Multi terrain events attracts Trotters this weekend ..................

On Saturday 16th March, Allen Taylor was lone trotter at the “Exmoor Coastal Marathon” ran by Adventure Hub. He got lost three times on the way back and ended up clocking 28.8 miles in the end. He still managed to finish 4th and was 3rd male in a time of 5 hours and 12 minutes.

Stella Thompson and her husband Kevin took on the "Delicious Dart Trail Run" which was around 15 - 16 miles from Dartington to Dartmouth. It had lots of nibbles and drinks along the way from local companies. It was a bit alternative, but absolutely brilliant according to them.

At South Devon College on Saturday evening, six Trotters ran the “South Devon 10K” race. The start and finish point is at South Devon College’s main campus Vantage Point, Long Road, Paignton. The race takes runners into the beautiful South Hams countryside along little known bridle paths and farm tracks, right down to the Mill Pond at Stoke Gabriel. With much of the route covering an area of outstanding natural beauty, the course has been described as “one of the most scenic 10K's in the South West”. The route encounters a couple of challenging hills and fair bit of mud, but there are significant downhill and flat stretches and stunning views and scenery.

David Tomlin as ever enjoying the mud and multi terrain racing was 2nd overall in 36.58 picking up 1st vet 40 male, while Ian Langler had a strong run in 16th place in a time of 45.11. Cathleen Pilton in her 1st race as a Trotter completed in 1.00.08 and 96th being chased by Stephen Wallace in 1.01.37 and 103rd. Selina Snow, also in her first race as a Trotter, showed promise for the future with 1:02:39 for 110th place. Steve Rawlinson was 118th in 1.03.29, Hayley Brown did 1.06.58 for 130th, and Selina's sister Heather ran 1:18:34 to be 172nd out of the 178 runners.

Tamsin Cook and Ewan Walton took part in the “Rock Solid 10K” extreme obstacle race at Escot Park which is set in 220 acres of stunning private parkland in the heart of East Devon. Ewan went off with his team from his work in the first wave at 10:20 (finishing 15th overall and 8th in the first mile timed section) and Tamsin went with 3 other girl friends at 12:20. It was great fun but very wet (lakes, water cannons, swamps, deep mud, water filled tunnels and ice filled skips!) and freezing cold. They also had to carry sandbags and logs, climb 8 foot walls, hurdle giant hay bales, commando crawl under barbed wire and get over big obstacles in a lake! It was a real team effort and something very different.

On Sunday, mother and daughter duo Sharon and Kirsty Bowman went to Plympton to run the Round Table event known as the “Mad March Hare 10K”. It is mainly on tracks taking in Saltram House as the turnaround point. They ran together but Kirsty sprinted away from her mum in the final 200 metres and posted a personal best at the distance of 54.10 and Sharon did 54.19!

In the afternoon the final round of the “Brooks Westward Cross Country League” took place in Plymouth. It was ran at Central park on the playing fields next to the Plymouth Life Centre. Six ladies supported this event with Helen Anthony coming in 17th place with 27.43, followed by Sharon Bowman cooling down from the earlier race in 32.53 and 29th. Sally Ingledew was chasing her in 31st 33.32 and Jo Becker was very close on her heels in 34.11 33rd. Kirsty Bowman in her 2nd event of the day did 34.29 for 34th and Tina Caunter was 37th in 36.42. Forty three completed the 5,900m race.

The men were after the ladies and did 8,630m with Alan Boone bringing the Trotters home in 51st place with 38.58. Mark Becker was 73rd with 42.37, John Crocker did 44.27 in 81st, Jim Donovan 46.10 in 86th, Noel Fowler 47.23 in 88th and Graeme Baker 50.33 in 89th. 91 men completed the course.

The overall results of the 6 fixtures put  Graeme Baker as 3rd male vet 60 and Lucy Payne 1st female vet 60. Sharon Bowman was 9th female vet 45, Jo Becker 17th and Tamsin Cook 19th. Tina Caunter was 11th female vet 50, Eleanor Taylor 12th, Sally Ingledew and Steph Ross 14th place. Alan Boone was 5th male vet 55 and John Crocker 14th male vet 45 and Jim Donovan 23rd.

The ladies senior teams were “A” team 14th, “B” team 22nd and “C” team 35th .There were 41 teams in this age group. The Veteran ladies were “A” team 6th and “B” team 20th. 24 teams were in this group.
The men’s senior “A” team was 16th and “B” team 26th out of 44 and the Veteran men’s “A” team was 6th and “B” team 17th out of 30 teams.

Peter Kirby ran the “Lancaster Trimpell 20 mile race” while visiting family in Lancaster on Sunday. It was flat course mainly on cycle/foot paths and starting at Lancaster AC .Then the course went towards Morecambe and back, around Lancaster Quay, alongside River Lune towards Caton and back to finish on Lancaster AC athletics track. His time was 2:45:31 & he was 3rd MV60 for 168th out of 386 finishers.

Report by Sharon Bowman (Fizz)

Photos- TOP –The men before the X country MIDDLE-The women before the x country BOTTOM- 
Mark in action (Thanks Beckers for photos)