On Saturday three Torbay AAC athletes travelled to participate in The Lanzarote International Half Marathon. The scenic course winds it’s way along the coast from Puerto de Carmen to Costa Teguise snaking through local towns and villages. Conditions on the day were hot and windy making for a challenging run along the undulating course. With volcano’s looming large in the background and the black volcanic dust blowing in the wind results were as follows: 321 Cassandra Harrison 1:50:24, 337 Sara Crozier 1:51:14, 561 Anita Merritt 2:04:03
On a perfect morning for running, seventeen Torbay AAC athletes took on the challenging 7.5 miles of the hilly Cockington Christmas Caper. With plenty of mud under foot there were many excellent performances. Results as follows:
First home for the club in position 21 Matt Smith 1:05:02, 29 Martyn Breslan 1:07:29, 42 Peter Hart 1:10:53, 75 Sarah Harrison 1:17:28 , 79 David Maxwell 1:18:30, 91 Katie Codling 1:20:21, 95 Dan Bickford-Beers 1:21:09, 106 Mike Davis 1:22:47, 127 Andy Philippou 1:25:44, 128 Lisa Haley 1:25:52, 129 Lisa Belsten 1:26:17, 158 David Pressley 1:30:59, 173 Caroline Whelan 1:34:53, 179 Kav Solder 1:36:35, 191 Debra Pressley 1:44:28, 200 Felicity Davies 1:46:42, 201 Natalie Higgs 1:46:45 There were 229 finishers.
On Sunday Betsy Bebbington travelled to Telford Athletic Club’s Telford 10K, the event was used as the Midlands qualifying event for selection for the England Athletics 2020 Age Group Masters 10K event, therefore the standard of competitors was high, the course was mostly flat and in 3 waves to accommodate pace variations. Betsy finished in 42:52 (gun time). The fact that she was 5th FV55 is testament to the fiercely competitive field.
Torbay AAC athlete Karen Baddeley ran Brixham Santa Run and was 1st lady and 4th over all. It was the first time the race had been held and 150 santas ran a 3k route from the fish market to the breakwater and back . It was great fun and a perfect ‘run up’ to Christmas.
