 106th positions, giving Sally "the marathon queen" 1st female vet 50 prize. Tamsin Cook was 146th in 2.10.30 with 175 runners taking part.

Despite being and feeling worse for wear, following a day and evening enjoying the fine hostelries of Tavistock, 15 Trotter men lined up to tackle the  tough "Bere Pen 10K"  Entered as part of the Teignbridge Trotters ‘Lad’s weekend away’, this race was the culmination of a weekend of activities, which included a spot of lawn bowls at Bere Alston Bowling Club and the infamous ‘bottle game’ in a public house in Tavistock (it involves skill and stamina, built around the circuit training position of ‘the plank’).

Despite having a very enjoyable weekend, the "Bere Pen 10K" was probably the last thing these Trotter men needed on the ‘morning after’! The race starts off in the village of Bere Alston and then runs downhill for 3 miles to the River Tamar, followed up a constant 3 mile climb back to Bere Alston and the finish, which was situated at the local school. The race was laid on to support the ‘Hugs 4 Henry’ local charity, which was founded in support of a local three year old little boy. Henry has a rare and deadly childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. The condition has an 80% chance of relapse and there is no relapse protocol in the UK which means Henry must travel outside of the UK, probably to America, to obtain the treatment he needs.

50p from each entry to the Bere Pen 10k will be donated to the ‘Hugs 4 Henry’ appeal.

Although the race had a local feel, local running hero Adam Holland turned out, as he has done so in previous years, and again won the race easily. Tarquin tried to cling onto the first two runners, but after eating and drinking too much the day before he found this a difficult challenge and had to settle for 3rd position, but in doing won the 1st MV40 award.

Chris ‘Psycho’ Cleave was the next Trotter in, in 11th place, after running in his usual gutsy style with a time of 44:19. Wavell Vigers wasn’t far behind in 12th position in a time of 44:49, after making a welcome return to racing, following a period away from competition. Gary ‘Watsa’ Watson was next Trotter in and showed a glimpse of his past ability to record a time of 48:13. Chasing him hard was John Tweedie, who posted a good time of 48:20, despite being the one who seemed to imbibe the most during the day before!

Travis Wood was next Trotter in a time of 48:55 and will now have yet another stag do to look forward to next weekend! Daniel (Son of Smiler) Wride (49:45) and Chairman Roger Hayes (50:01) were the next Trotters home. Jimmy ‘One Fish’ Donovan (53:21), ‘Pistol’ Pete Aston (55:41). Phil ‘Latte’ Perry (56:02), John ‘Skins’ Skinner (58:03), Adrian ‘Well Hard’ Youngman (60:18) and Ryan Anthony (60:59) brought the Trotter men home. Ryan found the event especially difficult, as he spent most of the course being ill!

 Afterwards, the Trotter men retired to a local inn for a well earned Sunday carvery.(thanks Tarquin)

REPORT BY SHARON"Fizz" BOWMAN

PHOTOS-TOP-Angie ,Lucy and Keith smiling in North Dorset MIDDLE-The boys before the off BOTTOM-Psyco and Skins loading up before the 10km (thanks Rod and Tarquin)