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Mid Summer Turkey Trot
There was a record turnout for the Brooks Mid Summer Turkey Trot, with well over 400 entries and 390 finishers. We think one or two might still be stuck down a Broad Lane hole! CAC runners, as usual, were well to the fore, providing the individual winners, Ollie Shilston and Jo Friday and the usual men's team victory. Our B team gained some long overdue reward (and beer - see Dave S!), coming in 6th. Our women's team went well and were 2nd, just missing out to the strong Carn Ladies team.
Ollie bolted from the traps and was never headed, though Dave Buzza's blistering speed gave Ollie a fright just before the mile mark! Thereafter he cruised away comfortably to win in 20.28 with Dave 28 seconds down in 2nd place. Young Matt Cleave had another good run in 3rd, holding off Matt Pullen, who started steadily this time, determined not to repeat his dying swan act at Sticker (!) and finished in 22.07.
Top three positions established early on
Matt Lewis had a solid run in 10th (22.47), just holding off a resurgent Justin Thomas who is looking good again and nearly caught Matt with his great kick for 22.50. Jason Pascoe brought the 1st team home in 11th place, not far behind with 22.57 to knock 7 seconds off his course PB. Fifteen year old James Waldie transferred his great fell running form to the roads, clocking 23.06 for 13th place, hanging in well after a very enthusiastic start!
Battle of the youngsters
Ryan (6th) gets the better of James (13th)
Jo Friday was next in for CAC with a magnificent 23.48 for 1st lady, 19th overall and 3rd on the All-Time Turkey Trot list, knocking 43 seconds off her previous best. Only Sarah Salmon (who recently ran in the World X-C Champs. for Australia) and Sharon Coyne have ever run faster. Well done Jo!
Justin, starting cautiously and Jo, smiling as usual!
Jeff Houghton had possibly his best run on the roads to date, clocking 24.25 for 29th and was followed in by the urban myth that is Mark King. The legs might be moving a little slower, there might still be a bit of excess bounce in the tummy region but the style's the same and 24.49 in his first race for about twelve years isn't bad! He reckoned it was just about his toughest ever! For those not as old as me, Mark ran for Great Britain in the World Cross country Championships as a Junior and twice as a Senior in the 80's and 90's.
Jeff and ...yes it is, he's back at last
and good to see him in the yellow and green again
There was a fantastic scrap just behind Mark, with Dave Pell tracking Dave Southby and then ripping past right on the line to take 50th by a second in 25.10 to 25.11. Aaron Rodger was not far behind, closing in the B team with 25.37 and earn a welcome few beers. John Waldie just missed out on joining son James in the team with 71st in 26.06 and Danny Marsh showed he's getting fit again with 85th in 26.38.
Aaron, continuing to improve with every race
Jenny Almey, seemingly now over her stomach problems, ran a fine 26.43 for 8th lady, closely followed by Sarah Keast in 9th (26.53) and Suzy Bosustow 10th in 27.10. Great packing to back Jo up and claim 2nd team. If these girls plus Emma, Julia and Zelah (who's expecting a baby in December by the way - congratulations to her and Rupert!) and one or two others work hard together, we'll have a great team next year.
Young Daniel Drew had a good run to getting amongst the ladies with 26.49 for 95th place overall, finishing just ahead of the knarled old veterans, Ken Curtis (106th), Viv Bray (112th and delighted with his PB) and Pete Torr (116th). New recruit Dave Norton ran well again to pip Graham Storer by a second and a place in 128th with 28.01 and John Holden made a welcome return after his adventures in Scotland with 135th position.
Paul Reeve, with his trademark kick, dipped under 30 minutes in 174th and Norris Kington had a great run with 32.50 for 234th and 3rd in his age group behind the quality duo of Roy Willbond-Smith and Peter Mander.
What a formidable trio! Thou shalt not pass.
Jill Curtis held off the rapidly improving Lynette Torr, with 35.15 to 35.55, to finish 12 places ahead in 273rd and Sam Alexander had another superb run, knocking a massive 4 minutes off her winter time with 37.39 for 310th place.
Jill, almost at the top of the hill
and far from 'over the hill'
MAGNIFICENT 7 Sunday 15th July
Well, we started off as the Magnificent 17 a week ago but by the time we'd jettisoned all the excess baggage along the way, we'd become the Fantastic 5 as the gun fired to set us on our way.
The threatened diabolical weather was actually replaced by heavy drizzle and we were sheltered from the gusting wind way down in the Tamar Valley, so times were generally better than in last year's heatwave.
First in was Dave Buzza, who, after getting dropped by a frisky Jim Cole from Tavistock halfway round the very hilly course, came back to win relatively comfortably in the end in a time of 38.21, seven seconds outside Shaun Milford's course record.
Dave - mark 1
Dave Pell's rapidly getting fitter and he ran strongly for 29th place in 47.16, with the third Dave, Dave Southby, going back up to 2nd in the overall Grand Prix with 49.34 for 51st place.
Dave - mark 2
I thought Graham Storer and Viv Bray had had good runs, especially as Viv ran a pb, until Graham let slip that they'd walked up the last very steep hill together. It's a good job it was raining as they might have sat down on a bench for a kiss and a cuddle!! Anyway, Graham pushed on to come in ahead of Viv, so that no-one suspected anything, finishing in 52.59 to Viv's 53.12.
Dave - mark 3
Oh for a 6th scorer, as the team event was pretty weak and we could have got a placing. We'll have to wait another race or two to nail down another Grand Prix team victory for the men.
314 finishers
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