On the sunniest Saturday for a long time, April 6th, lone trotter Allen Taylor racked up a "40 mile Ultra race" in the rural village of Compton in The Berkshire downs. It was run by the Berkshire Harriers who organised a great off road course through woods, across open fields and a few rather steep hills put in too and it was a two lap course. Allen completed his biggest mileage race to date in 6 hours and 22 minutes finishing 12th overall and 11th Male.
On Sunday 7th April the Trotters were out in force taking on the 30th running of the “Taunton Marathon and Half Marathon” run from the Somerset College in the town. The races both start together and take on an undulating rural course following country roads and local villages. The marathoners had to run straight past the finishing gantry to do another lap which included the “big” hill at 11 miles that was then at 24 on the return home. 197 runners completed the marathon in near perfect conditions although the wind was beginning to pick up in the latter stages.
The 10 Trotters all ran strong races with David Tomlin once again smashing another club record, this time for the marathon, taking it from club chairman Roger Hayes, who had held it since the London Marathon in 2007 with a time of 2.51.44. David betttered this by 6 minutes and 16 seconds to come 2nd in the race with a highly respectable time of 2.45.58, picking up another vet 40 award in the process. This now means he holds all the club records in the Male Vet 40 category, having broken them all since January 2013! A fantastic achievement to run alongside his senior male records of which he holds all four -10km, 10 miles, half and full marathon.
Ewan Walton was next Trotter to finish in 12th place with 3.04.00, running really strongly and producing a personal best by a good 5 minutes. Alan Boone was 25th in 3.12.58 for a new pb, and was 1st male vet 55. Roger Hales did 3.31.43 and was 77th, Travis Wood 3.36.25 and 88th, while John Tweedie ran 3.38.17 and was 96th. Roger Hayes knocking up his 97th such event completed in 3.44.01, being chased home by Neil Pallant in only his second marathon in 3.44.40 for a new pb, and they were 107th and 108th respectively. Phil Perry was 141st in 3.59.29 and Dave Dunn completed the team in 4.06.22 for 149th.
The Half Marathon attracted 23 Trotters out of the 990 finishers, with Garry Smart bringing them all home in 13th place with a time of 1.20.47 for 3rd male vet 45. Other Trotters completed as follows - Gary Clark doing a PB of 1.27.34 in 47th place, Mark Becker 1.35.01 in 113th, Craig Churchill 1.35.59 in 150th while Jacki Woon completed in 1.35.27 for a pb. Jacki was 3rd female vet 45, breaking the club record for this category, previously held by Stephanie Ross and set in the Dartmoor Vale half marathon in 2007, by 19 seconds. Jacki now holds all the records in this category apart from the marathon!
Wilf Taylor did 1.35.53 for 154th place and 3rd male vet 60, Mark Hamling ran 1.38.26 for 200th position, James Ayling 1.37.49 (PB) in 190th, Sarah Schutte 1.41.53 (PB) in 255th, Peter Blakesley 1.46.22 in 359th, Guy Roberts 1.49.38 (PB) in 429th, Sharon Bowman 1.52.40 in 510th, Derek Blackford 1.54.09 in 547th, El Taylor 1.54.34 in 556th, Lucy Payne 1.56.43 in 597th, Keith Anderson 1.57.20 in 609th, Rod Payne 1.57.47 in 616th, Lorna Martin 1.57.59 in 618th and Angela Blakesley 1.59.33 in 646th. Kirsty Bowman, running her first half marathon, did 2.01.26 for 686th place. Brother and sister Mark Wotton and Ruth Johnson both recorded 2.02.07 in 693rd and 694th positions. This was also Ruth's first half marathon, and Stella Imong completed the half marathoners for the Trotters in 2.08.16 for 793rd place.
Across the water in France the annual Paris marathon, the “Marathon de Paris” took place and 3 Trotters travelled over to enjoy the sights of the capital that takes the runners alongside the river Seine. Mark Hutchins completed in 3.28.27 for 5,783rd and Tim Hassell was 12,931st in 3.50.16. Cathy Burgess did 4.00.45 in 17,405th position.
Up in Exeter at the Middlemoor police station, Gary and son Adam Caunter took part in the “Middlemoor Aquathlon” run by Exeter Triathlon club. It was the third in the series with a 600 metre swim and a 5km off-road run, comprising 3 loops. Adam was 2nd in his age category with a 8.51 swim and 18.07 run, totalling 26.58, while his dad Gary did a 10.35 swim and 21.27 run, totalling 32.02 for 13th place in his category.
The “Exe to Axe” or the “Jurassic Coast” had 184 runners, with Jessica Parkes and Ryan Anthony taking part. The route follows the coastal path from Exmouth to Seaton with an element of self-navigation. The race runs through Orcombe Point, Budleigh Salterton, Branscombe Mouth and the pretty village of Beer to finish on the promenade at Seaton. Jessica posted 45th place in an amazing time of 3.37.06 for 7th female, while Ryan did 4.478.19 in 163rd place. They both clocked around 21 miles on their GPS watches.
Report written by Fizz
PHOTOS — TOP - Allen Taylor happy at 40! (thanks Allen) MIDDLE - the Taunton crew (thanks Caroline) BOTTOM - The Paris male duo (thanks Sharon)