Torbay AAC were well represented with 13 athletes taking on the Chudleigh Carnival race on Friday evening. A fun but challenging hilly road race starting in Fore Street outside the Bishop Lacy Pub. Runners complete a small loop around the town centre before winding up a mile long climb along the Chudleigh ridge. Finally, the route drops back down into the village for a sprint finish along Fore Street back to the pub. Results on the night 9 Kevin Fine (35:23), 20 Steve Weeks (37:39), 41 Ian Hayward (39:57), 56 Dan Bickford-Beers (41:32), 86 Sara Crozier (44:23), 91 Cassandra Harrison (45:07), 120 Kav Solder (47:46), 132 Ray Brown (49:03), 141 Irene Hewings (50:18), 147 Tessa Hearfield (50:53), 163 Lisa Belsten (52:20), 179 Anita Ley (54:24), 196 Gemma Radcliffe (57:20).

Seven runners from Torbay AAC competed in the Exeter 10k which this year was run on both Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The race was a fast, flat, two lap course. After bursting out from the start runners follow the footpath around Riverside Valley Park, competitors had been pre warned that planned resurfacing works hadn’t yet been completed. The first half of the loop was the smooth, meandering footpath and cycle-way before crossing over to the other side. The wide, winding pathway was made up of hard packed mud, the surface not only uneven, gravelly and hard underfoot but also peppered with potholes large and small. The challenge became not to find the racing line but just the next couple of metres of runnable surface. After a second loop the last kilometer stretched out in front, the red glow of the finish line clock drawing closer with its ever increasing second, minute and hour count. At the finish line athletes were rewarded with medals and silver water bottles. Thanks to City Runs for a well organised event. Torbay produced some excellent results over the two combined events. Pete Monaghan claimed 1st mv50, Ian Hayward claimed 1st mv55 with a pb and Sara Crozier 1st fv 50 also with a pb. 8 Pete Monaghan (34:57), 111 Ian Hayward (44:06), 181 Nick Dance (48:23), 192 Sara Crozier (48:47), 221 Hayley Ratcliff (50:04), 231 Kav Solder (50:31), 449 Gemma Radcliffe (1:01:26).

From midday Saturday to midday Sunday, Torbay AAC’s Betsy Bebbington ran a 24 hr race as part of a team of 5 in the Thunder Run held at Catton Park in Derbyshire. The course is made up of a 10km cross-country trail circuit set in picturesque countryside. The track twists and turns across varied terrain running from woodlands and technical trails to steep hills, gravel tracks and open fields. Betsy’s team came 3rd in the event with the team running an impressive 25 laps of the 10km course in 24 hours.