The Easter Bunny 10K was part of the club championship and was therefore well attended by Trotters who made the journey up the A303 to Yeovilton on Monday 21st April. The conditions for the race started with pleasant sunshine and a light, cooling breeze although the heat did pick up which some runners found tough. The route took runners along country lanes, taking in the villages of West Camel and Podimore and was mainly flat with a few gentle undulations. Yeovil Town Road Running Club organise the race and 361 runners completed the event. The 25 Trotters who completed are below, with Keith Anderson and Russ Wheeler managing PBs over this distance.
Daryl Tarquin Milford (13, 00:35:40), Lance Mason (32, 00:38:00), Russ Wheeler (PB, 37, 00:38:24), Roger Hayes (47, 00:39:43), Mark Hutchins (66, 00:41:33), Helen Anthony (69, 00:41:37), Travis Wood (75, 00:42:04), Jamie Barnett (89, 00:43:23), Rob Cowling (92, 00:43:33), Mandy Wheeler (93, 00:43:34), John Crocker (102, 00:44:17), Stuart Moulson (119, 00:45:27), Peter Kirby (122, 00:45:40), Pete Hayward (145, 00:47:09), Keith Anderson (PB, 146, 00:47:12), Kevin Besford (175, 00:49:20), Nigel Barnett (185, 00:50:20), Chris Rogers (196, 00:51:19), Sally Ingledew (198, 00:51:20), Lorna Martin (211, 00:52:04), Jon Martin (235, 00:53:33), Caroline Hayes (242, 00:54:02), Sharon Hutchins (255, 00:55:09), Tina Caunter (275, 00:56:39) and Beverley Dennis (289, 00:58:05).
Rod and Lucy Payne took part in the Siblyback Lake 5K on Saturday 19th April. This was the first in a six race series comprising a single lap of the picturesque lake near Liskeard. The route is mainly flat and run on a gravel track. Lucy, still steadily returning from the injury that has cost her entire spring marathon programme and the Dartmoor Discovery, was 26th out of 48 finishers in 27.48. Rod managed a PB and was 18th in 22.36.
Allen Taylor completed the Compton 40 mile Downland Challenge in Berkshire on Saturday 19th April. It is race that is put on by Compton Harriers Running Club and is very well organized. The course started at Downs School, Compton and the 40-mile challenge was two 20-mile scenic laps of mainly footpaths, tracks, bridleways and some short almost traffic free road sections. The total ascent was 4400 ft. It was a hot, sunny and very humid day and Allen finished 31st out of 119 finishers in a time of 6:53:19.
Flying the Trotters flag overseas, Dave Dunn ran 1:54:30 for 221st place out of 261 in the Semi-Marathon de Valognes in Normandy on Sunday 20th April, which was just one week after Dave competed in the London Marathon. The conditions were cool and blustery and the race was held on a fairly flat course. The course was 3 x 7K laps around the town and Dave recorded 36, 38 & 40 minutes for each lap.
Picture: Allen Taylor at the Compton 40 mile Downland Challenge
Report by Graydon Widdicombe