Lance Back With A Bang

Five Teignbridge Trotters logged more marathon finishes at the Grand Canal Canter on Sunday. Setting out from Tiverton Canal Basin and heading out to Sampford Peverell on canal paths, the looped course offered a flat and scenic race opportunity.

Roger Hayes led home the quintet with a solid fifth place finish in 3:37:52. Two places behind came Lance Mason, who was making his first appearance over the marathon distance since 2019. It was a promising return with a fine 3:45:37.

Philip Smith completed his second ever marathon and was just outside four hours, clocking 4:00:13 for 11^th place. Derek Skinner was 15^th in 4:10:20 and Tim Synge was 22^nd in 4:48:52. For Derek, it was his third race in three weekends and the hectic schedule caught up with his legs.

There were 37 finishers in the low-key event which started in cold conditions and had occasional rain. But the Trotters benefitted from some particularly supportive race marshalls throughout. There was also a Trotter presence in the event organisation, with Neil Pallant and Karen O’Brien running the marathon as race sweepers following the back markers home.