Teignbridge deliver highly successful Haytor Heller

Teignbridge Trotters staged the 34th Haytor Heller on Saturday 13th July. 264 runners entered this popular, well established moorland race that starts and finishes in the shadow of Haytor Rock on Dartmoor. 

Race Director, Nigel Barnett commented, saying that this year we accepted entries on the day, which proved popular, and something that we will aim to do next year. Assuming we don’t sell out via our online entry system.

Weather conditions were perfect on race day, which helped all the runners complete the tough challenge. The marshals were friendly and very supportive all around the route, and the organisation of the race from start to finish was first class. Well done to all the Teignbridge Trotters who helped make this event such a success.

Following the event, a voluntary donation of £470 was made by the host Club to the Dartmoor National Park, as part of the Donate for Dartmoor Scheme.

The provisional date for next year’s Haytor Heller is Saturday 18^th July,and entries for the race will be open later this year.

Teignbridge Trotters first athlete to cross the finish line was Tim Pratt, achieving a time of 45:15 to finish in 7^th position.

Annabelle Evans ran a storming race to follow Tim home, and finishing 2^nd female, finishing 29^th overall in a great time of 50:36.

There were other successes for the Trotters. Kim Knight won the FV45 age category award, finishing in a time of 1:01:01 to claim 108^th spot.

Ela Bowles came 2^nd in the FV60 age category & James Saunders was also runner up in the MV55 age category.

Here are the other Trotters positions and times: Sam Sam Crowe (37, 51:48), Jason Trevenen (45, 53:47), James Saunders (46, 53:48), Susanna Goffe (48, 53:58), Duncan Knight (54, 55:18), Scott Wiggins (66, 56:37), Andrew Fox (67, 56:37), Bon Rymel (75, 57:31), Simon Sherlock (76, 57:31), Tom McTaggart (81, 58:10), Max Conroy (110, 1:01:23), Ela Bowles (123, 1:03:25), Josh Taylor (145, 1:05:59), Wendy Goldthorp (147, 1:06:17), Deborah Proctor (149, 1:06:32), Robert Faulkner (1:07:37), Paul Dainton (155, 1:08:01), Ian Bowles (166, 1:09:32), Craig Hobson (198, 1:15:15), Darren Petch (228, 1:29:44).

The winner was Floyd Ratcliffe who ran superbly to post a time of 39:54.

Natalie Clare and Karen O’Brien took their places on the start line at the Race to the Stones, an ultra-marathon 100k.

Natalie has been preparing for this race since September 2018. She has run 1571 miles, cycled 140 miles, abstained from alcohol for six months and no nicotine for five months!! Natalie is raising funds for the RNLI.

The race route followed one of the oldest trails in Britain, The Ridgeway National Trail, which crosses the North Wessex Downs and The Chilterns in Oxfordshire. For 5000 years this trail has been used by travellers crossing Southern England. The route followed the high ground and crossed two areas of AONB, with rolling hills and ancient woodland.

The race is a one or two day challenge. The finish line was at the famous Avebury Stone Circle.

Natalie completed the 100k in a time of 12:26:44 to finish 104^th out of the 1112 participants. Natalie was the 19^th female finisher out of 449, and her 50k split was 6:06:21. A great show of effort and determination.

Karen O’Brien also showed tremendous tenacity to complete the endurance test in 18:10:16, to finish 705^th. 

On Sunday 14^th July, Kim Nichols, Sally Ingledew and Emma Donovan travelled to Llanberis, Gwynedd, Caernarfon to tackle the Snowdonia Trail Marathon.

This was a true challenge, with over 1,685 metres ascent, across iconic and spectacular trails. The route circumnavigated and eventually climbed the highest peak in Wales, Snowdonia. The runners would enjoy the panoramic views as they passed Rhyd Ddu, Beddgelert, Nant Gwynant, Pen y Pass, all within the Snowdonia National Park.

The race village and start/finish line was based at the Llwyn Bach campsite. There were four races on offer, a trail, ultra, or half marathon and a 10k. The venue gave direct access to the famous Llanberis Path, which took the runners around Snowdon, before joining up with the Rangers Path. There were a number of cut off points along the way.

Kim Nichols led the trio home, finishing in a great time of 6:13:43 to finish 261^st overall. Emma and Sally completed the true test of endurance in 8:02:56 & 8:02:55. There were 637 very tired finishers.

The Otter Rail & River Run was held on Saturday 13^th July, organised by the Tipton St John Playing Field Association & Sidmouth Running Club. Six Teignbridge Trotters travelled to the Otter Valley to take part in this scenic off-road 10k.

The playing fields in Tipton St John staged the start and finish of the race. The runners followed footpaths and rights of way downstream alongside the River Otter, through Harpford Woods and along the old Sidmouth Railway. They then headed back towards Tipton, through fields to Fluxton and along tracks to the village.

The weather conditions were very warm at race time. Sue Brown led our Trotters home, finishing in 116^th position, in a great time of 57:20.This time was 2mins 42 secs quicker than Sue ran last year!! Not far behind Sue was Lucy Payne, who finished in a time of 57:43 for 120^th place. Lucy also won the FV65 age category award.

The other Trotters positions and times: Mark Wotton (129, 58:57), Emma Ray (166, 1:03:35), Alison Jackson (1:03:39). There were 258 finishers.

Race winner was Sam Hopton, representing SWRR, finishing in great of 35:06.

Sue Tremlett our Trotter beauty took on the Blackdown Beauty on Saturday 13^th July.

Sue ran with her friends from Exeter, and the theme for the race was Brexit!! This was Sue’s second time at this self-navigating challenging route. There were lots of hills, very narrow paths through woodland and fields of high crops.

Sue thoroughly enjoyed the experience, sit was great fun and a cream tea at the 13 mile point was very welcome and lovely. Sue and her friends stopped at all the pub stops, but apparently only water and pop was drunk!!

A great friendly race and comes highly recommended.

On Friday 12^th, The Newton Abbot Carnival 5k race took place. The venue was Decoy Park, and the stiff route was a two lap, hilly course, on rough trails, that required careful negotiating!

Three Teignbridge Trotters took their chance on a lovely summers evening.

First Trotter home was Kris Ward, finishing in 21:48, for 9^th place. Andrew Fox clocked a time of 22:36 to finish in 12^th place, and Derek Skinner scooted home in 23:55, to finish 16^th.

The winner was Richard Edwards, crossing the line in 18:49. There were 58 runners.

Rachel and Matthew Steele travelled to Lundy to take part in Pure Trail Running, The Lundy Island Race. This run is approximately 14 miles long and is described as undulating!!

The competitors were given the option of travelling earlier, and either camp or stay in one of the holiday cottages on the island, or hop aboard the chartered boat, the MS Oldenburg on the morning of the race. The vessel can take 250 passengers. The boat departed Ilfracombe harbour at 9:00am, and arrived at Lundy at 11:00am.

The race start was 12:30pm, and was held on the village green. There were two cut off points, the first at the seven mile mark (14:30 pm) and at eleven miles (15:30pm). A mandatory kit list was a must for all runners to carry, as the weather conditions can change suddenly.

The trails are tended by the Landmark Trust, and took the runners past three lighthouses, traversing the undulating eastern and western clifftops and a trail that travels along the central spine of the island.

Rachel and Mathew finished in 78^th & 79^th places, in a time of 2:30:43. There were 256 finishers.