South Devon athletes running with tortoises, armadillos and sloths

Three teams represented South Devon Athletic Club at the Erme Valley Relays, with a dozen intrepid athletes taking their turns around the ‘undulating’ two-and-a-half-mile course through the lanes around Ivybridge Rugby Club.

The first team to complete their turns through the countryside were the Tortoises, who were 41st overall of the 94 teams taking part. A male vet 50 line-up, the Tortoises were Marc Walpot, Colin Peters, Jeremy Goddard and Shaun Kirk.

Just a couple of minutes behind them were the SDAC Armadillos, a men’s team made up of Rob Foster, Ben Hooppell, Antony Waters and James Nash. The mixed SDAC Sloths were the club’s next line-up to complete the course. Sloths for the night were Matthew Senior, Kate Foley, Liane Irish and Rachel Irish.

The fastest leg was run by Anthony Waters in 15m 39s, followed by Colin Peters in 16m 39s, Marc Walpot in 17m 17s and Shaun Kirk in 17m 32s.

The following night the club swapped the leafy lanes for the sapping sands of Paignton for the annual SDAC Beaches Run.

Shaun Kirk was in a class of his own and streaked away to win the race from Goodrington South Sands to Preston and back in a rapid 28m 01s. Marc Walpot took second in 28m 19s, having shaken off a challenge from Rob Foster, who stopped the clock in 29m 02s.

Mark Carter was next in 29m 30s, pipping first lady Dani Waters by just three seconds. Other finishers were Guy Henderson (30m 28s), Cherry Powell (32m 08s), Neil Jordain (32m 24s), James Nash (33m 25s) and Roger Webb (38m 01s).

The double-header came at the end of a busy month for SDAC members, who raced over a variety of distances.

Paul Williams was 64th on the tough Shiver Me Timbers coast path 10-miler while Cherry Powell completed the Swansea Half-Marathon in 2h 13m. James Nash did the VX3 Twilight 10k on the Clennon Valley Velopark in 53m 12s, while Paul Williams and Alison Ford finished the Dawlish Coastal Dash in 34m 04s and 45m 02s respectively.