Templer Ten another Trotter success & Skippy's comeback continues!

In a pleasing piece of alliteration, the Teignbridge Trotters Templer Ten was a total triumph.

The Trotters have a great reputation for putting on friendly, challenging races with outstanding post-race hospitality and this one was no exception. Scores of club members offered help for catering with many serving up their own culinary delights for race-fatigued runners to enjoy.

Many more mucked in helping on the day, marshalling, assisting with the fun run and once again showing that Newton Abbot’s biggest running club, aside from liking a party, knows a thing or two about organising a superb morning out.

A field of 238 runners laced up, warmed up and lined up on the start-line for the new-look race on Sunday November 1 headed up by Race Director Ryan Anthony, Assistant Race Director Nathan ‘Lovely’ Elphick and Chief Marshal Gary Caunter.

The mainly off-road course - ribboned with marshalling Trotters shouting words of encouragement and directions - started and finished in the beautiful grounds of Stover School and takes in lakeside tracks in Stover Country Park and the Templer Way alongside the River Teign through Preston and Teigngrace.

There was also a 1-mile fun run for budding younger runners to get involved with.

Exmouth Harriers Berihu Hadera won the race clocking 56.09, staving off Ceri Rees who was second in 57.18. Torbay AAC’s Arran Tocknell completed the podium places in third with 58.31.

The ladies produced some excellent results with first place going to Exmouth Harriers Becky Fagg, 16th in 1:08.06. Second place was unaffiliated runner Amy Greenhalgh who clocked 1:08.17 and third was Mud Crew Trail Runners’ Isobel Wykes in 1:10.15.

First male Trotter home was Roger Easterbrook in seventh overall with his time of 1:02.41 with the ladies represented by Emma Boobyer who clocked 1:16.05 for 55th overall.

Trotter finishers were: Jamie Barnett 1:07.59 15th, Peter Heckles 1:10.39 29th, Roger ‘Smokes’ Hales 1:14.55 47th, John Tweedie 1:18.50 66th, Dermot Smyth 1:21.08 72nd, Louise Gentry 1:21.41 77th, Dave Dunn 1:31.42 136th.

*Mark ‘Wurzel’ Wotton got into the spirit of Halloween on Saturday October 31 completing the Pumpkin Challenge at Lightmoor, Telford. This multi-lap marathon was run along forest tracks and with the recent deluges made for muddy, pothole dodging running. Fifty runners took part with 20 doing the marathon distance. Mark finished the 26.2-miler in 5.08.

*Elsewhere mens captain Lance ‘Skippy’ Mason headed to North Devon for the Bideford 10-miler, a pancake flat route along the Torridge Estuary. Lance’s example of tenacity over injury rewarded him once again with a third place M55 in his time of 1:07.30 and seventh overall.

*In a spontaneous act of bravery (or madness) Richard Keatley completed Enigma Running’s Three Lake Challenge on October 29. He ran his marathon race in 5:02.23 coming 22nd out of 32 runners. He now has designs on becoming a member of the 100 Marathon Club.

Report by Emma Pearcy

Photos kindly supplied by Nigel Penwarden and Richard Keatley. Photos show runners at the start of the Templer Ten, Roger Easterbrook grinding out his race and Richard Keatley with his Enigma medal.