Saturday saw great turn out from the Pioneers competing in the Eden Project parkrun. Helen Lawes (27:07), who finished 5th in her age category, making her 18th female across the line, out of the 211 athletes who took part.  Julie Gregory completed the run in 32:50. Also in attendance were Mark Deacon, Nina Bond, Christian Boyce, and Cathy Saunders.

Sunday, saw several pioneers taking part in the Tavy 7 race, which is organised by Tavistock Athletics Club. The 7 mile route, is held on Dartmoor, and takes the athletes from Plaster Down on the western edge of Dartmoor on an undulating route and goes past Pew Tor and the hamlet of Sampford Spiney on its 7 mile route. Along the way athletes are treated to wonderful scenery. Athletes who took part from the Pioneers included Di Foster (1:01:01), Sophie Wones (1:05:57), Dave Hotchkiss (1:08:34), Steve Skinner, and Mandy Kemp.

Last weekend saw a trio of pioneers travel over to Southsea, Portsmouth to take part in the Great South run. Nina Bond, Christian Boyce and Mark Deacon competed in the 10 miles route, which take the athletes from portsmouth Blue Reef Aquarium, along the coast towards Portsmouth Dock, then over to the University, back to Southsea, along the coast and back again to Southsea. 

The Pioneers Trio who took part in the race were Nina Bond, who completed the run in 1:38:44.  Christian Boyce finished in 1:17:33. For both Nina and Christian this was their personal best times for both 10 mile and 15K. Mark Deacon who wanted to finish the race near the hour mark, but managed to run an incredible time of 1:00:00, and finished 130th place. This was a personal best time also for Deacon. The trio did amazingly well, all to finished with personal best times, within a very popular race of 20,000 other athletes taking part. 

This weekend saw Looe Pioneers travel down to The Eden Project to take part in the Eden Marathon and Half Marathon. For Eden this is the 10th year of organising this event, and the race takes place over multi terrace and hilly route. 


Among the athletes taking part in the half marathon were Guy Cooper, who vowed never to do this race again having done it last year but returned this year. Guy completed the route in 2:53:07. Darren Hardwick, for Hardwick, this was his first Half Marathon, having only started club running in January with the Couch to 5K training scheme, crossed the finish line in 2:10:45. 

Jennine Fisher completed the run in 2:09:06. With three of the male Looe Pioneers, finishing the race, very close together.  Clive Finnimore, completed the route in just under 2 hours, with a time of 1:59:58, with Christian Boyce coming in 2:01:10  and Jon Hoskin just after him, with a time of 2:02:08. Nina Bond, completed the 13.1 mile route in 2:43:00. 

Helen Lawes finished in 2:08:09 which was a personal best on the course for her, having completed the route 11 minutes faster than previous years. Along with Mandy Gibson, who completed in 1:44:44, which was a person best on the course for her too. Nick Pope achieved a person best for a half marathon completing the route in 1:51:01.

This week saw a massive team turn out from the Looe Pioneers, who competed in the Plymouth 10K race. Sunday morning was an early start for most of the athletes travelling over the border. The Looe Pioneers joined nearly 4000 other athletes competing in either the 5k or 10k runs. 

The race started on New George Street, then athletes run up and down Royal Parade, to Exeter Street, Gdynia Way, then along the embankment, just to turn around and run back the way they had come. 

With so many of the Looe Pioneers in attendance special mention  should go to Di Foster, who completed the race in 57:45, which was a person best on last years efforts. Darren Hardwick who managed to achieve a personal best for the distance of 10K, having completed the 10k in 49:45. Personal bests also were achieved for Andy Urie (51:06), Sophie Wones (52:27), Jon Hoskin (52:29) and Christian Boyce (47:09).
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Mark Deacon came in 31st overall, out of the thousands of athletes that completed, with an impressive time 37:59. Dale Staff came in 82nd with a time 40:57. Jo Robinson who was the first female from the pioneers over the finish line, and she came in 106th, with a time of 42:14. Mark Grassam came in 151st with a time of 43:41. With Shaun Pengelly, completed the run in 1:14:59.