Hogweed Trotters (From Gazette Series)

Hogweed Trotters

HOGWEED Trotters travelled far and wide last weekend to get their races in. Alarm bells rang early for the Hogweeds heading to Oxfordshire for the White Horse Half Marathon. Despite the flat nature of the course, fast times were at a premium mainly due to the heavy rain and buffeting wind.

Four Hogweeds were among the 500 runners and all managed to complete the course. First back was Justin Littlechild who achieved an excellent 12th overall in 1:20:54. With an equally impressive performance, Ray Maddock was 18th overall and 1st MV60 in 1:30:19.

Martin Wood and Stephen Chandler continued their head to head battle and once again it came down to the tortoise and the hare routine. Stephen set off at 7:30 mile pace, opening up a five minute lead after three miles, only for the wheels to well and truly come off at the ten mile point. Martin finally got him in his sights at mile eleven, before cruising past during mile twelve with some accompanying good natured banter. Martin finished in 2:05:55 with Stephen a few minutes behind in 2:10:06.

After at least two weeks without a race, Trinity Booth and Rich Kenington resumed normal service at the Oakley 20-mile road race in Bedfordshire. The idea was to take a steady run in preparation for the London Marathon but both soon found themselves racing. Trinity achieved a PB by 3:30 finishing in 2:44:06 while Rich managed a MV50 PB of 2:46:25.

Also on the road was Robert Emery, who was Hogweed's sole representative in the Taunton Half Marathon. Robert finished in 1:46:11.

Closer to home, two Hogweeds had a go at the Ironwood Challenge at Long Ashton. This proved to be a hideously slippery multi-terrain 10k with no flat sections whatsoever. There was plenty of mud and blood to wash off afterwards.

Simon Spedding was 3rd overall and 1st MV40 in 45:59. Trevor Hooper finished in 1:20:02.

For more information about Hogweed Trotters, visit www.hogweedtrotters.co.uk