Four ORC’s were in Exeter on a pleasant sunny Tuesday evening for the Run Exe 5k Summer Series Third Round, which is the third race of six, writes Paul Evison.

The best four count towards the final placings.

Stan Wood’s plan to get away quickly, run the first half fast then try to maintain the pace thereafter proved the right strategy and helped him to a 20-second PB in the Under-17 age group (18:27).

Andrew Vernon placed himself under no pressure to perform and had a magnificent run, finishing just four seconds shy of the M55 club record (18:54). Claudine Benstead was disappointed with a run a little below her best but still managed an age-category second (20:24) and Paul Evison had a good run not yet fully fit after injury (23:12).

On Saturday, three ORCs took part in the Buckland Bounder. This is a scenic multi-terrain race of just over six miles, now part of the Dartmoor Fell Series. It was a hot one!

A great atmosphere was generated for the racers as they finished in the heart of the village of Buckland Monachorum during the Summer Fair. As the finishers crossed the line, as well as collecting their medal, they were also offered a pint of water, a banana and a pint of Jail Ale. The heat was much too hot for Joe Lane who decided that lying down in the stream was preferable to the pint of ale.

First ORC home was Tom Poland in 11th (46:39), next was Joe Lane in 19th (48:55) followed by Jo Page, the third lady home in a category-winning time of 50:29.

Jo-Anne Turner, in the company of a couple of friends, took on the Bocastle Scramble, a supported, self-navigated marathon along the North Cornish coast.

It starts at Rock on the Camel Estuary and finishes in Boscastle. As anyone who has walked the Coast Path will testify, the climbs (5700ft) and drop downs are quite a test. When you factor in running and heat it becomes a challenge which is not for the faint-hearted. The trio achieved their goal in eight hours. Well done to them all.

Swansea Half Marathon is billed as Wales’ biggest and best. It starts at Copr Bay Bridge and heads out towards the Singleton Campus before heading back though the city, passing the castle and the Waterfront Museum.

Onwards then towards The Mumbles with views of Swansea Bay before returning via Brynmill Lane to the finish in Swansea Arena.

Mike Davies took on this race with his cousin in the ‘far too hot’ conditions and both finished together in the excellent time of 1:36:16.

Sunday saw the pirate-themed 10-mile Shiver Me Timbers trail race on the Coast Path at Torbay, get under way.

Three ORC ladies headed away from Goodrington across the coastal trails, through woodlands, across bays and coves to seek the Pirate King of Torbay, who was hiding out past the Golden Hind at Brixham Harbour. When they found him they were given a coin which they later exchanged for a medal when they crossed the finishing line.

It was so hot that after the race one of the trio, having warmed a paving slab to a heat approaching that of a hotplate, took refuge in the sea.

Unofficial times have Jo Page finishing in 1:40:10, Karen King in 2:00:17 and Lucy Gooding 2:30:01. The ladies agreed that it was a lovely race on a tough, beautiful course but decided they would rather not encounter any more steps on a run for a little while.