THE TCS London Marathon took place on Sunday, April 26, and, despite hot conditions for the mass field, it was one of the most extraordinary days in the event’s history

At the front of the race, London witnessed world‑record‑breaking performances. Sebastian Sawe made history by becoming the first man ever to run a sub‑two‑hour marathon, crossing the line 65 seconds faster than the previous world best.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa delivered another dominant performance, successfully defending her London Marathon title and setting a new women‑only world record of 2:15:41, bettering the mark she set here last year.

17 Teignbridge Trotters took to the streets of London. While the heat tested runners throughout the day, the atmosphere was electric, with huge crowds lining the route from Greenwich to the finish on The Mall.

Among the club runners, Rachel Steele produced a superb performance, finishing in 3:47:45 to secure a Good‑For‑Age qualifying time, made all the more impressive as it came just two weeks after completing the Dartmoor Marathon.

Teignbridge Trotters were well represented across the field, with finish times as follows: Alex Sparks (2:39:15), James Saunders (3:12:29), Freya Morrissey (3:24:30), Mandy Wheeler (3:32:38), James Marshall (3:37:29), Guy Jary (3:40:35), Rachel Steele (3:47:45), Will Hassell (3:48:51), Deborah Elphick (3:50:02), Andrew Fox (4:06:21), Kim Knight (4:11:36), Rachel Harrison (4:26:44), Chris Andrews (5:05:52), Jayden Taylor (5:08:02), Amy Davey (5:21:11), Karen Peters (5:21:11) and Kurt Read (5:52:08).

Meanwhile, the Maer Half Marathon returned to Exmouth for its seventh year, showcasing everything the East Coast of Devon is known for: rolling roads, coastal hills, and stunning clifftop views.

Club member Del Skinner took on the half‑marathon distance, describing it as very much “a game of two halves”.

The opening section of the race is predominantly undulating road, winding its way through and around Exmouth before splitting at the 5km point. It’s in the second half that the course truly begins to test runners, heading onto the South West Coast Path with a series of demanding climbs and descents before looping back towards the finish at Sideshore on the seafront.

Del completed the course in a watch time of 2hrs 4mins, navigating both the steady early miles and the tougher coastal hills, and praised the event as well organised. With shared start and finish locations adding to the atmosphere and sea views throughout much of the route, the Maer events continue to offer a real test alongside an enjoyable and supportive race experience.

For those preferring a shorter challenge, the Maer 10km follows a single‑lap route that rejoins the half marathon course after 5km, including a downhill stretch to the Geoneedle and a scenic run back along the coast path to the finish.

Following two challenging marathon weekends, Sue Tremlett stayed closer to home on Saturday by taking on a demanding South West Coast Path Half Marathon, running from Paignton to Shaldon.

Described by the organisers as 13.1 challenging multi‑terrain miles with just over 3,000 feet of ascent, this is a race that fully lives up to its reputation. The route is entirely on the South West Coast Path, with approximately 75% off‑road trails, offering stunning coastal scenery alongside relentless climbs and descents.

The race starts at Preston Green near Paignton, with the opening miles taking runners along tarmac through to Torquay Harbour. After passing the Imperial Hotel, the route heads back onto the trails, undulating along the coast towards Babbacombe Beach, where runners pass beneath the iconic Babbacombe Cliff Railway before continuing through Petitor Downs. The final six miles consist of particularly scenic but tough, hilly off‑road trails, finishing at The Ness in Shaldon.

Conditions on the day added to the challenge, with hot weather making an already hilly course feel even tougher. Despite this, Sue completed the route in 3 hrs 40 min, describing the run as “very hot, hilly and hard” but a satisfying achievement given the cumulative fatigue of the previous two weekends.

On Thursday, April 23, Claire Ailing took part in the RogueRuns Severn Bridge Twilight Race, a distinctive and scenic 5‑mile evening event held on the iconic Old Severn Bridge.

The race began with a group warm‑up inside the tunnel before runners made their way up onto the bridge for a 7:30pm start. The out‑and‑back course follows the pedestrian accessways of the Severn Bridge, with runners crossing to the far side via a footbridge before turning back towards the finish.

Just before the turnaround point, runners were greeted, and energetically spurred on, by a group of drummers, adding to the atmosphere of an already memorable course. The return leg was run against the backdrop of a spectacular sunset, making for a striking and uplifting finish to the race.

The event was described as brilliantly organised, with friendly marshals throughout and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Claire completed the course in an official time of 41:25, finishing 97th out of 412 runners and placing 26th female - a strong performance in a competitive field.

As if the scenery, sunset, and medal weren’t enough, the race rounded off with free cake and tea at the finish, making it “a win‑win indeed”.

There were also Trotters taking on the Boston and Manchester Marathons on the weekend prior- full information of these races is available on their website.