Trotters enjoy a good day for races in different places

Trotters took home trophies and truly terrific times at the flat and fast First Chance 10k.

The race, on Sunday 18 January, attracted over 500 runners and our club members put in some outstanding performances to gain personal bests along with category wins and places.

First Chance 10k, organised by South West Road Runners, is a pancake flat course around Exeter Canal Basin. A regular event in the racing calendar it’s well attended by the Royal Blues many of whom are chasing new or individual goals.

And many achieved that with stories of PBs coming in thick and fast.

Geoff Davey got a well deserved new time of 36.17 for 12th place, Graydon Widdicombe clocked 43.07 knocking 30secs off his previous best for 70th overall and Ashley Brent continues to make great progress clocking 43.13, shaving three minutes off his previous best. Peter Blakesley had another strong run finishing in 45.28, sneaking inside the top 100 with 99th place.

Hannah Jones took a chunk out of her 10k time posting 45.50 for 108th place - a sub-45 is within her sights - and Kirsty Bowman, the club’s 2014 Most Improved accolade winner, clocked another great result with 48.45 for 159th.

Some of the Chudleigh fraternity produced some great results. The Walker household did the PB double with Donna clocking 50.50 for 215th and Mark lopped 2.5mins off clocking 1:00.37 for 389th place. Emze Iles took a whopping three minutes off her previous 10k PB posting 57.55 and 347th, giving her an official sub 1-hour time at that race distance.

Kim Nichols, in her first race, clocked 1:00.49 for 397th place. Sarah Charnley has been knocking time off the races she’s completed so far and continued her streak of achievements with 1:02.06, 1min off her previous PB putting her 402nd.

The club performed strongly in categories. Helen Anthony led the ladies home in 39.37 picking up 1st F35 and 37th place overall, Jacki Woon’s 46.20 saw her come 3rd FV50 and 118th overall and Lucy Payne finished in 55.35 and 305th. The men also grabbed a few accolades with Daryl Milford posting 35.55 for third M40 and 8th place overall and Jamie Barnett was second male under 20 in 40.38 and 40th place.

Royal Blues results are: Roy Brown 36.22 13th, Adam Johnson 38.04 19th place, Roger ‘Chairman’ Hayes 39.17 33rd, Russ Wheeler 39.44 38th, Mel Dunn 41.27 51st, Mark Hutchins 43.05, 67th, Hannah Walsh 43.01 68th, Craig Churchill 43.09 69th, Chris Broadbent 43.23 (gun time) 71st, Loran Spayne 43.26 73rd, Bruce Campbell 44.17 82nd, Roger ‘Smokes’ Hales 44.47 88th, Gary Watson 45.26 98th, Derek Blackford 45.42 103rd, Adrian Handley 46.02 111th, Nigel Barnett 46.36 123rd, Gary Caunter 47.17 129th, Sarah Schutte 47.26 130th, Mike Jones 47.34 135th, Abi Blee 48.16 144th, Dave Dunn 48.24 148th, Keith Anderson 48.44 156th, Jennie Roberts 49.30 174th, Kevin Besford 50.27 193rd, Alex Lyons 50.17 212nd, Sharon ‘Fizz’ Bowman 52.42 239th, Nigel Penwarden 52.26 243rd, Craig Hobson 52.53 252nd, Sarah Seymour 54.39 270th, Rod Payne 55.33 304th, Tim Hartley 56.43 327th, Lisa Godfrey 1:00.02 385th, Tara Carter 1:07.58 465th, Mahnaz Soufian 1:08.04 469th, Vic Hales 1:10.16 486th.

* Stephen Wallace and Steve Rawlinson swapped fast and flat for the nips and tucks that come with running the Axmouth Challenge. This race has a choice of three races: 10-mile, 5-mile and a fun run. It’s organised by Axe Valley Runners and, with that, often comes a fair few undulations and off-road sections.
Stephen took on the 10-miler clocking 1:36:33 and 78th out of 96 finishers and Steve posted 1:02.41 in the 5-mile race coming 17th out of 21 completers.

* Hylda Stewart and Steve Barker made the trip up to North Devon on Sunday 11 January for the Brooks Westward Cross Country League event at Westward Ho!

The senior ladies race consisted of a lapped route to 5.6km and the mens followed a similar pattern but with laps making up a 8.5km route. Second-claim Trotter Hylda Stewart clocked 29:01 over the 5.6km distance for 2nd FV55, gifting her second place overall for the series so far. Steve ran 39:13 for 61st place.

Reporting back, Steve said: “Hylda ran another strong race in challenging conditions and I came 61st which was an improvement on the previous races. Conditions were challenging with a strong head wind on the return leg of the course coupled with patchy flooded ground and a couple of water courses thrown in.
“Next race in the league is at Bovey Tracey on 8 February which is sure to be an excellent turn out.”

The Bovey Tracey leg will be marshalled as usual by Trotters with many encouraged to take part as well. You can find out more by clicking the link on the left hand side marked ‘cross country’.
 

Report by Emma Pearcy. Thanks to Steve Barker & Steve Rawlinson for contributions.
Pictures:

Helen Anthony & Russ Wheeler pace it out.

Mel Dunn whizzes by!

(Thanks to Mandy Wheeler & Sally Ingledew for images).