OKEHAMPTON Running Club held their annual awards evening at Okehampton Golf Club on May 6.

The evening is held to celebrate all the achievements of members throughout the year and present prizes to those whose performances in various categories have been outstanding.

While it was a great evening with a lot to celebrate, it was also tinged with sadness as the club took the opportunity to commemorate Marilyn Cooper, the club member who tragically died earlier this year. After all the annual awards had been given out, Marilyn’s husband Paul and son Peter presented a new trophy, the Marilyn Cooper Memorial Cup, which Paul had very generously donated in her memory.

It had been decided by the committee that this would be awarded to the female who had raced the most miles in a year, a very fitting category as Marilyn had been such a prolific racer herself.

It was presented to an emotional Anne Binns who had recently followed in Marilyn’s footsteps in the Boston Marathon and was very honoured to be the first name on the cup. This was followed by a presentation to Paul and Peter by Stuart May on behalf of the club, of a photo book he had put together with photos taken by many club members over the years Marilyn had been with the club.

Finally the club chairman, Tim Watson, presented Paul with a Dartington Crystal vase engraved with “In Loving Memory of Marilyn from Okehampton Running Club” as Marilyn had been voted the club member of the year.

The annual awards as voted for by club members for 2016 were:

Best newcomer, Lucy Brint; most improved female, Jackie Dawes; most improved male, Mike Westland; hardest trainer female, Lucy Marrison; hardest trainer male, Stuart May; coach of the year female, Mags Jarvis; coach of the year male, Jeremy Tandy; highest achiever female, Katie Littlejohns; highest achiever male, Roger Voaden.

l Three Okehampton runners took part in the Ivybrige 10K on Saturday. This spectacularly scenic race starts at Ivybridge Station at finishes at the Rugby Club. The course is fast, despite one steep hill, with the last six kilometres all downhill making for a fast second half and attracts runners from a long way looking for a fast time.

Roger Voaden had a superb run finishing in 37.41 to set a another new club record for his age group.

The quality of the field is reflected in the fact that this gave him 3rd in the MV50 category. Andrew Vernon also had a great run claiming 2nd MV45 in 39.46. The only lady ORC, Lotte Smith, finished in 1.00.38.