Trotters Nip To Looe With Urgent Runs

Thirteen Trotters ventured across the Tamar to take on the undulating brutality of the Looe 10 Mile race on Sunday 26 February. They were greeted with a fresh, dry, pleasant day and emerged with three age group podium placings to their credit.

Roger Easterbrook led the way, placing 10^th overall and 1st M45-49 in 1:07:10. There was more silverware for Helen Anthony, the third F40-44 and 54^th overall in 1:17:18. And Jacki Woon added more hardware to her creaking trophy cabinet as 1^st F55-59 and 117^th overall in 1:24:41. There was also some huge progress within the pack. Debbie Elphick was four minutes quicker than at last year’s event with 1:27:16 and 139^th place.

Steven Major hacked a huge 11 minutes off last year’s run for a new 10 mile PB of 1:32:38 as he came in 186^th overall.

The other Trotter finishers were Duncan Knight (71^st, 1:19:49), Christian Robinson (75^th, 1:20:30), Neil Rutley (149^th, 1:28:38), Joanna Randall (159^th, 1:30:20), Patricia Atkins (260^th, 1:39:32), Keith Anderson (360^th, 1:42:55), Mark Wotton (407^th, 1:56:22) and Ryan Anthony (455^th, 2:01:48). 

Meanwhile the Hamledown Hammer half marathon, Sue Tremlett, Karen O’Brien and Tim Synge took on the challenging Dartmoor event with over 650m of ascent. Full results not yet available.

A day earlier, another Trotter taking on the beast that is Dartmoor was Joe Hornsby, who navigated 50k on his way to second overall at the Dartmoor Winter Traverse. The course winds from South Brent to Meldon near Okehampton, covering 29 miles and 4409ft of ascent.

This is an event for runners and walkers held by Climb South West, they have a 30km and 50km version. They offered two options a 30km which starts at Princetown, or a 50km that starts at South Brent.

Joe reports: It was as competitive or non-competitive as you wanted really. I entered this event as a “test my fitness” event also, I’d always wanted to traverse Dartmoor, so why not!

“The conditions for the event were excellent, having had no rain for a few days the moors were frosty, crunchy and the majority of bogs frozen...ish. The air temperature was approximately -2°C this was mainly due to the 20+mph winds on the moors.

“For context, I predominantly run in a vest regardless of weather, it was the first time I’ve ever kept a jacket, thermal beanie hat and thermal gloves on for an entire run.

“The course itself was very remote, non-marked and self-navigation with minor trails being the predominant routes throughout the moors with some more runnable sections of old tramlines near the end and at the beginning.

“There were 6 main climbs in the race, taking in the following Tors: South Hessary, Middle Staple, Great Staple, Roo and Chat. I managed to navigate pretty well and for the first 9 miles, found myself leading the route (albeit with slight turns and stumbles into bogs, 3 to be precise).

“I battled with myself, to keep moving, predominantly running alongside Karen Fronteras a very experienced ultra-runner.

“Subsequently with 4 miles to go she made a strong move in a boggy section and took off into the distance. To say I was gutted at how effortlessly she seemed to switch on another gear was an understatement, but I was equally amazed at her strength and tenacity this far into a race.

“With 1 mile to go I passed the lead male who congratulated me and I was slowly reeling in Karen. Alas, with half a mile to go stumbling down a bridle way in a fatigued daze I knew she’d beaten me. I finished in 5:36:02.

“All in all it was a cracking day out, full of chatting and good spirited people, amazing remote running with a sudden and intense race like finish in the back few miles.” 

Low key, but with some big results was the Devon Day Challenge, two day back to back marathons in Exmouth. Day one saw Roger Hayes 3:35:42 lead the way as the first running overall to complete the marathon distance on Saturday. Tom Hassell was sixth overall with 4:06.19, Derek Skinner was 8^th in 4:21:48 and dynamic duo Shaz and Paul Sharples crossed the line together in 4:52.23 in joint 10^th. There were an appropriate 26 finishers.

The Sharples’ returned on Day 2 on Sunday for more punishment and were joint 5^th in 5:39:45. There were just eight finishers overall.