MARCH warmed up at last with Sharon & Paul Sharples and Graydon Widdicombe taking part in the 27th Logicom Cyprus Marathon, a 5k from Paphos Castle.

The Sharples had planned this event at the start of the pandemic and they finally got around to it. Starting at Petra Tou Romiou (Aphrodite’s Birthplace), the undulating course follows a mainly coastal route along the Mediterranean Sea.

Graydon struggled the last few miles, finishing in 3:51:06, whilst Sharon finished in 5:03:59 and Paul was a couple seconds back in 5:04:01.

Mike Border took on the latest Granite Way course with great views across Okehampton. " I finished in 70th place in a time of 3:03 which I was delighted with as the last four miles were a long slog." Also taking part was Kevin Besford, in the 10m, "Not only my best 10-miler in memory with 1-34.57 but also a negative split." Stephen Clarke finished in 170th in 1:49:26 in the 10-miler.

Lucy Locket, and Andrew Rattlidge lined up for one of the South West's most famous oddball trail races, The Grizzly. Famed for its changing course, dips in the sea, scrambling up near vertical banks, and the pebble beach sections. Participants can expect 3000ft of ascent over 20 miles, with two sections of pebble beaches, totalling over a mile; two energy-sapping bogs, where runners are often up to their waists in water and mud; and the infamous "Stairway to Heaven", a steep path up the side of a cliff.

Andrew finished in a time of 3:53:47, and Lucy in 4:32:44, "Perfect run conditions and really pleased with my time, approx 50 minutes course PB. Tough race, loads of support, entertainment, atmosphere, lots of fun and would do it again".

Derek Skinner ran in the original London Marathon "Interesting race… No marshalling just small arrows and pieces of pink tape to guide us running through busy centres of London boroughs, watching out you don’t get run over at the many crossings. Not so much traffic in 1908, weather was great but struggled home with a calf problem but no.97 done.

In Bideford the club flat runners turned up in force for the Bideford half, a well-known and favoured place for fast times and great racing. Samantha Galvin kindly provided the following; “There was a great turnout of 41 Trotters at the 30th Bideford Half Marathon – the swift half!

“The weather was perfect with the sun out with a cool breeze. Some great results and a number of Trotters took home some silverware.”

Donald Brooks was the first Trotter home in a fantastic time of 1:15:19 and came first in his category (V45), James Saunders was third V60 in 1:30.02, Bob Small was amazing coming first in V75 1:51:36.

Chloe Weeks was the first female Trotter home in a great time of 1:32:3, Freya Morrissey was 3rd V35 in 1:34:18, Tracy Elphick was 2nd V50 in 1:37:25, Jackie Woon was 3rd V60 in 1:40:17.

The PBs were many and included Freya Morrissey, plus a number of new club records including Donald Brooks, Jacki Woon, and the unstoppable Bob Small gliding smoothly to a fine time of 1.51.36, cutting just under three minutes off the time he set last year.