Ooo things just keep getting bigger and better for the Teignbridge Trotters!

Well, what an epic couple of weeks.

Ultras, marathons, club trips, chasing Mo Farah in the Great North Run and a victorious Caunter in a local triathlon – the next time you’re at club training, there’s going to be someone who’s got some tale to tell about their recent race.

Let’s kick off with some fine results from the world famous Great North Run. Mark Walker (for it is he) gives his own unique humour on what was a great event.

“With temperatures in the scorchio category and 57,000 runners the Great North Run saw a small band of Trotters head to Newcastle to compete against Mo Farah, he was worried (allegedly). Epic support, sun, ice pops, water pistols, sun, unintelligible accents, sun and the sheer volume of people left us with some great memories and sunburn. At the finish line it was a mixture of smiles and grimaces with great performances from Donna Walker in 1:59.07, Wendy Higginson 2:12.22, Tony Stepney did it in 2:32.37, Maggie Garrett in her first half 2:34.01, Peter Middleton limped (quite literally) in 2:43.39, and Mark Walker completed it in 2:49.30 after visiting the last few medical tents in order to reach the end.

*Mark ‘Wurzel’ Wotton’s marathon odyessy continues. He did the Farnham pilgrim marathon on Sunday 13 September. This race starts at the sands Adventure Park and golf course all on trail and bridleways with a bit of road very undulating and a lot of sand to run through. He ran with a chum from the 100 Marathon Club and did it in 5.42. On Saturday 19 September he completed the Thames Trail Marathon, a four-lap race from the Wokingham water sports centre in Reading. He did it in 5.30 placed him

*On Sunday September 6 Graham ‘Inky’ Penn ran the Spitfire 10k from the RAF Museum in Hendon, North West London. It was organised to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Inky was 256th out of 514 finishers in a time of 57:59.

*Derek Skinner flew the Royal Blue banner when he completed the gruelling City to Sea 53 from Exeter quay to Berry Head, Brixham, and back into Torquay and finishing on Babbacombe Downs. Derek’s commitment to training paid off with a superb time of 12.49, placing him 19th out of the 29 individuals who achieved the feat.

*PB-tastic! Hannah Walsh clocked a new PB at Bristol Half Marathon of 1.33.27 and Peter Heckles tackled Swansea 10k and gained a PB time of 41.18.

*Martin and Jo Randall ran the Purbeck Marathon on Sunday September 20 for the third year in a row. From 320 starters, 290 finished. Martin was 20th in 3:56.06 and Jo was 112th and 19th lady in 4:51.54. Martin said: This race is 26.7 miles, 3000ft, off-road, hilly, muddy, hot and the most stunningly beautiful course you could imagine. I highly recommend it!”

*Steve Barker conquered his nemesis and completed his first 100km ultra at the Equinox 24 hour race at Belvoir Castle estate in Leicestershire. His lap times were: 1.09:24, 1.11:35, 1:17.09, 1:29.39, 1:30.40, 2:28.41, 1:36.51, 1:38.56, 1:41.46 and 1:47.16.

*A huge number of competitors in the Cotleigh Canter were made up of Trotters on Sunday 20 September. The Cotleigh Canters are properly measured 5K and 10K road races based on the village of Cotleigh near Honiton. The 10K is two laps of the 5K route. There was also a 3K Fun Run aimed at junior runners. The race was the annual club trip and many members and their families made the visit. There were 89 finishers in the 10k and 23 in the 5k.

10k Trotters were: Roger Easterbrook 37.15 6th, Ewan Walton 37.51 7th, Helen Anthony 38.53 9th, Russ Wheeler 39.12 10th, Mike Hooper 39.18 11th, Ian Langler 41.24 16th, Derek Skinner 42.25 22nd, Roger ‘Smokes’ Hales 42.34 24th, Tom Besford 43.14 25th, Craig Churchill 43.18 26th, Alan Boone 44.22 30th, Mandy Wheeler 44.36 32nd, Kevin Woodard 45.3835th, Gary Watson 45.51 36th, Jacki Woon 46.09 39th, John Tweedie 46.37 41st, Sarah Schutte 46.59 44th, Roger ‘Chairman’ Hayes 47.29 45th, Neil Skinner 47.30 46th, Nigel Barnett 48.00 48th, Jimmy Donovan 48.55 50th, Ryan Anthony 48.56 51st, Stu Moulson 50.51 56th, Paul Johns 51.03 57th, Neil Rutley 51.30 59th, Kathryn Steemson 51.47 60th, Kirsty Bowman 52.28 62nd, Kevin Besford 52.35 64th, Eleanor Taylor 54.13 67th, Caroline Hayes 55.00 69th, Tina Caunter 56.18 72nd, Tony Stepney 56.36 73rd, Sharon Bowman 58.20 75th, Graham Penn 59.24 77th, Kim Bindon 1:00.47 78th.

5k Trotters were: Toby Hooper 19.27 4th, Tamsin Cook 28.47 16th, Ruth Johnson 28.47 17th, Melanie Hooper 29.57 19th, Jasmine Penfold 42.36 22nd and Janelle Penfold 42.38 23rd.

*Gary Caunter helpfully provided this excellent report from the Trotter turnout at the hugely successful Dawlish triathlon on Sunday 20 September. Read on for some great news (and a bit of journalistic license by your truly)...

“Sunday 20 September saw Dawlish Warren host its annual sprint and standard distance triathlon events.

A misty start to the day led to a reduced swim of 600m in both the sprint and standard events due to sighting issues with the turn markers, and safety being of paramount importance.

In the sprint event and his first event for two seasons, Adam Caunter exited the water amongst the top half dozen, picked up more places during an aggressive 21.7k bike leg and exited transition onto the run leg in 1st place.

Adam maintained a comfortable lead during the 5.7k run to win the event by a well over a minute in a time of 1hr 10mins 32secs amidst 280 other competitors. BOOM! Also competing were Dad, Gary Caunter 66th 1.24.29, and Adrian Handley 106th 1.30.12 Gary was 8th out of 54 and Adrian 27th of 83.

In the Standard event the Trotters were able to claim further podium places with Ironlady Tracy Elphick winning the V40 Category and coming fourth lady overall. Keith Anderson was a magnificent 1st V60. Tracy completed the 600m swim, 42k bike and 10k run in 2.22.57 and Keith 2.47.24. The standard distance event saw 159 competitors taking part with Tracy 61st and Keith 141st. Well done to all those taking part, and many thanks to Dawlish for another great event."

Report by Emma Pearcy, Mark Walker and Gary Caunter.

Photos given by Steve Barker and Graham Penn.