Trotters hit the Heights - Awards night and more...

Saturday saw the Teignbridge Trotters’ annual awards evening and dinner-dance at the Royal British Legion, Kingsteignton.
Another year of success for the Trotters was highlighted by Helen Anthony’s spectacular performance at all areas, from 10K through to marathon distance, whereby she achieved a clean sweep of ladies’ best times for 2015. Former member Daryl Milford achieved a similar clean sweep of men’s times.
Anthony’s times were set at Cotleigh 10K (38:53) Bideford half marathon (1:24:21) and Abingdon Marathon (3:02:02) where she took a massive 12 minutes off her previous best marathon time.
Milford achieved his times at First Chance 10k (35:55) Exeter half marathon and London Marathon (2:51:49).
Men’s championship honours this year went to club chairman Roger Hayes, for completing 12 races in seven different sections – half marathon, 10km, short miscellaneous, long miscellaneous, short off-road and a mixed category – with a total of 596 points, followed by Tim Pratt (second, 580) and Mark Hutchins (third, 569).
Helen Anthony scored a maximum possible 900 points to carry off the ladies’ championship shield and was joined on the podium by Tracy Elphick (second, 593) and Mandy Wheeler (third, also 593). Second and third places were decided by age-grading.
Other Trotters receiving engraved trophies for the men’s championship were: Russ Wheeler (fourth, 567), Adam Johnstone (fifth, 559), Keith Anderson (sixth, 558), Peter Blakesley (seventh, 555), Neil Skinner (eighth, 555), Roger Hales (ninth, 553) and Derek Skinner (tenth, 544). Also completing the series were Jamie Barnett, Julian Scanes, Gary Watson, Kevin Woodard, Dermot Smyth, Martin Randall, Craig Churchill, Paul Jones, Kevin Besford, Nigel Barnett, Richard Keatley and Stuart Moulson.
In the ladies’ event other successful Trotters were: Jacki Woon (fourth, 590), Tina Caunter (fifth, 574), Hannah Walsh (sixth, 571), Eleanor Taylor (seventh, 566), Joanne Randall (eighth, 559) Ruth Johnson (ninth, 552) and Jennie Roberts (tenth, 542). Also completing were Kim Nichols and Lisa Godfrey.
Other trophies awarded: the Dennis Milstead cup, for the best coach as voted by the members, went to Neil Pallant; Committee cup, for service to the club: Keith Anderson. Most improved male was Jamie Barnett and most improved female was Helen Anthony; most promising male newcomer was Tim Pratt and most promising female newcomer was Jessica Hayes.
The John Scott Trophy went to Maggie Garrett, the Ross Cup, for the first tattooed Trotter in the John Scott race to Roger Hales and the Dave Dunn trophy for the first cohabiting couple in the same race to Roger hales and Kim Nichols. The Club Camp was won jointly by Emily Levey and Eloise Levey.
Meanwhile, out in the field and largely in the dark, nine plucky Trotters took part last weekend in the Wild Night Burrator Noir 10k and 10 mile runs. Derek Skinner (31st in 1.45.14) Neil Skinner and Oli Prouse (57th in 2.07.45) took on the 10 miler while tackling the 10k distance were Kate Lenthall 23rd (48.48), Donna Walker 46th (54.09), Kim Nichols 66th (59.09), Mark Walker 69th (1.01.24), Dermot Smyth 71st (1.02.31), Sarah Charnley 79th (1.04.07), Richard Stephenson 80th (1.04.08) and Karen O’Brien 100th (1.15.34).
A small but select group of Trotters ran the Otterton Reindeer 10K on Saturday 4th December, under dry but blustery conditions. This was a mixed terrain event had 211 finishers and was organised by Sidmouth running club on behalf of the village of Otterton. Attractions included a special memento mug, with and mulled wine and mince pies at the finish. The late John Perratt was the leading light of the event for many years and will be sorely missed.
Helen Anthony led the Trotters home in eleventh place overall with a time of 41.51, taking line honours as first lady, followed by Richard Gentry, 33rd (48.44), Louise Gentry 43rd (49.55), Derek Blackford 68th (53.39) and Kathryn Steemson 110th (58.49).
Six Trotters competed in the Exeter leg of the Westward Cross Country League series on Sunday. Jamie Barnett led the Trotters men home in 65th place (34.52); other placings were Geoff Davey 74th (35.36), Mike Hooper 86th (36.33), Stephen Barker 126th (39.36) and Peter Hayward 151st (44.29). Hylda Stewart carried the Trotter banner for the ladies, placed 81st in a time of 24.09.
Last month Keith Anderson claimed the high point of the Trotters’ year by completing the Everest Marathon, 26.2 miles of challenging terrain at altitude, from Gorak Shep, Nepal (5184 m) to Namche Bazaar (3440 m).