Newton on the wild side

It was a tad soggy underfoot for the Four Trigs race a week ago, writes Dave Mutter.

This 17-mile, very hilly and largely off-road route from Sidmouth visits the four trig points around the lower Otter Valley.

Tim Lenton retained his title, this year in Alex Todd’s company with the pair getting round together in 2:28:14. Patrick Devine-Wright was seventh in 2:44:44 while Garry Perratt added a two-mile detour to bag an extra trig, finishing 15th in 3:06:28.

Robin Carter was second lady, 23rd overall in 3:18:18, and Eleanor Wood, Roger Bramley and Graham Newton ran together, unfortunately due to misreading the map they managed to lose their way and ended up running adding an extra two miles onto the route finishing 49th in 3:54:59. Sue and Jess Tubbs were second in the three-trig race in 3:52:36.

?Adele Foxwell was delighted to gain a new PB of 1:41 in the Exeter Half marathon and Lesley Adams was 159th in the Cannon Hill (Birmingham) Parkrun taking 27:55.

?Caleb Sinclair was the winner of the Junior February handicap in 17:32, with Imogen Lewis second, 17:02; William Blackledge third, 14:18, Matt Thurgood fourth, 17:25 and Mia Bartlett fifth, 16:19.

Laura Bailey was the Senior handicap winner in 30:21 followed by Janet Woodward second 33:09, Kate Alexander third, 32:42; Anna McLoughlin fourth, 17:15 and Natalie Wakelin fifth 34:38.

?Graham Newton took part in the Wild Night Run, 10 tough, moorish miles across varying terrain, nearly all off-road and with plenty of climbing.

Most people came prepared to deal with rocks, mud, moorland, bogs and even a little bit of tarmac.

And the race certainly lived up to its ‘Wild’ billing. However, Graham managed to keep on his feet to finish the run in 1:38:58, 17th place overall out of 130 runners, and second in the over-50s’ category.