Tommo top at Tavy 13......

On Sunday 24th  March across the moor in Tavistock, David Tomlin and Stephen Wallace ran the “Tavy 13” half marathon which took the 210 runners in and around the market town on a undulating course. The race started outside Tavistock College and finished on the track in the College.

David Tomlin topped the race again for the second year winning in a strong time of 1.17.00 and was just under 2 minutes ahead of the 2nd placed runner and he was also first vet 40. Stephen Wallace was 149th and 3rd in his male vet 60 in a time of 2.01.30

Husband and wife duo, Rod and Lucy Payne travelled to Cranleigh in Surrey for the “Cranleigh 15/21 Mile” road race. The race was run in freezing conditions with snow flurries throughout all designed to keep the spirits low. Lucy, in her last long race before London, opted for the undulating 21 mile route and completed the race strongly, 420th out of 560 finishers in a time of 3.18.48. Meantime Rod chose the 15 mile option and despite poor preparation finished 111th out of 194 finishers in a time of 2.23.04.

Meanwhile in freezing Weston–super-Mare, Pete Aston, Adrian Youngman, Jimmy Donovan and Gary Watson did the “Peaky Freaky Duathlon” which consisted of 37 miles cycling and 10 miles running. This was split into three pretty flat bike rides to the bottom of three hills which then had to be run up and down back to the same point. Adrian managed to have a puncture in the first mile. There was a really good finish between Adrian, Jimmy and Gary as they started the last run with Adrian first, Gary second and Jimmy last, but Jimmy overtook them both and Gary overtook Adrian.

First of the quartet to cross the line was Pete Aston with a time of 03:59:44, followed in by Jimmy Donovan: 04:23:33, Gary Watson: 04:24:33 and then Adrian Youngman: 04:26:09.

The annual “Wrap Up and Run Exeter 10K” took place in Exeter from Princesshay Square in the city. The race is a charity event for Exeter Age UK. Every winter, more than 24,000 older people die from preventable causes and the money raised goes to help stop the cold weather causing these needless deaths. 550 runners took to the streets to support the event and with it being flat and fast the Trotters all had great runs despite the cold day.

Craig Churchill brought them home in a personal best time of 41.28 and he was 60th . Graydon Widdicombe ran his best time to date in 43.40 87th. Derek Blackford was next Trotter in 50.15 190th and Sally Ingledew knocked 3 minutes off her last time on the course with 51.45 214th. Beverley Dennis also did a PB with Rachel Pallant with 53.09 250th and 54.57 292nd respectively. Marsha Garrard made a welcome return to the racing circuit to complete in 54.29 277th.

Over on the Dartington Hall Estate near Totnes, Sharon"Fizz" Bowman, Hattie Mann and Gary Caunter entered the first running of the “Dartington Duathlon” which consisted of a sprint distance event comprising a 5K run, 20K bike, and another 2.5K run. The Event HQ and Transition Zone where located at the heart of the magnificent Dartington Hall Estate. The first run was around the lanes and tracks of the Hall and the bike took them out on an undulating course on the A385 as far as the A38 and back again. The last section was a tough and muddy cross country course taking on steps and kissing gates and slippery fields. As yet the times haven’t been published but Sharon was 3rd vet lady. It was the first such event for both Fizz and Hattie.

Report by Fizz
PHOTOS - Top - Tommo at Bideford a couple of weeks ago Middle -The Wrap Up and Run PB girls BOTTOM- Marsha back on the circuit.