Trotters are runners, winners and ironmen...

This weekend a new legend was born.

Sharon Bowman is the first Trottette to smash an Ironman after successfully completing a full-distance triathlon.

And that's not all - more Ironman legends have been made and the club picked up accolades in other races elsewhere.

Prizes galore were picked up at the Otter River and Rail Run on Saturday 11 July.

Helen Anthony, Keith Anderson, Hannah Walsh and Jacki Woon went home with gongs and every finisher got a bottle of Otter ale as a race memento. Organised by Sidmouth Running Club the multi-terrain race is gaining in popularity. It starts and finishes at Tipton St John and takes in part of the track-bed of the former Sidmouth branchline.

This year the well-established race attracted more than 200 participants with 215 finishers and its inclusion in the Club Championship ensured Trotters turned up in their droves.

Roger ‘Chairman’ Hayes was first Trotter over the line in 39mins and eighth overall. Helen, our ladies captain, was first woman and first F35 clocking 40.35 and 16th overall. The evergreen Keith Anderson was first M65 in 50.09, 83rd.

Helen, Hannah’s time of 43.56 for 35th overall, and Jacki’s 55th placing in 46.37 won the ladies team prize, adding to a total which equalled a great day out.

Finishers were: Julian Scanes 42.38 27th, Mark Hutchins 43.15 30th, Derek Skinner 45.26 50th, Dermot Smyth 46.03 53rd, Dave McMorrow 46.07 54th, Wilf Taylor 46.26 55th, Neil Skinner 47.04 58th, Gary Watson 47.32 64th, Nigel Barnett 50.46 90th, Derek Blackford 53.00 104th, Kevin Besford 56.01 104th, Ruth Johnson 56.14 105th, Tamsin Cook 57.48 134th, Eleanor Taylor 58.15 139th, Caroline Hayes 58.48 143rd, Lisa Godfrey 1:02.54 166th, Graham ‘Inky’ Penn 1:03.13 167th.

*Pete Hayward, Shaz 'Fizz' Bowman and Gary Caunter can today call themselves an ‘Ironman’ after completing a full distance triathlon.

All three took part in the Cotswolds 226 iron-distance event on Sunday 12 July.

The event is touted as a fast one because its over a largely flat area, based in the Ashton Keynes Water Park in Gloucestershire. The swim is a two-lap 3.8km in a lake based in the centre of the water park. The 112-mile bike section leaves the water park and heads out on a relatively flat and very fast course into some of the Cotswolds beautiful and quiet villages with a few 'rolling' sections. The 26.2-marathon sees athletes pound a mix of lakeside paths and Tarmac on a four-lap route out and back race with the finish line hosted in the village of South Cerney.

Results are:

Sharon ‘Fizz’ Bowman (participating as a Teignbridge Trotter): swim 1:26.51; bike 6:44.55 run 5:41.43 total finish time 14:12.36, 113th overall.

Peter Hayward (participating as a Teignbridge Tri‘er): swim 1:06.28; bike 6:38.04; run 5:34.47 total finish time 13:27.47, 98th overall.

Gary Caunter (participating as an Exeter Tri Club member): swim 1.21.06; bike 6:44.13 run 5:32.34 total finish time 13:49.36, 108th overall.

Tracy Elphick completed a superb swim as part of relay team Cherry Poppers in the same event, clocking 1:15.56. Tracy is now looking towards her own ironman challenge, Nottingham's Outlaw Triathlon on 26 July.

Entering, training for and finishing a race of this distance takes dedication, guts and determination and it's fair to say Pete, Shaz and Gary have shown they have it in spades. We salute you!

*Ryan Anthony completed the Ham & Lyme 32-mile ultra in 7:24.41. With a choice of 32 or 64 miles, runners chart a course along the Liberty Trail from Ham Hill Country Park in Somerset to Lyme Regis in Dorset, taking in Forde Abbey, Wayford Woods and a number of pretty villages, before descending to Lyme Regis. Steve Barker honourably retired from the 64-miler at the 40-mile mark. His decision in no way diminishes his achievement - and there’s always next year…

Report by Emma Pearcy

Photo kindly supplied by Graham Penn