Trotters take over Torbay and Geoff Davey is in PB mode

An absolutely blinding set of results emerged from Torbay’s half marathon, paying testament to members’ training and grit.

Torbay’s half always attracts a big field with 1,507 finishers this year. A notoriously deceptive two-lap course which starts and finishes on Paignton Green and charts its undulating way to Torquay and back.

Exposure along the seafront when its blowing a hooley or baking the ground underneath can influence individual performances however this is all part of the challenge of running in hilly old Devon and in a country where meteorological conditions can be so variable. A positive, sunny constant is the crowd and Trotter support which is always in abundance.

Some outstanding performances were turned in by the contingent of 29 Trotters. Performances ranged from personal bests to course bests with one Trotter, Jennie Roberts, guiding blind runner Erich Forster around in 2:03.30 and 920th.

Tim Pratt just keeps getting better and came 19th overall in a cracking time of 1:19.59. Garry Smart was second M50 in 1:23.25 and 38th overall. Melanie Dunn led the ladies home in 1:29.40, 89th - she's creeping ever closer to cracking the club's senior ladies half marathon record - and Wilf Taylor scooped first M60 in his time of 1:38.26 and 211th overall.

Dave McMorrow and Lisa Godfrey went home with a new personal bests and Kevin Woodard, Wendy Higginson, Kevin Brown and Charlie Rice ran their first 13.1-milers in the blue and green vests.

Graydon Widdicombe clocked a course PB, slicing 2.5mins off coming 235th in 1:38.57. Neil Pallant surprised himself by taking four minutes off his course best running in 1:42.23 and 298th.

Trotter finishers were: Craig Churchill 1:34.30 148th, Martin Randall 1:35.47 170th, Mandy Wheeler 1:35.22 171st, Derek Skinner 1:37.16 197th, Kevin Woodard 1:37.42 202nd, Peter Blakesley 1:38.23 221st, James Ayling 1:41.09 261st, Neil Skinner 1:42.53 306th, Kevin Brown 1:43.13 327th, Dave McMorrow 1:45.57 379th, Jo Randall 1:52.07 552nd, Eleanor Taylor 2:02.13 88th, Tina Caunter 2:04.39 946th, Derek Blackford 2:04.15 952nd, Wendy Higginson 2:09.25 1,059th, Charlie Rice 2:09.36 1,065th, Lisa Godfrey 2:09.50 1,063rd, Richard Keatley 2:10.19 1,110th, Victoria Ratcliffe 2:13.55 1,148th, Graham Penn 2:13.21 1,149th.

*The unstoppable Geoff Davey continues to make excellent progress with his running. He took part in the Devon AA County 10,000km Track Championships on 24 June 2015 at Tavistock athletics track. He clocked a new PB of 36.14 coming runner-up in the M40 category.

*Mark and Jo Becker travelled to a hot and sunny Sydling St Nicholas in Dorset on Saturday June 27 to run the Sydling Hill race a 10k off road race with 12k worth of hills. Mark finished 23rd in 56.23 and Jo was 89th in 1.16.03. It sounds like a jolly good day out with Jo saying: “The organisation was superb as were the views of the beautiful Dorset countryside.”

*Big up to Trotter Roger Easterbrook who cycled an epic 240-miles from London to his hometown of Totnes on Saturday in aid of Dangerous Dads, a Torbay and Totnes charity which provides learning experiences to fathers, carers and their children. He arrived back to a hero’s welcome at the Albert pub at 11pm and has broken his £2,000 fundraising target with £2,164 already banked. 

Report by Emma Pearcy with contributions gratefully received from Jo Becker, Graydon Widdicombe Roger Easterbrook and Geoff Davey.

Images show Kevin Woodard (top), Wendy Higginson & Charlie Rice (centre) and Kevin Brown at Torbay half marathon.

Photos kindly supplied by Lance Skippy Mason

PS: You can read more about Jennie’s story here: www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Jennie-guide-blind-runner-Torbay-Half-Marathon/story-26626685-detail/story.html and Roger's story is included in the latest edition of your Trotter magazine.