TWENTY five Bere Alston Trekkers (BATs) — over a third of the membership — forwent their normal club night last Wednesday (August 14) to take part in the Armada Athletics Network Saltram 5K.

The Armada Network is a self-funded group of clubs in the Plymouth, East Cornwall and West Devon area which work together to promote athletic opportunities for all. Member clubs include Bere Alston Trekkers, Tavistock Athletic Club, Launceston Road Runners, Erme Valley Harriers and a large number of the running clubs based in Plymouth. Over the spring and summer, the Armada Network organises a monthly 5K in the National Trust’s Saltram Park and in autumn and winter a monthly 3K is held in Plymouth’s Central Park.

The August Saltram 5K event is part of the Armada Athletics Network Grand Prix. The Grand Prix serves to promote member clubs’ events within the Armada Network and offers prizes to clubs and individual members through participation at Grand Prix events. Whilst a number of the BATs were able to treat the event as a race, for several BATs this formed part of their recovery from their running at the weekend or controlled return from injury.

The colony of BATs were: Murray Turner who finished in 21 minutes 53 seconds, Gary Fielder 23.00, Paul Ashton 23.21, Martin Head 24.01, Derek Hicks 25.12, Debbie Ashton 27.13, Mel Greaves 28.17, Clare Munro, Julie Page and Quintin Harte-Latremouille 28.20, Eleanor Johnson 28.53, Kate Medhurst 29.15, Shaun Hingston 30.38, Melissa Pinfield 31.11, Natasha Hingston 31.30, Dominika Nawalany 31.33, Hazel Bickley 32.11, Cally Barnes 33.32, Frances Morgan 34.13, Hilary Head 35.31, Kelly Shaw 35.49, Karin Kattenhorn 36.38, Pauline Cole 37.44, Jo Bourton 38.19 and Lisa Birch 38.20.

On Sunday, BAT Andy Cowden completed in Run to the Castle in Wales organised by How Hard Can It Be? Events. This was his first ultra marathon and involved 42 miles from Aberdovey following the Welsh coast path north to Harlech in the shadow of Harlech Castle. The route involved a coast path, beach running and taking in the seafront at Tywyn, the village of Fairbourne, the famous Fairbourne bridge and Barmouth. Andy finished in 11 hours and 25 minutes within the 12 hour cutoff to complete the course.