John Bullivant was the 625th and final entrant to be accepted for the sold-out Totnes 10K on Sunday 6 August 2023. The Vegan Runners UK M50 finished 88th in 54:09 and was 10th in his age group.

Newton Abbott-based Teignbridge Trotters – established 1982, strapline 'Born to Run' – are the friendly club behind this masochistic mission to climb the wooded hills through historic Dartington Estate and North Wood before the punishing swoop down a concrete trail to the finish in Borough Park, Totnes.

Borough Park also hosts the start of the main race and the accompanying Mile Fun Run that saw wins for under-13 talents Tara Ferguson (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC, 5:27) and Joshua Parkinson (unattached, 5:48) – in an overall triumph for the girls from a field of 100.

The main race had a mass start at 11:00am in near-perfect weather conditions and it wasn't long before Skip Snelson (Banbury Harriers) had skipped into the lead, eventually winning by 26 seconds in 39:35 – the only runner under 40 minutes on this tough multi-terrain course.

The runner-up was Wild Running Events Director Ceri Rees (unattached, 40:01) – who also took the M50 category prize – from Matthew Gilvear (Erme Valley Harriers, 41:08) – the first under-18 junior prize winner. Matthew is a 35:12 10K runner on the road this year so the Totnes test in the River Dart valley added a minute a mile to his best pace!

The women's race also saw the top three adding an assortment of age-related prizes. Katie Synge-Curtis (Royal Navy AC, 44:46) was the overall winner from the first junior Charlotte Walker (Tavistock AC, 46:53) and W40 age-group leader Amy Jones (South West Road Runners, 47:45).

The Teignbridge Trotters' BBQ was popular along with the legendary homemade cakes and the beer tent provided by one of the race sponsors the Albert Inn at Totnes.

This was the 23rd running of Totnes 10K and more than 10,000 runners have completed the beautiful, if exhausting, course helping to raise more than £25,000 for Totnes Caring, providing services to vulnerable and elderly people in the area.

Race details and results are available via the runABC South race listing here.

Photos courtesy Teignbridge Trotters Races on Facebook