18 Aug The hills are alive with the sound of runners!
It seems that South Devon Athletic Club’s racers just can’t get enough of those hills.
Recent races have seen them scaling slopes across the South Hams and tackling Torbay’s toughest tests.
Meanwhile, long-distance specialist Matt Dalton has been taking some incredible inclines in his stride as he clocks up more ultra miles. The Hope Trail Festival Ultra at Newnham Park saw him complete 20 five-mile laps of the arduous course, finishing 24th overall in 34h 04m 26s.
In the GB Ultra Beacons Way 100-miler across South Wales he finished the mountainous slog from Abergavenny to Llangadog in 34h 07m 01s.
Anne Steele Arnett, running as a second-claim athlete for South Devon, was the first female Vet 70 at the Start Fitness 10k in Exeter, finishing 90th overall in 1h 09m 11s.
In the 2026/27 GP series it was Jamie Duffield who led the SDAC contingent home in the Totnes 10k in 51m 04s, ahead of Rob Foster in 53m 58s. Third club member home – and second overall Female Vet 45 – was Kate Foley.
The rest of the SDAC team at Totnes comprised James Spalding, Vince Langdon, Kerry Bell, George Holman, Yvonne Patrick Odell, Saz Pav, Heather Coverdale, Roger Webb, Mark Holman, Alison Ford and Brian Marjoram.
Jamie Duffield leads the men’s GP table after five events, followed by Rob Foster and Vince Langdon. Kate Foley is the leading lady from Heather Coverdale and Alison Ford.
As if they needed any more hills, 11 SDAC members took part in the Kingsbridge Fair Week 10k over an undulating route around the town.
Richard Perry was the fastest of them, finishing in 48m 06s, followed by Rob Foster in 49m 32s and Kate Foley in 54m 33s. Also in their bright yellow SDAC vests on the night were Serena Jury, Kerry Bell, Saz Pav, Yvonne Patrick Odell, James Nash, Roger Webb, Alison Ford and Brian Marjoram.
The club’s internal Grand Prix series made its annual trip to the woods on the outskirts of Paignton for the Scadson Screamer, a flat-out pelt downhill from Occombe to Hollicombe followed by a lung-bursting climb back up again.
Junior runner Roux Tucker took it all in his stride to win the event in 20m 23s, with Richard Perry second in 20m 48s and Rob Foster third in 21m 11s. First lady was Serena Jury in 24m 46s.
Other finishers were James Spalding, Vince Langdon, Marc Walpot, Shaun Kirk, Kate Foley, Kerry Bell, James Nash, Guy Henderson, Saz Pav, Yvonne Patrick Odell, Roger Webb, Pedro (Guest), Brian Marjoram, Heather Coverdale, Tracy Elford and Alison Ford.
Adding just one more big hill to the mix, the most recent round of the internal Grand Prix was the Oddicombe Hill Climb, which packs 85 metres of ascent into little more than 700 metres of running.
Mark Carter took the honours in 4m 12s, followed by Vince Langdon in 4m 28s and James Spalding in 4m 56s. First lady was Kerry Bell in 5m 27s.
Other SDAC finishers were Guy Henderson, James Nash, Yvonne Patrick Odell, Saz Pav, Roger Webb, Liz Lee and Alison Ford.
Vince Langdon tops the internal Grand Prix table, just one point ahead of James Spalding with James Nash third. Leading lady is Saz Pav, a single point ahead of Yvonne Patrick Odell with Serena Jury third.