Trotters Tackle Tough Marathons in Devon and Dorset

Following on from the lively activity the previous week it was a quiet week for the Teignbridge Trotters at the weekend.

Four of our Royal Blues took on the North Devon AONB Marathon where they found perfect weather conditions for running a marathon with a nice breeze and overcast skies. The race starts and finishes in Woolacombe and follows a tough figure of eight course with the second half being by far the hardest. The runners are taken over coastal paths with many steps and big hills. 183 competitors started the race and with only 171 finishing it was testimony to the severity of the course.

Lance ‘Skippy’ Mason had a fine run to finish 3rd overall and take 1st MV50 prize in a time of 3.37.26. Also well up the field in 9th was Chairman Roger Hayes in 3.49.44. This race has been in existence for foru years and our intrepid Chairman has toed the line at every one. ‘Smokin’ Roger Hales, having sealed a ‘26.2 Civil Partnership’ with Chairman Rog at The White Hart last Wednesday, was 73rd in 4.33.35 and Ryan Anthony 110th in 4.59.01. This was fine preparation for Skippy, Smokes and Ryan who are all tackling the 64-mile Plague Ultra in August.

Also in marathon action were Sally Ingledew and Mark 'Wurzle' Wotton who both took on the daunting Giants Head Marathon in Dorset. The race starts and finishes in the village of Sydling St Nicholas and follows a punishing route over monster hills and runs around the world-famous Cerne Giant standing tall in the Dorset hills.

Marathon Queen Sally Ingledew battled stoically around the course to finish 159th of 187 finishers in a time of 6.32.40. Mark Wotton chose to run all but the last 2.5 miles with his friend and Dawlish Coaster Pat Clatworthy. The course was extremely secluded in places and our Wurzle felt uneasy leaving Pat isolated. Only when he knew Pat was ok did ‘Gentleman’ Wurzle leave her and finished strongly in 184th place in 7.47.58. After the race there was a hog roast and a fine selection of cakes for the weary runners to enjoy.
 

Rod & Lucy Payne broke off from a short family trip to Hants & Berks to run the Bracknell, Wokingham and Ascot Samaritans 10k. The race is run entirely off-road in the stunning grounds of Wellington College in Crowthorne. The runners enjoyed 2 flattish laps around beautifully manicured playing fields, through woodland and taking in two picturesque lakes en route. Running in stiflingly hot conditions in a field of 159, Lucy took family honours on the day finishing 93rd in 57.06. Rod had to settle for 107th place in 59.53 following an impromptu stop caused by some unwanted protein ingested at around 4k.
 

Sisters Heather and Selina Snow took part in the Exeter Race for Life 5k. They decided to run together with Selina encouraging and helping her rapidly improving and battling sister along to a personal best time for the distance. No results are published for these events however both girls clocked around 27.45.
 

Report by Rod Payne
 

Photos:
Top: Our intrepid team of 4 at the North Devon Marathon.
Middle: Sisters Selina and Heather Snow – both rapidly improving.
Bottom: Mark Wotton who displayed unselfish chivalry in Dorset