Last Sunday Sidmouth RC held the locally infamous 12th Four Trigs Challenge, this being a hard 17 mile off road run using the four local trig points (Higher Peak, Fire Beacon, Buckton Hill and Weston) more suited to fell runners and good local knowledge, writes Mark Keast.

Being a popular run with locals, the 100 runners race limit is always reached well before race day.

Exeter fell runner Tim Lenton was the first home with a cracking time of 2hrs 20mins, which would probably of been quicker if he had the local knowledge of the runners behind him.

In second and third places respectively were popular club runners Graham Hill and Justin Ashby both achieving a time of 2hrs 22mins which was very quick considering the slippery conditions. James Jackson and Milan Goc were not far behind them taking fourth and fifth places.

First girl home was local runner Jessica Rayner (nee Watkins) with a time of 3hrs 8mins with Naomi Garrick not far behind her.

Other club runners who did well were footballing brothers Mark and Craig Badcock who finished 25th equal overall, Philip Welsford’s marathon training helped him finish 31st .

Iain Burns peaked a bit too early and typically crashed a few places down to 36th.

Most improved runners must have been Claire Ashby and Cath Miller, running their first full trigs race and finishing a very respectable 55th equal place and completing in well under the four hour mark.

Veteran competitors Ian Voce and John Keast (the only competitors left to have completed all 12 races) still managed to hobble, walk and even run to finish in a good time of 4hrs and 13min.

Thanks must go to Hayman Butchers and Neil Tubbs who provided very much appreciated pasties and cakes to all finishers and which, to one weak and weary finisher, was a life saver.