Torbay’s RAT pack rise to the challenge of coast path runs

Torbay AAC turned out in force to represent the club at The Vaga RAT – Roseland August Trail & Ultra Festival 2024. A series of challenging coastal runs along the stunning South Cornwall Coastal Path and all set within a festival weekend.
The RAT incorporates four different routes, The Black Route 32 miles, The Red Route 20 miles, The White Route 11 miles and The Plague (green) 100K – 64 miles !Also Bring Out Your Dead - a 24-hour five-mile loop challenge.
The route takes competitors though stunning coastal scenery, over undulating paths, through fields, villages and surrounding countryside – it is not for the faint hearted!

Torbay had athletes in most of the distances with Anita Merritt and ex member Charlotte Allen in the Plague, Gemma Radcliffe, Sarah Harrison and Kevin Lofts running the Black RAT (32 miles), the red saw Mark Atkinson, Craig Davies, Katie Harvey, Nadine Lee, Hayley Ratcliffe and Deb Webber take on 20 miles.
Running the 11-mile White RAT were Martyn Breslan, Janine Callard, Rachel Collins, Sara Crozier, Ian Hayward, Glen Hawkins, Tessa Hearfield, Andy Philippou and Linda Philippou.

There was drama on the trails with our plague runners narrowly missing a check point cut off after completing many tough miles in the dark on the coastal path. Across all distances Torbay AAC gave their all, overcoming some epic elevation, hot sunny conditions, injuries, steps, steps, steps to burn the quads and cramp the calves and some very technical terrain. Everyone ran hard and partied hard at the after party in the race village.

The Mudcrew hosted an epic event, many thanks to all the volunteers and crew for a fantastic weekend.

Full results:
Black RAT (32)
8 Kevin Lofts 5:57:49 (1st mv50)
29 Sarah Harrison 6:43:11 (1st fv50)
167 Gemma Radcliffe 9:56:42
Red RAT (20)
15 Mark Atkinson 3:36:33 (1st mv55)
24 Craig Davies 3:51:39
44 Debbie Webber 4:27:01 (1st fv55)
48 Katie Harvie 4:31:52
62 Hayley Ratcliffe 4:42:19 (2nd fv55)
108 Nadine Lee 5:48:33

The White RAT (11 miles)
33 Tessa Hearfield 2:21:34 (1st fv65)
41 Sara Crozier 2:28:52 (1st fv55)
49 Janine Callard 2:34:50 (2nd fv60)
68 Andy Philippou 2:49:26 (3rd mv60)
72 Martyn Breslan 2:51:59
80 Linda Philippou 3:03:29 (3rd fv60)
84 Glen Hawkins 3:08:29
85 Rachel Collins 3:09:56 (2nd Fv55)
102 Ian Hayward 3:31:41

Torbay AAC were well represented at The Totnes 10k, boasting a new course with an extra hill!
16 Alex Snell 44:06 (3rd mv40)
31 Dan Martin 46:41
50 Kevin Fine 49:02
109 Rebecca Niles 55:06
162 Iaen Sell 58:59
344 Ray Brown 1:10:36
347 Mike Davies 1:10:55
487 Andy Park 1:29:52

Nick Robinson ran the tough multi terrain Indian queens half marathon on Sunday. He finished in position 149 with a time of 1.50.02

Last week, Anthony Raine did the Sibelco Cornwood 10K Challenge on Saturday. The hilly 10km run around Cornwood and local villages takes runners on along picturesque country roads, tracks and fields. The weather was hot and sunny, but with some rain in the days leading up to the event, there was a little bit of mud on parts of the course. He finished 39th out of 232 runners in a time of 48.14.