THE members of the Teignbridge Trotters have been racing home and away in recent weeks, representing the club far and wide.

Top marks must go to Chris Andrews for getting sweaty in Bangkok and needing a massage after his late-night/early-morning escapades.

He reports of: "88% humidity and 26 degrees, the race started at 3am in the morning due to weather and traffic conditions. I enjoyed it although not the best of time, 2 hours and 23 minutes for a half marathon, but pleased to finish with my son Scott who kept me going through the heat.”

From Asia to Europe and Derek Skinner ran the Larnaca marathon in Cyprus. Derek described it as "A flat out and back along the shore with some twists and turns through the town along the way…early start 7am and woke up to pouring rain and thunder but luckily it stopped by the time we started.”

Freya Morrissey ran in the Burrator Noir on Saturday, November 16, a night-time 10k loop around the reservoir. It's a nice course, that certainly takes on a new dimension in the dark. The fairly small field allowed me to be 1st placed woman (44:55)." Well done Freya for her hard work and for coming out on top after dark.

Elsewhere, James Saunders ran in the Wimborne 10 miler, the 26th edition of this popular race in Dorset. Weather conditions were perfect with temps of 10 degrees & a light westerley.

Run on mainly quiet country lanes, the course elevation was 270 feet with a nasty sting in the tail finish, a half-mile devilish hill!

James had his sights set on Dave Foster’s 10-mile MV60 Club record (1995) and James started well and banked what he thought was enough time to enable him to tackle that hill, however before the ascent, the runners ahead & behind James were forced off the road by an oncoming tractor and its rotavator. This coming together caused the runners to jump a bank above the road and sidle past the obstruction.

This cost James valuable seconds & one walk stoppage on the hill cost him. His finish time was 01:05:15, 15 seconds outside the record/ A new personal best softened the blow & a 2nd place finish in the age category.

The multi-lap Starcross Shuffle, organised by Winding Paths, started at Starcross and followed the Exe Estuary alongside the grounds of Powderham Castle, on the Exe Estuary Trail. Allen Taylor reported from the event, there were "Good clear sunny skies, perfect conditions. Felt good, first walked at 24 miles due to tummy cramps after taking a salt tablet, Number 111th marathon and 9th marathon post serious injury 5 years ago. 26.71 miles in 3:57.”

Alex Lyons (2 hrs 05 mins), Samantha Galvin (2 hrs 15 mins), Susanne Westgate (2hrs 23 min) and Darren Petch (2hrs 47min) completed the half marathon. A beautiful autumn morning for a run by the Exe Estuary, well organised with great atmosphere and lovely medal.

Congratulations once again to all of the Trotters who were out and about recently- you all performed admirably and represented the club impeccably.