WINDING Paths hosted the third running of The Final Countdown on New Year’s Eve, writes James Saunders.
Situated within the stunning grounds of the Dartington Estate, this 6.3-mile, mainly trail race attracted a host of local runners to what was a sell-out race.
The route was altered slightly from 2020 due to the very boggy conditions on certain parts of the course. The runners ran across fields, through forests, stony trails, and some tarmac roads. The incessant rain in the days leading up to the race meant that the course was sodden. Therefore, the underfoot conditions were treacherous, especially on the downhills and there were deep muddy puddles that could not be avoided.
The rain held off at the 9.30am start time but became heavier as the morning wore on.
Ten Teignbridge Trotters supported the event and were all in good spirits at the off.
Susanna Goffe capped a memorable 2022 by finishing in third in the female competition – the first Trotter home. Susanna clocked a cracking time of 48:37 to finish 11th overall.
Results: John Holland - 41st, 57:05; Tim Synge - 63rd, 1:02:17; Tamsin Cook - 123rd, 1:13:44; Susanne Westgate - 134th, 1:15:01; Mark Wotton - 137th, 1:15:42; Sue Tremlett - 147th, 1:16:31; Karen O’Brien - 148th, 1:16:32; Yasemin Jeffrey - 165th, 1:19:26; Teresa Holmes - 239th, 1:33:12.
Running Events Devon staged their New Year 4 in 4 Bell Challenge, starting on December 30 and finishing on January 2.
The route followed the old disused railway near Exmouth and each out-and-back lap was 5.3km.
Darren Petch was due to compete in the half marathon on all four days, but blisters after day two meant that he regrettably had to pull out. Darren performed tremendously well to win both races in times of 3:05:00 and 3:16:55 respectively.
Darren is planning on running 12 half marathons between February 2022 and February 2023 in aid of Dawlish Action for Youth.
The Teignbridge Trotters are about to start their latest Couch to 5K course on Monday, January 9. The 12-week course is the first of three courses being held throughout 2023. The start date of the other courses are May 15 and September 11. The course will be led by a very experienced coach
The aim of the course is to be able to complete a 5K or a 30-minute run without stopping at the end of the 12-week period. The cost is £10, but if you decide to join the club, this fee will be deducted from the full year’s membership which stands at £24.
So why not make running your New Year’s resolution and trot down to the Recreation Club in Newton Abbot? It is recommended that you purchase yourself a good pair of running shoes and, due to the dark evenings, a reflective bib is compulsory.
Contact [email protected] for more information.