Erme Valley Relays, 6 Moor Miles, Revelstoke Run and a lone Trotter at Birmingham Half Marathon

On what was a record-breaking turn out at the Erme Valley Relays on the evening of Friday 1^st July, 19 Trotter teams took part in the popular relay race.  The course is an undulating 2.5 mile loop, and teams of four are brilliantly organised by our team captains; Eleanor Taylor for the ladies, and Lance Mason for the men.

For the early part of the event, the conditions were good but rain that was forecast came, meaning that some competitors got a soaking.  But there was a bar and food available at the race HQ, which helped drive the Trotters onto some good individual performances.

A total of 127 teams completed the event, and full Trotter results in team order are:

• M: Kevin Woodard (13:52), Tim Pratt (14:04), Henry Hart (13:12), Jamie Barnett (14:40). Total time 55:28, 6^th overall.
• MV40: Mike Hooper (14:36), Roger Hayes (14:45), Julian Scanes (16:13), Allen Taylor (15:27). 61:01, 18^th.
• M: Ian Langler (16:00), Peer Heckles (14:54), Adam Johnson (15:23), Craig Churchill (15:37). 61:54, 28^th.
• Non-scoring: Tom Besford (15:40), Joshua Taylor (15:49), Tom Besford (16:21), Joshua Taylor (16:39). 64:29, 32^nd
• MV50: Garry Smart (14:42), Gary Watson (17:50), Alan Boone (16:14), Mark Becker (17:11). 65:57, 41^st.
• M: Paul Sharples (18:19), Travis Wood (16:48), Oli Prouse (18:58), Ashley Wood (15:51). 69:56, 52^nd
• MV50: Derek Skinner (16:58), Roger Hales (17:31), John Tweedie (17:57), Neil Rutley (18:15). 70:41, 57^th

• MV40: Neil Pallant (17:29), Graydon Widdicombe (17:09), Stuart Moulson (18:48), Nigel Barnett (17:18). 70:44, 58th.
• MV40: Bruce Campbell (16:22), Dermot Smyth (17:21), Alex Lyons (21:07), Colin Harper (16:17). 71:01, 61st.
• M: Dave McMorrow (18:35), Daryl Hall (18:37), Ryan Antony (18:59), Roger Hayes (16:16). 72:27, 70th.
• MV60: Paul Sharples (17:39), David Taylor (19:46), Wilf Taylor (18:08), Tim Hartley (21:42). 77:15, 88th.
• FV35: Claire Ayling (22:07), Louise Gentry (17:20), Claire Gillard (19:56), Hannah Jones (18:01). 77:24, 89th.
• F: Kate Lenthal (17:58), Jo Barber (21:18), Kirsty Bowman (19:33), Abi Blee (19:15). 78:04, 93rd.
• FV45: Donna Walker (20:43), Jacki Woon (17:41), Ruth Johnson (21:13), Clare Youngman (18:45). 78:22, 95th.
• MV50: Kevin Besford (20:42), Mark Watton (19:14), Chris Wride (20:00), Andrew Watson (20:16). 80:12, 99th.
• MV50: Jimmy Donovan (18:22), Phil Norden (22:08), Peter Hayward (17:36), Mark Walker (23:42). 81:48, 103rd.
• FV45: Jo Becker (23:13), Leah Harper (22:13), Kim Nichols (23:02), Sharon Bowman (20:22). 88:50, 118th.
• FV55: Jo Billyard (23:45), Maggie Anderson (24:04), Lucy Payne (21:16), Eleanor Taylor (20:46). 89:51, 119th.
• FV35: Sara Colman (22:14), Lucy Evans (20:31), Jackie Lyons (25:17), Suzie Mills (25:13). 93:15, 124th.

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9 Teignbridge Trotters completed this year’s 6 Moor Miles race, which is an off-road race organised by Plymouth Harriers.  This year’s event was raising money for Heartswell, a local heart charity. It started and finished on the moor, on the outskirts of Yelverton and covered approximately 6 and a half miles including some very scenic parts of the Maristow estate.  The course was relatively dry, but still muddy in places.  The first and last miles were fairly flat although the ones in-between were all either undulating or hilly.  The weather was good, with only a short shower shortly after the runners set off.

First Trotter in was Bruce Campbell in a time of 49:22 and 31^st out of 282 finishers.  Peter Blakesley was next in 52:38, whilst an on form Hannah Jones was 2^nd Female in the 40-44 category, with a time of 56:39.  Eleanor Taylor came home in 1:03:00, for 1^st Female in the 55-59 category.  Next Trotter was Lucy Payne, 174^th in 1:06:25, Angela Blakesley, 196^th in 1:08:59 then Tony Stepney in 1:16:57, closely followed by Jo Billyard in 1:17:19.  Teresa Holmes completed the course in 1:20:45.

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Jim Donovan & Emma Pearcy made their annual pilgrimage to Noss Mayo for the superb Revelstoke Run.

This 10-mile run - classed as a social fundraiser rather than a race - begins at the parish church with a shotgun start. There's no prizes, no mementos & entry is a 'suggested' £5 donation to the church fund.

What it may lack by way of material reward it more than makes up for in friendliness, class organisation & freedom running in areas of outstanding beauty.

Runners head out of the village towards Membland and pick up roads that lead to the South West Coast Path where panoramic views across Bigbury Bay give way to astonishing vistas of Gara Point & Rame Head. The course twists back along the Yealm Estuary before the run finishes, joyously, in a pub beer garden. Jim clocked 1:20 and Emma completed it in 1:42.

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Kurt Read competed in the Birmingham Half Marathon on Saturday 2nd July.  Kurt managed a PB, finishing in 1:34.

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Thanks for the contributions from Eleanor Taylor, Emma Pearcy and Kevin Besford.